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The Storming of Bastille
Although King Louis XVI gave into the demands of the Third estate, there is worry that he was going to massacre the citizens of France and destroy the National Assembly. A crowd of French citizens stormed the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789. The crowd looted the prison taking weapons and gun powder, then destroyed it. The fall of Bastille is important because it shows how the Third estate is continuing to fight against the monarchy, nobility and the hardships imposed on them by the King. -
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The French Revolution
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Great Fear
Great fear was felt all across France due to the violence at Bastille and the formation of a new government in Paris.
The peasants thought that the nobles in France were going to destroy them and stop the revolution. They were becoming more infuriated because of the shortage of food. The peasants started to attack houses and monastaries, burned documents that recorded rent, fuedal dues and other obligations. They also destroyed personal possesions. -
End of Feudalism
Trying to stop the violence, looting, and attacks by peasants, the National assembly banned tithe, forgave feudal dues and services owed by peasants, and abolished the luxuries from the First and Second estates ending Feudalism. -
Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
The National Assembly adopted the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen which was influenced by the American Declaration of Independence and Constitution and the English Bill of Rights.
The declaration reflected the thought of Enlightenment by boradcasting right to own land and equal rights, freedom of speech, end of exemption of taxation, access to public office, and the right to participate in making laws. "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity became the slogan of the Revolution. -
Women's March to Versailles
Six thousand Parisian women marched to Versailles in protest of the rising price of bread.
A delegation of women met with the King to discuss how their children were starving because of the lack of bread. This is a symbolic act of revolution by women because it is the first time that the women are demonstrating publicly for what they needed. -
Moving back to Paris
The angry crowd, women and men that march to Versaille demanding that King Louis XVI and his family move back to Paris. This move was a sign of the change of power and radical reforms that had begun to take over France. -
Expropriation of Church Property
The National assembly passes a decree which stated that any land own by the Catholic Church was now owned by the governament. The government also took away the Church's political independence.
The land was sold to peasants to help payoff France's loans. The peasants many of which were Catholic didn't like the idea that the church was controlled by the governemnt. They wanted the Pope to be in charge of their church. This caused opposition between the peasants and future reforms. -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The National assembly passed a law to reform the Catholic Church.
The law allowed people in parishes and dioceses to elect their own clergy. For taking the church's land the government would pay the salaries of the priests and bishops. Pope would not allow the clergy to accept this agreement. Since the church was under government control many Catholics opposed the revolution. -
Fete de la Federation
The first anniversary of the fall of the Bastille and the celebration of the revolution.
The Fete de la Federation in France is considered the same as the Fourth of July holiday in the United States. It celebrates the start of the revolution, freedom and independence. -
Day of Daggers
Armed aristocrats arrived at the Tuileries Palace concerned about the safety of King Louis XVI.
The aristocrats hid daggers and short swords in their waistcoats and in their boots. When the Revolutionaries stormed the palace and surrounded the nobles, they asked why the nobles responded to "protect the King". To prevent bloodshed,La Fayette ordered King Louis to ask his followers to put down their weapons. He reluctantly agreed. The nobles were then arrested. -
Slave Revolt in Saint Domingue
After 12 years of suffer, the revolution of 1791 finally brought an end to slavery. The revolution broke out in 1791 that brought the end to slavery and brought independence to Haiti. This revolution was the consequence and prolongation of the French Revolution. -
Constitution of 1791
National Assembly completes the Constituion of 1791, allowing King Louis XVI to be king, but gives Legislative Assembly authority to make laws.
According to the Constitution, government would be divided up into three branches, executive, legislative, and judicial. The National Assembly was dissolved and the Legislative Assembly was formed. The Legislative Assembly had three groups. Conservative - king with limited powers, Radicals - no king, republis, and Moderates - conservative or radicals. -
Guillotine
The Guillotine was officially adopted as France's official means of execution.
It was invented by Joseph-Ignace Guillotine as a form of humane execution because it caused immediate death. During the Revolution it was referred to as "Madame Guillotine". -
Declaration of War
Legistlative Assembly votes to declare war on Austria.
Both the Legislative Assembly and Loius XVI were in favor of the war. Each one was hoping that a successful foreign war would be to their benefit. Loius XVI hoped France would be defeated, restoring him to power and the Assembly hoped going to war would increase their influence over other European countries. -
La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise becomes the French army's marching song.
La Marseillaise was written by Claude-Joseph Rouget in one night. It was the marching song for the revolutionary troops that came from Marseilles to defend Paris. -
Brunswich Manifesto
The proclamation was signed by the Duke of Brunswick. It stated that if the French people harmed the French royal family and resisted the reinstatement of the monarchy, the Imperial and Prussian armies would retaliate by destroying the French cities and executing revolutionary leaders.
This gave the impression that Louis XVI was conspiring with foreign armies. The French organized an uprising against the commune, took over the Tuileries Palace and arrested Louis XVI and his family. -
Arrest of King Loius XVI
Legislative Assembly suspended the office of the king. Armed Perisians took over Tuileries Palace and took Louis and his family prisoner.
Paris was ruled by the Commune, the Legislative Assembly still tried to rule France but failed. Voting itself out of existance, the Legislative Assembly set up a date for the election of the National Assembly. France would experience a complete change of government during foreign war and political unrest.
