-
French society was divided into three estates: the First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (commoners). The Third Estate, which included the bourgeoisie and peasants, bore the brunt of taxation while the First and Second Estates were largely exempt. This inequality in taxation and representation was a significant cause of discontent
-
France's involvement in expensive wars, including the American Revolution, had driven the government to the brink of bankruptcy. This financial strain exacerbated the economic difficulties faced by the population, particularly after crop failures in 1788 -
The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly, signaling the start of a new form of government -
Members of the National Assembly took an oath to continue meeting until they had drafted a new constitution for France -
Revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, a symbol of royal tyranny, marking a significant turning point in the revolution -
enshrined principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, laying the groundwork for modern democratic ideals -
The King leaves the country upon the start of the Revolution -
The National Assembly completed the first French Constitution, establishing a constitutional monarchy -
The revolutionary government declared war on Austria, marking the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars -
Revolutionaries attacked the Tuileries Palace, leading to the imprisonment and death of King Louis XVI