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Period: to
The French Revolution (1789-1804)
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The Third Estate takes the Tennis Court Oath
The Third Estate was made up of the burgeoisie or the wealthy working class and peasants. They were the commoners of France. They refused to dissipate or leave the Jeu de Paume (indoor tennis court) until a new French Constitution was signed. -
Period known as the Great Fear
A period of riots and hysteria throughout cities and the countryside. Peasants attacked nobles and destroyed their homes in response to rumors that the King was trying to get rid of the 3rd estate and planning an attack on the peasants. -
Storming of the Bastille
A group of French working class people who were upset by the high price of bread and the King's inaction stormed the Bastille looking for gunpowder because they heard the King was going to attack. They found 28,000 rifles but no gun powder. The Bastille was symbolic for the Kings absolute power. Long before King Louis XIV, people were imprisoned without a trial there. When released they could not say what they experienced. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Much like the U.S. Declaration of Independence, this document stated what the government could and could not do. It protected the unalienable rights of liberty, property, and security. It also protected the freedom of speech and religion. -
French Constitution of 1791 passed
The Constitution limited the power of the King and created a General Assembly. The image shows the three estates working together to "hammer out" a Constitution -
Reign of Terror
Led by Robespierre. The Radicals killed 40,000 people. This included King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. Both were killed using the guillotine a popular form of punishment at the time. -
The Directory is established
A more moderate Constitution was written and passed in 1795. It created a 2 House Legislature and a 5 officers who would serve as the Directory. The government was successful in that it suppressed riots. However, the leadership was corrupt. -
Napoleon helps overthrow the Directory
Napoleon who rose in the ranks of the French Army and was very popular helped overthrow a weak Directory in a coup d'etat or revolt by military leaders to overthrow a government. He organized a new government and put himself in charge. -
Napoleon becomes Emperor of France
Napoleon took the title of "Emperor of France." Napoleon now had absolute power. The French people hoping for stability supported Napoleon at each step in his rise. He instituted the Napoleonic Code. He created public schools. He controlled prices and supported new industries. He created the French Empire with many military victories and gained control of much of Europe.
