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The Meeting of the Estates General
The meeting of the Estates General was the representative assembly for the Three Estates of France. The First and Second Estates were made up of the nobility and the clergy. The Third Estate, which made up the majority of France at the time, consisted of the poorer citizens like farmers and shopkeeps. This meeting was held to discuss France's financial crisis and the King's dwindling power. Afraid of being overpowered, on June 13th, the Third Estate created the National Assembly. -
Storming of the Bastille
July 14th, 1789, angry revolutionaries invaded the Bastille fortress, used as a state prison by the king of France. They had gathered around the fortress, armed with muskets and other weapons, ready to storm in. Despite the surrender of Bernard-René Jordan de Launay, the military governor of the Bastille, the revolutionaries took Launay captive, stole canons and gunpowder, and even set prisoners free. The storming of the Bastille is one of the biggest events that sparked the French Revolution. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen is Published
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was written by the French National Assembly. This declaration stated the individual and collective rights the citizens of France had. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was published August 26th, 1789. -
Women's March on Versailles
The Women's March on Versailles occurred during a time when harvest in France was bad, resulting in a lack of grain to make bread. Because of this, the prices of bread were raised. This angered women who often times made a living off of selling bread. October 5th, 1789, a group of women gathered in eastern Paris and marched through the streets to City Hall. They were armed with knives, muskets, and swords, and they stole more weapons and food from the building. -
France Declares War on Austria
Many citizens of France wanted a war because they believed that their new government could be easily destroyed and taken over by foreigners and that the war would unite the country. April 20th, 1792, France's Legislative Assembly declared war on Austria. To begin with, France had done poorly in battles, but they began to do better as the war progressed. -
The Execution of King Louis
In 1793, King Louis XVI was sentenced to death by the French National Convention for working with foreigners. King Louis and his wife, Marie Antoinette, had been arrested in August of 1792. The next month, the monarchy was destroyed completely. Following his execution on January 21st, 1793, Marie Antoinette had been executed in October of that year. -
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The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror, also known as La Terreur, was a violent time in French history. A group of men known as the Committee of Public Safety had become the rulers of France. Despite their name, the Committee of Safety believed that anyone who did not support the revolution- or was even suspected to not support the revolution- were to be arrested. If proven guilty, they would be executed by guillotine. Over 17,000 people were killed during the Reign of Terror. -
The Execution of Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette was executed nine months after King Louis XVI. After a failed attempt to flee France with her husband, she was arrested and put on trial for treason. Her trial lasted for over 24 hours and took place over the span of about two days. In the end, she met the same fate as her late husband and was executed by guillotine on October 16th, 1793. -
Execution of Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre was the head of the Committee of Public Safety, a group of revolutionists who executed those who were not in support of the revolution. On July 27th, Robespierre was arrested by the National Assembly. Robespierre fled to the Hotel de Ville, where he attempted to kill himself after learning that he was an outlaw. The following evening after the National Convention successfully captured Robespierre, he and 21 of his followers were guillotined without trial. -
Napoleon’s Coup d'etat
Also known as the Coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon's Coup d'etat was a group that overthrew the French Directory. This Directory was replaced with a Consulate of three people. Napoleon, who was the first consul, became the leader and proceeded to invade and take over many different areas. With Napoleon as the leader of France, the overthrow of the French Directory is considered to be the end of the French Revolution.
