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King Louis XVI calls the Estates General
King Louis XVI called on the Estates General on May 5th, 1789. The three estates had not met all together since 1614. The king called them all together to speak about the issues that were pressing the country of France at that time. This was the first event that started to kickstart the French Revolution. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was a pledge signed by some of the members of the third estate that were rejected from participating in the Estates General. This group was led by Honore Gabriel Riqueti. It was a group made up of almost 600 people who were protesting the inequalities of classes in France. This further escalated the French Revolution. -
The Great Fear
The Great Fear was a period in France where there was lots of panic and riot among the peasants. The Great Fear and the riots escalated the situtation of the French Revolution. This led to the Storming of the Bastille and also the writing of the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen. -
The Storming of the Bastille
On July 14th, 1789, mobs went on strike to the Bastille. The Bastille was an old prison in France. They stole weapons, released all the prisoners, and destroyed the prison. This was one of the early events in the French Revolution. -
The National Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen was a document of human rights. The National Assembly decreed the document on August 26th, 1789. This document gave the rights of Liberty, Property, Freedom, and Security to the people of France. This was significant because it prohibited monarchy in France. -
The Women's March on Versailles
On October 5th, 1789, women marched to the Palace of Versailles because of the high price of bread and the scarcity of food in France. This was a very early and significant part of the French Revolution. The women were very upset with the queen and broke into her quarters. They almost managed to capture her, but the queen was able to escape. This event set the tone for the rest of the revolution in France. -
Constitution of 1791 sets up Constitutional Monarchy in France
The Constitution of 1791 was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution. It kept the monarchy in France, but much power resided in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly was elected by a system of indirect voting. This Constitution lasted less than a year. -
Louis XVI is executed at the guillotine
After King Louis XVI was arrested, he was sent to the National Convention where he was found guilty of treason. They sentenced him to death and he was sent to the guillotine. The execution of King Louis XVI ended monarchy in France. -
The Legislative Assembly Declares War on Austria
Revolutionaries in France wanted war. They wanted war because they thought it would unify the country of France. They also had a genuine desire to spread the ideas of the revolution to all the people of Europe. On April 20th, 1792, the Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria. This escalated the French Revolution. -
The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror lasted for about a year in France. It was a period of time where many people who did not support the French Revolution were killed. This event was led by Maximilien Robespierre. It is estimated that 40,000 people were killed during the Reign of Terror in France. The Reign of Terror ended with the execution of Maximilien Robespierre. He was accused of trying to dictate the country. -
The French Directory is installed
The Directory was the name of the government that ruled France during the final stage of the revolution. The Directory ruled France for 4 years from 1795-1799. It came into power after the Reign of Terror ended. -
Napoleon is defeated by Horatio Nelson
In 1805, Horatio Nelson of England defeated Napoleon Bonaparte of France in one of the most decisive naval battles in history. In 5 hours of fighting, the English fleet decimated the French ships, destroying 19 of them. Nelson was killed during battle but the English ended up winning what was called The Battle of Trafalgar. This outcome ensured that Napoleon would never invade Britain. -
Napoleon is defeated at Leipzig (Battle of the Nations)
This battle was the biggest battle of the Napoleonic Wars. Coordinated armies of Russia, Prussia, Sweden, and Austria were able to defeat Napoleon's army in about three days, and was the first occasion where France was clearly beaten on the battlefield. This was not a good sign for France. It could be seen that the Napoleonic Era was coming to a slow end. -
Napoleon is exiled to Elba
On April 11th, 1814 Napoleon was exiled to Elba. Elba was a Mediterranean island. Napoleon gave up his right to the French throne when he was exiled. Even though Napoleon was able to escape his island exile and regain his emperor title, he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.This was an unofficial sign that the French were no longer dominating Europe.
