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Period: to
Napoleonic Era
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Estates General
King Louis XVI calls the Estates General for the first time in over one hundred years. Many issues with the system are illustrated, as the nobility (Second Estate) and clergy (Third Estate) voted against many of the votes of the third estate. This event motivated the Third Estate to work together to gain more political rights, and also showed the flaws of French government to the Third Estate, which began the steady path to eventual revolution. -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was an agreement between the representatives of the Third Estate, in which they agreed to fight for more political rights and draw up a new and fair constitution of France. It marked the official separation of the Third Estate and the government, as many leaders of the Third Estate planned to reform the government, which motivated many people to take up arms against the royalty and First and Second Estates.This was an important event in the set up of the Revolution. -
Storming of the Bastile
The storming of Bastile was the result of the growing tension amongst the French people. Paris had been suffering from food shortages and significant taxes, and so a huge number of French people stormed the Bastile, a military fort and prison in Paris, in order to free the prisoners, take the governor captive, and gain access to a large amount of weapons and supplies. This event was the catalyst of the French Revolution, and the beginning of a decade of political unrest and chaos. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was an official document that served as a basis for the constitution and outlined the basic rights of people. The National Assembly adopted it as a symbol of reform and change, and this motivated the people to support reform so they gained more civil rights. This would aid in Napoleon’s rule as the Directory failed to institute pro-civil rights reforms, while Napoleon supported these ideas in order to gain the favor of the people. -
Constitution of 1791
The Constitution of 1791 set up a constitutional monarchy in France. This was an ineffective plan as Robespierre and the Jacobins were able to take control of the weak government, however, the reliance on a monarch set the stage for people to be willing to accept another monarchy or dictator, especially after the terror of Robespierre’s rule and the ineffectivity of the Directory. -
Execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI was king at the beginning of the French Revolution. During the Revolution, he had been dethroned, due to the vast debt he had collected during his rule, which led to serious financial problems in France. Though he attempted to fix these problems, it just led to more problems, and his eventual flight from France. He was captured on his way to Austria and was arrested in August 1792. He would later be condemned to death for treason. His death marked the end of the Bourbon Dynasty. -
War with Austria
The Girondists had control of the Legislative Assembly (or National Assembly) and they believed that war with foreign nations would bring unity to France after the Revolution, and would also help to spread ideas of the Revolution to other areas of Europe, so they declared war on Austria. The war turned out to be a complete disaster, and resulted in total French defeat, which led to further debt and the disposal of the Girondist party from government. -
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety (a group of revolutionaries) gave Robespierre dictatorship over France, and he proceeded to override judicial laws and execute anyone who supported Louis XIV or opposed his political power. This event led to chaos in France and fear among the people that made them more willing to accept a strong leader (i.e. Napoleon) -
The Directory
The Directory was the interim government that was put into place following the execution of Robespierre and disbanding of the Committee of Public Safety. It was an executive body that reformed some of French society, but was overall unsuccessful in rejuvenating the French economy and military, which left France in a position to be conquered by a powerful leader with significant influence. -
Napoleon’s Coup D’etat
Napoleon’s coup d’etat (or the Coup of 18-19 Brumaire) was the final stage of the French Revolution. He captured and intimidated the council of the Ancients and the Directory and forced them to advocate their positions and officially end the directory and allow Bonaparte to take power. This marked the beginning of Napoleon’s rule as dictator of France. -
Napoleon declared First Consul
After his successful coup, Napoleon declared himself the First Consul of France, and head of the “republican government” (even though he was the dictator). This marked the official beginning of Napoleon's rule and military successes as First Consul of France. This had significant impact on Europe, who would be forced to band together to defeat him. -
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Nations was a large battle between Napoleon’s armies and a collection of troops from Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Sweden. The battle resulted in the decisive defeat of Napoleon’s armies, which had been forced to retreat from Russia. The battle resulted in the complete destruction of Napoleon’s remaining forced, and he was exiled from France and the Napoleonic Empire had been destroyed east of the Rhine. This battle marked the beginning of the end of Napoleon’s dominance of Europe. -
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was a historic event in European history, as it marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars. After his exile to Elba, Napoleon returned to France and raised another army, in order to retake the territory he had lost. In the end, Napoleon suffered a crucial defeat, where he was captured, exiled, and his empire was broken up forever. This battle marked the beginning of modern France, as well as the end of Napoleon’s reign and military career. -
Napoleon’s (Second) Exile
After his second defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to St. Helena, a remote island off of the west coast of Africa. Napoleon was accompanied by Sir Hudson Lowe, who watched over Napoleon in order to make sure he couldn’t escape again. This exile marked the end of the Napoleonic Era.
