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Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was when the National Assembly gathered at a tennis court to give the tennis court oath. They were gathered here because they were sick of not having a say in anything. The French citizens were also hungry and poor. At this gathering the declared that they would not stop until they created a constitution. I think that this event was important because it shows the beginning of this large movement against the king. -
Storming of the Bastille
The members of the National Assembly realized that they were unsafe to be this radical without weapons to defend themselves from the kings army. They Stormed the Bastille and stole all their weapons. They also freed all of the political prisoners inside. I think that this event was very important because it showed how serious that they were about this movement against the king. -
Womens march to Versailles
Many people have been hearing that the king's wife Marie-Antoinette had been hoarding grain at Versailles. These peasant women decided to do something about it and actually marched to Versailles to see what they were up to. When they got there they demanded that the King and his wife move to Paris and their request was granted. I think that this event was very important because it took a lot of power away from the king and helped the National Assembly very much. -
Period: to
the French Revolution
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Flight to Varennes
The King and his wife wanted to go somewhere safe so they decided to try and escape. They actually had their servants dress up as royalty so that they were they targets instead. While they were escaping they were caught and taken back to Paris. I think that this event was important because it is when people really started to consider not having a king at all. They thought it was like him resigning and he didn't want to be king anymore. -
Massacre of Champ De Mars
The Jacobins, who thought more radical than the National Assembly had a event at Champ De Mars to get signatures to have no more king. Many people showed up and were supportive of their cause but when the National Assembly sent soldiers there to keep it under control it went wrong. Many people started throwing rocks at the troops and they eventually fired into the crowd and killed 50 people. I believe that this was important because all it did was get the radicals more angry then they were -
War with Austria
Many citizens in France thought that there best bet was to go to war with another country so they could get money for food for everyone. King Louis thought of this as a win-win because if they won he gained power and if they lost the Other country might give him back the throne. They ended up losing the war and Prussia invaded France and tried to restore the kings power. I think that this was a important event because it showed that the citizens were willing to do anything to get food. -
Storming of the Tuileries
When Prussia was trying to install the king the radicals stormed the Tuileries. Since they had greater numbers than the Prussians there they were able to overpower them and capture King Louis. I think that this event was important because they were able to capture the king and gain a massive amount of power. -
The death of King Louis XVI
Eventually the citizens decide to kill the King. They executed him publically with a guillotine in front of tons of people. After this the National Assembly was finally able to declare a republic. I think that this event was important because the citizens finally got the freedom that they had wanted this entire time. -
War with Britain and the Dutch Republic
The new republic still was poor and hungry and they wanted to crush other countries, so they decided to go to war with Britain and the Dutch Republic. They were able to fend off against other countries because they created a draft which put every unmarried able man in the army. I think that this event was very important because it showed how the new republic wasn't fighting for France, they were fighting for their lives and food and money. -
Reign of Terror
Maximilien Robespierre rose to power after King Louis' death and was very paranoid about losing his power. He began to guillotine people who he suspected of working against him. He killed about 45,000 people that year. Eventually after while he was killed with the guillotine. I think that this is important because it shows how quick he tried to rise to power after King Louis' death
