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Tennis Court Oath (June 1789)
The Third Estate, representing the majority of the population, declared themselves the National Assembly at an indoor tennis court in Versailles, vowing not to disband until they had drafted a constitution. -
Women's March on Versailles (October 1789)
Thousands of women marched from Paris to Versailles to demand bread and protest against the monarchy's indifference to their suffering. -
Abolition of Feudalism (August 1789)
The National Assembly abolished feudal privileges and feudal dues, dismantling the feudal system that had long oppressed peasants. -
Financial Crisis and Convocation of the Estates-General (May 1789):
France faced a financial crisis due to debts from military ventures like the American Revolution and the Seven Years' War. The Convocation of the Estates-General was called to address this crisis. -
Troops Converging on Paris (July 1789)
King Louis XVI deployed troops, including foreign soldiers, to Paris, raising fears of a royal crackdown on the revolutionaries. -
Dismissal of Jacques Necker (July 1789)
King Louis XVI dismissed Jacques Necker, his sympathetic financial adviser, who advocated for fiscal reforms to alleviate the crisis. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (August 1789)
The National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, asserting principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity as fundamental rights. -
Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789)
Parisian revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny, to seize weapons and release prisoners. Although only a few prisoners were held, the event sparked widespread rebellion. -
Reign of Terror (1793-1794)
The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, initiated a period of mass executions and political purges to suppress counter-revolutionary forces. -
Execution of King Louis XVI (January 21, 1793)
King Louis XVI was convicted of treason by the National Convention and executed by guillotine, marking the end of the monarchy. -