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France is bankrupted
France government sank deeply in debt, so in 1786, when the bankers refused to lend the government more money, Louis faced even more debts and larger problems. -
Estates-General Assembly
When King Louis wanted to impose taxes on nobility (due to lack of money), the Second Estate forced him to call a meeting of Estates General to approve this new tax. This was its first meeting and was held at Versailles. -
Creation of National Assembly
Delegates voted for National Assembly, proclaiming the end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government. This vote was the first act of revoluion. This lead to the Tennis Court Oath event. -
Storming the Bastille
Due to rumors of Louis intending on using military forces to dismiss the National Assembly, a mob searching for gunpowder and arms stormed the Bastille (a Paris prison) in order to defend the city against this attack. The mob took control of the building, killed commanders and guards and paraded their heads on the streets. The fall of the Bastille became a great symbolic act of revolution to the French people. -
Nobleman Speeches
Noblemen made speeches for liberty and equality, and joined members of the National Assembly in sweeping away the feudal priviledges of the First and Second Estates, making commoner equal to the nobles and the clergy. -
Bread Riots
Thousand of Parisian women rioted over the rising price of bread. They marched to Versailles and demanded to the National Assembly to provide bread. They broke into the palace and demanded that Marie Antoniette and Louis go back to Paris, and they agreed -
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National Assembly Reforms France
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Royal Family Attempts to Flee
King Louis tried to escape from France to the Austrian Netherlands with his family. Near the border, they were apprehended and returned to Paris under guard. This attempts increased the influence of his radical enemies. -
Creation of Legislative Assembly
National Assembly completes new constitution (stripped kin gof much of his authority since it created a limited constitutional monarchy). Legislaive Assembly was created. A body that had the power to create laws and approve or reject declarations of war, but king still held executive power to enforce laws. -
Legislative Assembly Declares War
Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria, after Austria urging King Louis to restore to his position as an absolute monarch. -
Imprisoning Royal Family
Prussian forces were advancing on Paris. The Prussian commander then threatened the revolutionaries to destroy Paris if they harmed the royal family and this made the revolutionaries become infuriated so the mob went to Tuileries, (the palace where the royal family was staying) massacred the guards and imprisoned the royal family. -
September Massacres
Rumors began to spread that supporters of the king held in Paris prisons planned to break out take control of the city. In response to this, the citizens raided the prisons and murdered over 1,000 prisoners. These included nobles, priests and royalist sympathizers. -
National Convention
The National Convention took the place of te Legislative Assembly, it had been removed side to side of the king. Ths new body of government, abolsihedthe monarchy and declared France a republic. -
King Sentenced to Guillotine
Former King waked with dignity toward the guillotine, as he was to be beheaded. -
Army Reinforcement
French were forced to go against so many enemies (as Holland, Great Britain, and Spain joined Prussia and Austria), They reinfored their army and ordered a draft of 300,000 citizens (18 and older and woman included). -
Robespierre Becomes Leader
Robespierre became the leader of the Committee of public safety. -
Robespierre Execution
Fearing for their won safety, some members of the National Convention turned against Robespierre, and demanded his arrest and executin. This ended the radical phase (Reign of Terror) -
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Third Drafted Governmental Plan
Moderate leaders drafted the third plan of goverment since 1789. It placed the power in the upper middle class and called for a two-house legislature and an executive body of five men called the Directory.
