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Nobility forces King to call Estates General into session
The King was in trouble. The nobility was not happy with his attempt to tax their estate. Nobility wanted to pass the cost once again on the Third Estate. -
Estate-General meets in Paris
King Louis XVI calls body into session to approve a new tax on the 3rd Estate. Had not met in 175 years. -
3rd Estate refused to follow King's one vote for each estate order
King Louis never followed through when it came to making sure the 3rd eastate followed the voting rules. The 3rd estate took advantage of this and claimed that they were now a Legislature of the National Assembly. This enabled them to create laws for France. -
Tennis Court Oath
King Louis tried locking the 3rd Estate out of their primary meeting place, so the 3rd Estate met in a tennis court and claimed that they would not leave until a constitution for France was made. -
The Storming of the Bastille
Parisians stormed the Bastille in search of weapons. The mob tried to negotiate with the men at the Bastille but this onle led to violence. The mob won the battle and paraded through the streets after the fight. -
Great Fear Begins
After the storming of the Bastille, the 3rd Estate became very fearful from rumors, some true, some not. The rumors ranged from massacres to gangs. -
National Assembly abolishes Feudalism with August Decrees
The National Assembly voted to abbolish all fedual dues and services that peasants and other 3rd Estate members owed to French land owners. They also voted to get rid of all the first Estates legal rights. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
A declaration was made that promoted the basics of the French Revolution, the 3rd Estate would gain "liberty, equality, faternity, and more". These principals were established based on ideas from Enlightenment philosophers, the English Bill of Rights, and the American Declaration of Independence. These rights excluded women. -
Women of Paris March to Versailles for Bread
Women marched from Paris to Versailles and demanded bread. They broke into the Palace to petitition. Trying to make peace with the women, King Louis returned to Paris. This movement encouraged the 3rd Estate to make even bigger steps. -
Royal Family's Flight from Varennes
After the 3rd Estate created the Legislative Assembly, King Louis quickly lost power. Knowing this to be true, the King and his queen disguised themselves and fled to Paris. They were soon recognized and forced to go back to their Palace. -
New Constitution adopted
The 3rd estate established a new constitution based off of Enlightenment thinkers that promoted popular sovereignty. -
Beginning of Legislative Assembly
After completing the new constitution the 3rd Estate strived to complete a Legislative Assembly. The Assembly allowed citizens to have voting rights and kept the monarchy with very little power. -
Brunswick Manifesto warns that the Royal family must not be harmed or else...
Austria and Prussia warn France that if they harm the monarchy, then they will declare war on France. For safetly messures, Austria sent men to France borders and France saw this as a threat so they declared war. Because France was so ill prepared for war they were quickly defeated. -
Storming of the Tuileries Palace
A wild mob marched to the Tuileries Palace where King Louis and his family lived, and killed the guards in the search of queen Marie Antoinette. Once found, the mob took her and her children off to jail. -
French Monarchy is officially abolished
Revolutional Gov't votes to abolish the monarchy and establish the first Republic. Royal family imprisooned, -
French defeats foreign invaders who are attempting to presserve the monarchy
France turns the tide of the war and takes the offensive against the invaders. -
The execution of King Louis XVI in Paris
It was a big, public event. Soldiers lined the execution place, the King delivered a speach and then was put into a guillotine. After his death, people held up his head on a stick for everyone to see. Rumors of his death quickly spread. -
Committee of Public Safety Established
The committee of Public safety was established to control France's military against foreign Countries. One of their first big steps was to create a draft of men for the Frencgh army of men from the ages of 18 to 45. -
Law of Suspects passes Biginning of the Reign of Terror in France
Outside Countries thought that France may form a Coalition and declare war against France. Leaders also thought they would loose power, accusations, trials, and exucutions were made because of this. This resulted in the Reign of Terror. -
End of the Reign of Terror- execution of Robespierre
France wanted to start over with a new form of government. Now only men that owned property could vote. The Reign of Terror was sopposed to strengthen the Revolution, but it only destroyed it. -
National Convention is dissolved and the creation of the Directorate
A governing board made up of five men passed a few financial reform laws that helped out farmers and improved trade. -
Napoleon named First Consul
A well-known military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, who forced the British out of Toulon, defeated the Austrian troops, and much more. He had a great opportunity to rise to power and did so when he was named the First Consul. -
Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor of France
Supporters of Napoleon forced the Directory to turn the government over to Napoleon. Napoleon soon became a very powerful dictator.
