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Financial crisis in France
The nobles, clergy and royalty of France payed minimal taxes whilst the peasantry made up 75% of the French population and only owned less than half of the land in France. Eventually the frivolous lifestyles of the upper 1st and 2nd Estates bankrupted the nation and led to a crisis as bread prices soared. -
The Estates General
After the Estates General last met in 1614, King Louis XVI decided it was time to use it to address the financial crisis of France. The 3 Estates (nobles, clergy and peasantry) all had equal 1/3 votes despite their absurd population differences. The clergy and nobles voted against the peasants on the financial matters and saw to keep their spending habits as high as possible. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The 3rd Estate chooses to meet outside the Estates meeting as they feel disregarded. King Louis XVI attempts to block the meeting by closing the original meeting point, but the delegates choose to meet in a Tennis Court instead. The members swearing "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established", the National Assembly was born. -
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The National Constituent Assembly is formed
After the National Assembly showed no signs of stopping, Louis XVI opted to legitimize the assembly and allow delegates from the first 2 Estates to join in hopes of quelling strong anti-monarchical feelings. The National Assembly was effectively transformed into the National Constituent Assembly and intended to better communicate the desires of France. The National Constituent Assembly did fail as the French Revolution was taking shape. -
Bastille Day
The National Assembly (3rd Estate) expresses their anger with the conservation of the high tax rates on the peasantry by storming the national armory. The castle served as a prison and armory for the country. Louis XVI decided to not save the Bastille showing the decreasing significance of Royal Authority in France. This was a tactical and moral victory for the peasantry as they had increased their weapons and taken down a symbol of monarchical power. -
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The Great Fear
As the French Revolution took its first steps, the countrysides of France were attacked as the shortage of crops caused panic and rioting. There was very little a person could do to avoid being affected by the impending change other than leaving France. Shortly there after the "feudal regime" was removed sending feelings of fear to the nobility as now their forms of income were being messed with.. -
The Women’s March on Versailles
After the Declaration of "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen", Louis XVI refused to acknowledge the rights and defeat of the feudal regime. Women, angered by their exclusion form the Declaration, armed themselves and marched to the Palace of Versailles forcing the King to accept the terms of the Declaration, the end of the feudal regime and the royal family be moved back to Paris. The Royal Family left for Paris escorted by the militia of women. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
The National Assembly adopts "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" guaranteeing all men equal rights and treatment, something they so desperately wanted. The rich and poor could now live under the same rules and not fear unequal treatment based on their backgrounds. France would follow in the steps of the United States and adopt a document representative of the people it preside over. -
The Constitution of 1791
The National Assembly completed what would be France's new Constitution following a similar path to England in creating a constitutional monarchy while a larger assembly made the laws. The French Constitution was met with opposition however, the new order only allowed for men 25 years or older with taxes that were equal to 3 days of labor to vote. The French people realized that they had fallen into the same problem again; the many ruled by the few and well-off elites. -
The Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
One thing that the French did different was that they believed their ideology could be spread and shared with Europe (the Declaration never truly specified French, but rather all men). Revolutionaries believed that war would unite the unstable French people by finding a common foe in an uneasy Austria. -
Louis XVI is beheaded
After being charged with conspiracy the now "Citizen Louis Capet", was placed in prison and stripped of all royal treatment. The jury was however somewhat divided, did the tyrant deserve death for being handed a kingdom at an age when he wasn't yet fit to rule? On the day of his execution everybody knew his death would see no last minute change, it was certain he would die. 9 months later his queen would suffer the same faith. -
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The Reign of Terror
With France on the verge of an even greater crisis than government (collapsing entirely) the leaders of the Revolution acted by creating the Committee of Public Safety headed by Robespierre. The Committee focused on the christian and wealthy as threats to the French people and where beheaded. This quickly spiraled out of control and Robespierre made the Committee a tool to use against political opponents. After killing numerous revolutionaries, the guillotine took Robespierre to end terror. -
The Directory is installed
The French Directory was a committee in which a legislature was created to create a new constitution after the Reign of Terror proved a new one was needed. Their goal was to keep powers divided and men from becoming too powerful. The Directory was however corrupt and quickly became focused on alienating Bourbon members and giving revolutionaries support within the delegations. This would ultimately contribute to more instability within the unstable France.
