The French Revolution2

By dmotavalli

  • Estates-General convenes

    Estates-General convenes
    France was very close to being bankrupt and something needed to be done. There were many riots over bread. Finally to deal with the issues, Louis XVI assembled the Estates-General in Versailles the next year.

  • Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly

    Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly
    Believing the represented "the people" of France, the Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly. They then asked delegates to come and help them write a new Constitution.

  • Storming of the Bastille

    Storming of the Bastille
    800 citizens of Paris assembled outside the Bastille which was a prison that was believed to hold weaponry and gunpowder. They demanded that the commander give them the weapons but they refused. Then the citizens raided the Bastille killing the commander and guards but did not find the weapons.

  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen issued

    Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen issued
    The Declaration was the first step towards a new Constitution. They modeled it off the Declaration of Independence. It included natural rights to “liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.

  • Louis XVI executed

    Louis XVI executed
    Louis XVI was put on trial for being a traitor after trying to "abandon France" when he tried to flee to Austria. He was convicted by one vote and sent to be executed where he was beheaded by the guillotine.

  • Maximilien Robespierre assumes leadership of the Committee of Public Safety

    Maximilien Robespierre assumes leadership of the Committee of Public Safety
    Robespierre led the Committee of Public Safety where he was the driving force behind the Revolution but also, the Reighn of Terror.

  • Robespierre is guillotined

    Robespierre is guillotined
    Members of the Convention turned on Robespierre because of his brutality and radical use of terror. He was then arrested and executed by guillotine the next day.

  • Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power

    Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power
    Napoleon seized control of France in the Coup de Brumaire. Following the Coup, a new constitution was introduced, and Napoleon was made First Consul of France. Then,Napoleon crowned himself Emperor.

  • Napoleon is defeated by the British at the Battle of Waterloo

    Napoleon is defeated by the British at the Battle of Waterloo
    The opposition to Napoleon met near the town of Waterloo in Belgium. Napoleon was crushed by the opposing forces. Once again, Napoleon was forced to abdicate and to go into exile on St. Helena, a lonely island in the South Atlantic