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The beginning
In France there was a social system divided in 3 parts where the 2 higher estates had more privileges by having more land and paying less taxes. The 3rd estate was very poor and had to pay most taxes there was a lot of starvation. By the 1980's France economy was in decline because they couldn't afford taxes and crops were failing. France was in debt because of King Louis XVI and the Queen. -
Changing France
In May they had the first Estates-General Meeting to discuss the tax-laws. They decided to create the National Assembly and ended the absolute monarchy because they started to demand equality, liberty and democracy. The third estates delegates weren't having any word in this, so they agreed on creating a new constitution called the "Tennis Court Oath." -
The Great Fear
In July a mob attacked a Paris prison because they didn't agree with the government's decisions. They killed many guards and walked around the city with their heads on poles. They killed the Old Regime. -
Reforming France
France adopted a statement of revolutionary ideals, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the citizen. They decided to reinforce their statement that "men are born and remain with free and equal in rights." Even though France stated this a writer tried to defend women's rights, her ideas were rejected and she was later executed. The Church became a great part of France and Church officials and priests were elected and paid like state officials. -
Riots
Thousands of women rioted over the rising price of bread. They demanded the National Assembly to do something about the bread and then blamed the king and queen. They entered the palace and killed some guards. Finally, the king left the palace of Versailles to go to Paris. -
The King and the Divisions
King Louis XVI was in danger and tried to escape France, but he was caught and was sent directly to Paris. In september they created a new constitution and changed the government to a constitutional monarchy and added a Legislative Assembly. Even though they changed the government completely the food shortages and the debt still remained. -
War
Other countries were scared that the ideas of a better government might spread to their countries and wanted King Louis XVI to come back as an absolute monarch. France declared war to Austria and Prussia. France then became a republic and male citizens now had the right to vote and hold office. -
Executions and the Terror
They sent former King Louis XVI to prison and on January 21 beheaded him. The Jacobins; a group that wanted freedom and kill all of the people who supported the king were starting to take over. They closed all churches in Paris and slowly all over France. The head of the Jacobins Maximilien Robespierre became dictator for a year, but everyone called the moment of his rule "reign of terror" because 40,000 people were executed. -
End of Terror
The National Convention turned on Robespierre and demanded arrest and later execution. The end of the terror was on July 28 when he went to the guillotine. -
New Government
France wanted a new government and created one in which five men from the middle class had a executive body, known as the Directory ruled. They were moderates and not revolutionary which made them corrupt and rich at the country's expense, yet they still gave France a period of order. They also named the right general to command the French Armies- Napoleon Bonaparte.