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American Revolution Begins
The American Revolution began because the colonies wanted to gain independence from their Mother Country, England. Because the French were the rival of the English, the French wanted to show their power to England. It resulted in King Louis XVI funding the revolution and adding more to their debts. -
Louis XVI crowned King of France
When Louis XV dies, Louis Auguste was crowned king of France along with Marie-Antoinette as queen. He then was renamed Louis XVI. -
Calling of the Estates-General
It was when Louis XVI summons the Estates-General for its first meeting in 175 years. It's at this time where the three estates meet up with the king so he can ask permission to tax the first and second estate because they were also in a financial crisis. -
Formation of the National Assembly
During the meeting of the Estates-General, the third estate broke away from the Estates-General because of unfair representation. They were outnumbered when they were voting for which estate is to be tax and apparently the first and second decides to get together. In the result of unfair representation, the third estate breaks away and established itself as the National Assembly. -
The Tennis Court Oath
It was when the the third estate gather up at the tennis court in Versailles and where they decided to make an oath. This led to the creation of the Declaration of Rights of Man that was influences by enlightenment ideas from Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Voltaire. -
Attack on the Bastille
This prison was considered the oppression of Monarchy. So an angry mob went and seized and took all the weapons inside. This was the start of the fierce French Revolution. -
French Women force Louis XVI to leave Versailles
Women who were with the revolution's liberal ideas started to gather up in the mob and confronted the loyal family. They compelled the royal family to return to Paris with them. -
Declaration of war against Austria
Revolutionaries wanted war because they though they could unify the country. They also wanted to spread the idea of the Revolution throughout all of Europe. -
The National Convention is formed
It's the first French government organized as a republic. It abolished Monarchy and set aside the Constitution. -
Louis XVI is executed
Louis XVI was made a prisoner and tried for treason as he was trying to escape and send letters to other countries to invade France. Because of those reasons the group of radicals called the Jacobins that was lead by Robespierre ordered for the king's execution by the guillotine. -
Reign of Terror
It was a time period where almost all people who shows disloyalty to the revolution is killed by using the guillotine. This was proposed by the Jacobins who was lead by Maximilien Robespierre that governed France as a dictator. During this time there were changes to the calendar, the doing away with Sunday, and confiscating church lands and money. -
The Thermidorian Reaction
In the month of Thermidor, people had enough of the bloodshed and all blame of the Reign of Terror was put on Robespierre. Then he, himself was led to death's door by the magnificent guillotine. -
The Directory is formed
Afterwards to clean up the mess made by the Reign of Terror, the Directory was formed to fix the problems. They placed power in the hands of the upper-middle-class, made two house legislature, and an executive body of five men. But they still ha some old remaining problems which was the financial crisis, food shortage, and enemies who they employed Napoleon to command the armies. -
Napoleon takes power
Because of how much the people of France wanted Napoleon to lead the country, he went ahead and overthrow the Directory. He performed a coup d'etat and rose up to power later deeming himself Emperor. -
Napoleon invades Russia
This was Napoleon's biggest mistake that lead to the fall of his empire because he tried to invade Russia in the WINTER. As a result many of his men died and he was then exiled to a small island called Elba. -
Napoleon defeated at Waterloo (His Last Stand)
Being as headstrong, Napoleon escaped from Elba because the French people were afraid of the revolution not surviving due to Louis XVIII assuming the french throne. He went back to France to take back his throne, but then was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by England and Prussia. Later, Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena where he dies.
