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Louis XVI takes over the throne
Succeeded his grandfather Louis XV as the king of France -
France enters American War
At war with Britain -
Estates General assemble at Versailles
Prepare grievance notebooks. Delegates take the tennis court oath. The Third Estate declare themselves the National Assembly in June. -
Parisians storm the Bastille starting the Revolution
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-revolutionaries-storm-bastille
Over 800 Parisians took over the Bastille killing the commander and five guards. The French still celebrate this day as their national independence day. -
"Great Fear" begins
Peasants unleash fury on nobles and revolt against feudalism -
Period: to
National Assembly abolishes feudalism
Ends special priveledges for nobles -
National Assembly approves "Declaration of the Rights of Man"
Modeled after the Declaration of Independence -
"October Days"
Women's march on Versailles- Anger directed at Marie Antoinette (wife of Louis XVI) for her lavish lifestyle -
Church property nationalized
The Church is placed under state control; priests and bishops become elected, salaried officials under the Civil Constitution. Papal authority over the French Church is ended and the change is rejected by many. -
Declaration of Pilnitz
Issued by Austria and Prussia threatening to intervene to help French monarch and end the Revolution -
Monarchy is abolished
Tensions led to violence and the "September Massacres" where French citizens attacked prisons and killed 1200 people- mainly prisoners but included 100 priests -
King and Queen executed
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are executed by radicals which leads to the Reign of Terror -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory
Another Constitution was passed in 1795 that set up a 5-man directory and bicameral legislature. Corrupt leaders lined their pockets and chaos pushed them to turn to Napoleon -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor of France
Outwitted politicians to become ruler of France -
Napoleon invades Russia
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Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo in Belgium
Defeated by two of the armies of the Seventh Coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher.
