French Revolution Timeline

  • Storming of the Bastille

    The capture of the Bastille is a symbolic event of the French Revolution. It represents the beginning of the French Revolution. And the storming of the Bastille was a symbol of kingship and tyranny, and it was important because it showed that people were beginning to decide to change, that they wanted to fight!
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man

    The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Declaration of the Civil Rights simply describe the principles of equality, liberty and fraternity. It perfectly illustrates that all citizens should enjoy equal rights and need to be brave enough to challenge the old order. This was important for the French Revolution because it was the basis for what became the democratic ideal.
  • Women's March on Versailles

    The Women's March at Versailles showed the plight of working class women and their need for bread. They marched from Paris to Versailles, forcing King Louis XVI and the National Assembly to move to Paris, where they were under the constant surveillance of the people. The event demonstrated the power of popular protest and the role of women in the revolution.
  • Reign of Terror

    The reign of terror was characterized by mass executions and political repression. It was led by the Committee of Public Safety and aimed at suppressing counter-revolutionary activities and eliminating those deemed enemies of the revolution. The incident showed the lengths revolutionaries were willing to go to protect their ideals, but it also led to a climate of fear and instability.
  • Execution of Louis XVI

    The execution of King Louis XVI marked the end of the French monarchy. It symbolized the irreversibility of the revolution and intensified the conflict between the revolutionary factions. The execution also had a profound effect in France and other European countries.
  • Thermidorian reaction

    Thermidorian reaction marked the fall of Maximillian Robespierre and the end of the radical phase of the revolution. Robespierre's execution ended the reign of terror and shifted power away from the Committee of Public Safety. The event marked a shift towards more moderate politics and a reaction to the extreme measures of previous years.
  • Table of Contents

    The Council was the governing body set up after Thermidorian reaction. It aimed to create a more stable government and implemented a new constitution. However, the cabinet was weak, corrupt and faced many challenges, leading to political polarization and paving the way for Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to power.
  • The Coup of the Eighteenth Brumaire

    The coup d 'etat on 18 18 marked the end of the cabinet and the establishment of the consulate, with Napoleon Bonaparte as first consul. This event consolidated Napoleon's power and set the stage for his eventual ascension to Emperor. It marked a major shift in the French Revolution from republican ideals to more autocratic rule.
  • Battle of Waterloo

    The Battle of Waterloo was Napoleon Bonaparte's last military defeat, marking the end of his reign and the Bourbon dynasty in France. It ended the revolution and the Napoleonic era, restored the monarchy, and reestablished a conservative order throughout Europe.