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Estates General convene at Versailles
The Estates General was created my King Louis XVI so that the three estates could talk about France's financial situation. The Estates General was made up of three estates. The highest estate was the clergy, the middle was the nobility, and the lowest was the commoners. These representatives from each estate had the power to decide the levying on the new taxes and to begin reforms on the country. This event marked the start of the French Revolution. -
Third estate declares itself the National Assembly
The Estates-General was first convened by Louis XVI to talk about the financial problems in France. The Third Estate, which was the biggest estate, was granted double representation meaning that twice as many delegates would be allowed to come. The following day, the Third Estate found a royal degree that gave each estate one vote. The Third Estate refused to continue and on June 17, they declared themselves as the National Assembly which is an assembly of the people and not the estates. -
Oath of the Tennis Court is sworn
The Oath of the Tennis Court is when the Third Estate's members of the National Assembly take an oath in a tennis court "not to separate and to reassemble whenever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established." This was an important event because it was an act of defiance by the non privileged French class and showed that they were not happy. The oath was taken in a tennis court because that is where the Third Estate representatives were told to stay. -
Storming of the Bastille occures
The Storming of the Bastille was an attack on the government that was done by the people of France. This violent attack in Paris marked the start of the French Revolution. This battle happened at the Bastille which was a fortress that was originally built to protect Paris in the Hundred Years' War. King Louis XVI used the fortress mostly as a state prison. Most of the people who stormed the Bastille were craftsmen and store owners living in Paris. These people were members of the Third Estate. -
National Assembly abolishes feudal privileges
The National Assembly abolished the feudal privileges and the feudal system on August 4 and 11, 1789. This meant that the peasants would get their land for free and they would no longer have to pay the church. They also added in legal punishment equality, granting all the admission into public office and the freedom of worship. They took away venality in office as well. During this time, the nobles, clergy, and other big companies lost the special privileges that they had been granted. -
National Assembly issues Declaration of the Rights of Man
The National Assembly issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man which is a declaration that shows the collective rights that each individual had during the time of the French Revolution. These rights were made to be the rights that were natural. This document can be seen as partly being based off of the Magna Carta in certain statements. Two of the authors of this paper are Marquis de La Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, who also got influences from the Magna Carta. -
Women march on Versailles and force royal family to return to Paris
The women’s march on Versailles was one of the most important events of the French Revolution. During the year 1789, the most common food was bread but due to the bad French government, the bread was high in price. The people got so mad that they started a market place riot and decided to march to Versailles to confront the king. The next day the people got into the palace and fighting broke out. The leader of the national guard restored the peace. -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy establishes a national church. Louis XVI reluctantly agrees to accept a constitutional monarchy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a clergy that wanted to reform the Catholic church and and regulate it in France. Every bishop and clergy had to swear to an oath of loyalty to the state.
In 1791, Louis XVI accepted the French Constitution which made the absolute monarchy of France into a constitutional monarchy. He was reluctant in signing this but in the end he was forced by the National Constituent Assembly. -
Royal family is arrested while attempting to flee France
Louis XVI saw the way that the French Revolution was heading and worried for his family's safety. He didn't do anything to stop what was happening, so instead he left France, hoping to stay in Austria before later being reinstated on the throne. Louis XVI and his family dressed as servants and dressed their servants as nobles. The next day, the King was recognized and was arrested with his family. They returned to Paris and was suspended by the Assembly. This impacted the public opinion. -
Louis XVI is executed
Louis XVI was executed with a guillotine after being condemned by the national assembly. He was sentenced to death after a unanimous vote on the charges of conspiracy. Louis didn't take the advice of the constitutional monarchists that wanted to reform the monarchy and also allowed the plotting of Marie Antoinette. Later, Louis accepted the constitution by force which made him into less of a powerful political figure. He was later arrested and the monarchy was abolished. -
Reign of Terror darkens Paris and the provinces.
Before Louis XVI was executed, the National Convention was created after the Legislative Assembly was disbanded. This National Convention was made to protect the republic from attacks and rebellion. There were 12 members who became the executive government. The time of their reign was known as the Reign of Terror and during this any enemies of the revolution were arrested. About 500,000 suspects got arrested and 17,000 were executed. Roughly 25,000 died in summary executions. This ended in 1794. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory and seizes power
The Directory is a group made up of five people who run the government. These members asked Napoleon to help them to establish a stable government that could withstand the threats of radicalism and royalism. Two members of the Directory asked Napoleon to overthrow the government and to establish something that would allow charting for a new course to France. The government that was established was to be made up of three consuls that would share the power.
