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Formation of the National Assembly
A clergyman, Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, gave a speech to the Third Estate, suggesting that they form a body called the National Assembly to pass laws for the common interest. On June 17, 1789, the Third Estate voted to implement this, effectively ending absolute monarchy in France and starting a new age of government. This event is important in the timeline of the French Revolution because it is what started the reforms to the governmental and political system of France. Source: Chap 23, Sect 1.3 -
Tennis Court Oath
Three days later, on June 20, 1789, the National Assembly discovered that they were locked out of their meeting room in Versailles. In protest, they broke into an indoor tennis court and vowed to stay there until they had created a new constitution declaring France a constitutional monarchy. This event was extremely important as it was a public act of defiance, with the National Assembly creating a new constitution challenging the rights of the King. Source: Chap 23, Sec 1.3 -
Storming of the Bastille
Upon hearing rumors that Louis's troops were leaving Versailles and possibly coming to Paris, the citizens of Paris were worked into a frenzy. Intent on defending their city, a mob stormed the Bastille, a Parisian prison, to obtain arms. Enraged, they killed the commander of the prison and many other officials and paraded with their heads on pikes. This event was the important symbolic turning point of the Revolution, marking the fall of the old and the rise of the new. Source: Chap 23 Sect 1.3 -
The Great Fear
The wave of terror that caused the storming of the Bastille swept across the rest of the country. All across, peasants began revolting, attacking nobles and tax collectors and burning and looting homes. This led to a large amount of nobles leaving the country, and also led to the abolition of feudalism on Aug 14, 1789. These events were critical, as they were what started to ramp up the Revolution more, with larger amounts of the population starting to become engaged. History.com & Cha 23, 2.3 -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
On August 26, 1789, a document was published by National Assembly stating the "Rights of Man". In it, all men were declared equal in rights, and ensured freedom of religion and the press. This document incorporated many ideas of Enlightenment thinkers and Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the American Constitution. Unfortunately, the writers did not extend these freedoms to women or slaves. Source: Chap 23 Sec 2.1 -
Women's March on Versailles
On October 5, 1789, a group of Parisian women marched to Versailles, where the royal family was located, protesting the rising price of bread and the comfortable and secluded lifestyle the royalty was living. The women, demanding that the royals go back to Paris, broke into the palace and killed several guards before Louis and Marie agreed to move back to Paris. The reason this event was so important is it showed that the people at this point had more power than the royals. Source: Cha 23 1.4 -
The Royal Family Attempts to Flee
On June 20, 1791, the royal family, concerned for their own safety, attempted to flee to Austria from their palace. Dressed as servants, the royals got as far as Varennes before being recognized, arrested, and returned to Paris. This event was critical, as it led to the public opinion being turned even more against the king, as this made many view him as a coward or a traitor. -
Founding of the First French Republic
On September 21, 1792, the governmental system of France was officially changed to a republic. This effectively ended the generations-long monarchy that had been ruling France for hundreds of years. This event had a major impact on France, as it granted much more freedom and equality for all and changed the way the entire country functioned. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
In January 1793, after being held prisoner for many months, King Louis XVI of France was found guilty of treason. He was publicly executed via guillotine and was decapitated. This turn of events also led to the execution of the queen, Marie Antoinette, in October. These events were a major symbolic turning point for the future of France; the king and queen were gone and the people now ruled. -
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The Reign of Terror
After the execution of Louis XVI, the Legislative Assembly disbanded and was replaced by the National Convention. Wanting to prevent against attacks by loyalists, the Convention created the Committee of Public Safety, who were to prevent against rebels and other attackers. Led by Maximilien Robespierre, the committee arrested 500,000 people and executed 42,000. These events showed while that the French may have been better off from the monarchy, but still were not a perfect country.