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National Constituent Assembly
The National Assembly was a group of French parliaments or houses of parliament that existed in history. From June 17 to July 9, 1789, it was the name of the revolutionary assembly created by representatives of the Third Estate. After that, its official name became the National Constituent Assembly (Assemblée Nationale Constituante) until it was replaced by the Legislative Assembly on September 30, 1791. However, people continued to call it the National Assembly. -
Formal opening of the Estates General
The Estates-General of 1789 was a meeting of the three groups in France before the Revolution: the clergy, the nobility, and the common people. King Louis XVI of France called this meeting to solve financial and social problems. However, the common people, or Third Estate, decided to leave and create their own National Assembly. This event is often seen as the beginning of the French Revolution. -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath, taken on June 20, 1789, was an important and bold act by representatives of the Third Estate, which represented the common people of France. At the time, they were meeting as part of the Estates-General, a traditional assembly with representatives from the three main groups in society. The Third Estate members felt they were being treated unfairly, so they gathered on a tennis court and didn´tleave until they had created a new constitution for France. -
Storming of Bastille
The storming of the Bastille was an important event in the French Revolution. On July 14, 1789, many people in Paris feared that King Louis XVI would arrest members of France’s new National Assembly. Because of this, a crowd of Parisians attacked the Bastille, an old fortress used as a prison. Their victory over the king’s power made this event a strong symbol of the Revolution. Today, France celebrates this event every year on Bastille Day, which is a national holiday. -
The August Decrees
The decrees of August 4, 1789, also called the August Decrees, were a group of 19 rules made by the National Assembly during the French Revolution (1789-1799). These rules ended feudalism in France and took away special tax privileges from the upper classes. Even though they were not perfect, the decrees were an important success of the Revolution. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citiczen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is an important document about human rights. It includes ideas that inspired the French Revolution. The National Assembly of France approved its 17 articles between August 20 and August 26, 1789, and these articles became the introduction to the 1791 Constitution. Similar documents were also used at the beginning of the 1793 Constitution (called Declaration of the Rights of Man) and the 1795 Constitution. -
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Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly was the government of the Kingdom of France, during the French Revolution. It was an important place for political discussions and creating new laws between the National Constituent Assembly and the National Convention. The Legislative Assembly had many changes in leadership, with four different ministers of Justice, four ministers of Navy, six ministers of the Interior, seven ministers of Foreign Affairs, and eight ministers of War. -
The Flight to Varennes
The Flight to Varennes was an important event in the French Revolution (1789-1799). On the night of June 20-21, 1791, King Louis XVI of France, his wife Queen Marie Antoinette, and their children tried to escape from Paris. They traveled to the small town of Varennes-en-Argonne, but there they were caught and taken back to Paris. -
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1st French Republic
The First French Republic, officially called the French Republic, was a name for a series of parliamentary and republican governments that happened between September 21, 1792, and May 18, 1804, during the French Revolution. It officially began on the day when the members of the National Convention approved the abolition of the monarchy. This confirmed the removal of King Louis XVI, who had been suspended during the events of August 10, 1792. -
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National Convention
The National Convention was an assembly that governed France from September 20, 1792, to October 26, 1795, during a very important time in the French Revolution. It was elected to create a new constitution for the country after the monarchy was overthrown on August 10, 1792. The Convention had 749 members, including businesspeople, tradespeople, and many professionals. -
The Assembly declares war on Austria
The Assembly notes that the Court of Vienna has violated agreements by supporting French rebels and threatening France's independence. Francis I of Hungary and Bohemia has refused to stop hostile actions and increase border peace, instead preparing for war and supporting German claims over French lands. His refusal to negotiate is seen as a declaration of war. -
Execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI, the former King of France, was executed in public on January 21, 1793, during the French Revolution. This happened at the Place de la Révolution in Paris. Four days before his execution, the National Convention found him guilty of high treason with almost everyone voting against him; no one voted for "not guilty," but some members did not vote at all. -
Storming of the Tuileries Palace
The Storming of the Tuileries Palace, often called the Insurrection of August 10, was an important event in the French Revolution (1789-1799). During this event, armed revolutionaries from Paris attacked the home of King Louis XVI of France (who ruled from 1774 to 1792) and killed his Swiss Guards. This event ended the monarchy in France and started a new phase of the Revolution. -
Execution of Robespierre
Robespierre was a French politician and chronicler of the French Revolution. Born in Roussillon, he first studied for the priesthood but later chose medicine. In 1790, he became the mayor of Canet and was elected to the National Convention in 1792. Cassanyes supported the abolition of the monarchy and the execution of Louis XVI. He also opposed Maximilien Robespierre and helped in his overthrow in July 1794. -
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Directory
After the fall of Maximilien Robespierre’s National Convention because of disagreement, the radical government changed again into the Directory. This was a type of government with an executive branch and two legislative chambers. Its goal, like the previous steps of the revolution, was to bring stability to the divided country, which had shrinking borders and a weak economy. This was France’s third attempt to create a better government without one king who had all the power over the people.