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Excessive spending and poor harvests lead to a financial crisis in France
France builds a disasterous debt from its participation in the Seven Year's War and the American Revolution. -
Period: to
The French Revolution
The French Revolution saw a period of social and political upheaval. The monarchy was overthrown and the Church faced radical reconstruction. -
King Louis XVI calls the Estates General
Louis XVI called for the Estates-General for the first time since 1614. he called on them so that they could help him propose solutions to the financial crisis that the nation was facing. The first estate was represented by the clergy, the second estate was represented by the nobles and the third estate was represented by the bourgoisie and everyone else. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The Third Estate decides to form the National Assembly and so when they declare it during an Estates-General Meeting, Louis XVI locks them out. They find an indoor Tennis Court and there they decide to swear that they would remain until they created a new national constitution. -
First and Second Estates join the Third Estate in the newly formed National Assembly
Louis XVI had originally been adamant towards the National Assmebly but was impressed with their determination after they swore the Tennis Court Oath. The Second and Firsy estates then joined the Third Estate and they became known as the National Constituent Assembly of 1789. -
The Storming of the Batille
Partisans of the Third Estate were looking for storages hoarding arms and ammunition, and so around 3:30 on July 14, a mob marched to the Bastille searching for gunpowder and any prisoners. -
The Great Fear
Between June and the beginning of August there were riots in the countryside. Peasants burned their nobles' chateaux, monasteries and buildings whic housed public records. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of Man and Citizen
The National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen which stated that "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights." Some of the stated rights of man included liberty, property, security, and resistence to oppression. It also stated that every man had freedom of speech and in trial would be considered innocent until proven quilt. The Declaration would become the preamble of the constitution. -
The Women's March on Versailles
Opproximatelt 7,000 working women marched to Versailles from Paris in order to deand action for the economic crisis. They invaded apartments, slaughtered royal bodyguards, and searhed for Marie Antoinette who they planned to torture. -
The Constitution of 1791 sets up a constitutional monarchy in France
Created after the collapse of the old regime in France, it redefined the organization of French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government. -
Louis XVI is executed at the guillotine
Louis XVI was convicted of treason and of conspiracy with foreign powers. The French National Convention sentenced him to death and he was executed by guillotine in the PLace de la Revolution in Paris. -
Robespierre's Reign of Terror
Ending with the execution of Robespierre in September of 1794, the Reign of Terror was initiated by Robespierre in order ot purge France of its revolutionary enemies and protect the country from foreign invaders. It lasted approximately nine months and about 16,000 were executed by guillotine. -
The Directory is installed
The Directory was one of the forms of government in France. The time period it was active was known as the "Directory era." It was overthrown on November 9, 1799 with the coup d'état.
