-
Excessive spending and poor harvests lead to a financial crisis in France
France was in a lot of debt following the spending of Louis XIV and Louis XVI during the American Revolution and Seven Years' War. In addition to this debt, King Louis XVI was spending more money than he had. This led to extreme inflation. At the same time, the production of crops such as grain were low. This in turn led to economic stress and outrage in the public which led to Louis XVI summoning the Estates General to solve the financial problems. -
King Louis XVI calls the Estates General
After years of economic stress and struggle, Louis XVI called the Estate General together to try to solve the financial problems that were existing in France. The third estate which was made up of the common people, wanted real change to occur because they had been most affected by the financial struggle. The third estate argued here that they should have more equality and be given a great voice in politics. Here, the states began to talk of joining together in a National Assembly. -
First and Second Estates join the Third Estate in the newly formed National Assembly
The First Estate was comprised of clergy, the Second Estate was comprised of nobles, and the Third Estate was made up of the people. They all combined into the National Assembly which shifted the power from the traditional monarchy/royal family to the people. This unification of people against the monarch the valued equality and having a voice, was a major step towards the Revolution. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly that was comprised of members from the three different Estates met at a tennis court to make an oath regarding their frustrations with an absolutist monarch. The oath they made promised that they would not split up and back down on their goals of having a fair government until a Constitution is created. This was a major step towards change and foreshadows the end of Louis XVI. -
The storming of the Bastille
The efforts in making a fair government under the National Assembly, it was met with disapproval by King Louis XVI. This outraged the peasants as they were hopeful of this new government that promised a better life for all people. In addition, the peasants were angered by the taxes, food shortages, and overall inequality so they lashed out by storming the Bastille. Bastille was a prison, and the people freed the prisoners and attack the guards. This was a major event in furthering the revolution -
The Great Fear in the countryside
The Great Fear was a series of peasant rebellions and results that occurred in the countryside. They occurred because of the inability for the nobles and National Assembly to make compromises on economics such as the prices of bread and the overall treatment/quality of life for the serf class. The peasants were angered by the lack of solutions and began to revolt. These revolts exposed the flaws of the National Assembly and increased the intensity of the French Revolution. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of an granted individual and collective rights to people. The adoption of this Declaration made equal rights a greater focus of the French Revolution. It promoted a greater fight against inequality. The passing of the document helped break the status of the First and Second Estates. It encouraged greater efforts from the people of the Third Estate to obtain more rights and opportunity. -
The Women’s March on Versailles
The Women's March on Versailles was an event in which over 7000 women marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles. The women had discovered that the King had been hoarding grain while people in Paris were starving because of a food shortage. This event was one of the early events of the Revolution in which common people acted upon their frustrations. As a result the women imprisoned King Louis XVI and helped encourage change. -
The Constitution of 1791 sets up a constitutional monarchy in France
After 3 years of work and discussion, the Constitution of 1791 was created in France. This Constitution established a legislative body that worked with a constitutional monarchy to make major decisions such as declaring war and control taxes. From this a Legislative Assembly of people from all Estates was formed to make political decisions. This was a major step in taking power away from the King and royal family, and providing it to the people. -
The Legislative Assembly declares war on Austria
After continuous presence of Austria's military in Northern France and their disapproval for the republican goals of the Revolution, France declared war on Austria. Austria worked with Prussia to successfully take down France. This war displayed the weaknesses of the Legislative Assembly as they were unable to control the attacks and organize the people. The destruction from this conflict and the state of confusion resulted in the start of the Reign of Terror. -
Louis XVI is executed at the guillotine
King Louis XVI was executed by having his head chopped off at the public guillotine after he was found guilty of 33 charges of offensive such as tyranny and violating French liberty. This killing of Louis XVI is what encouraged a period of killing and radicalism known as the Reign of Terror. During this time France would be dominated by fear and violence. -
Robespierre's Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a period in France in which a radical group that wanted republicanism known as the Montagnard's brutally killed people who they thought were against the Revolution. This group was led by a man named Maximilian Robespierre. During the reign of terror, supporters of the monarchy were killed at the guillotine by the Montagnard's. The violence during this time resulted in a loss of support of the Revolution from the rest of Europe and overall chaos in France. -
The Directory is installed
The Directory was a government that replaced the violent and chaotic government under Robespierre. The Directory replaced a repressive government with a bicameral one that allowed for the voice of the people and focused on stabilizing France. The Directory emphasized a strong military. This government lasted until it was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte.
