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Economic decline
The French economy declines, affecting the working classes. -
Period: to
The Events of the French Revolution
What occurred during the French Revolution? -
The National Assembly
The Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly due to limited power. -
The Estates-General meets
Due to the declining economy, king Louis XVI orders a meeting of the Estates-General, which includes all of the Estates. -
Stroming the Bastille
French subjects, having their meeting prevented by mercenary soldiers, free seven prisoners and raid weapons from the Bastille prison. -
Hungry Raid
Many Parisian women, furious over the rising price of bread, raided Versailles, the royal palace, armed and ask the government to provide bread. -
The Great Terror begins
The increasing power of Maximilien Robespierre allows him to attempt to erase elements of France's past. He made a new calendar and closed all churches in Paris. He became a dictator, executing approximately 40,000 people. -
The Great Terror ends
Some members of the National Assembly decided to assassinate Robespierre. Robespierre was tried and executed. -
Bonaparte assumes power
Napoleon Bonaparte, skilled at firearms, assumes the power of a dictator. He won military victories early in his reign. -
The exile of Bonaparte
Boanparte, having been defeated by other Europeans, was exhiled to an island near southern Italy, Elba. He spent a year there, and eventually escaped. -
Bourbon monarchy is restored
The brother of Louis XVI, crowned Louis XVIII, assumes power over France. He was very unpopular. -
The Congress of Vienna
Some European rulers gather in Vienna to restore monarchy for eight months. They decide co-operatively to restore hereditary monarchy to their nations and maintain the monarchial governments. They also plan to help one another when at war.