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The Great Fear in the Countryside
A wave of panic and revolts in rural France as peasants rose against feudal dues. Seized by the inspiration of the fall of Bastille, peasants attacked nobles, hastening the demise of feudalism. -
King Louis XVI Calls the Estates General
In 1789, the Estates General-an assembly of the three estates of France-was summoned because of a financial crisis that beset the entire nation due to excessive spending and poor harvests. Cause/Effect: Vast spending and poor harvests brought financial turmoil that compelled King Louis XVI to call upon the Estates General and thus set the stage for revolutionary change. -
The Tennis Court Oath
After being locked out of their meeting hall, the Third Estate pledged not to disband until a new constitution was established. The Estates General’s inequities led to the Third Estate forming the National Assembly, sparking a push for constitutional reform. -
The Storming of the Bastille
On July 14, 1789, revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, symbolizing the fight against tyranny. The Tennis Court Oath fueled public unrest, culminating in this event, which emboldened further revolutionary actions. -
The National Assembly Adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
Inspired by Enlightenment ideals, this document proclaimed the equality and liberty of all human beings. The Great Fear proved that reform was necessarily required. After the Great Fear, this declaration marked the ideological basis of the Revolution. -
The Constitution of 1791 Sets Up a Constitutional Monarchy
The National Assembly drafted a constitution which restricted royal authority and provided a constitutional monarchy. This political reform was the result of Enlightenment ideas that emerged through the Declaration, but radicals remained dissatisfied. -
The Legislative Assembly Declares War on Austria
In 1792, revolutionary France declared war to defend and extend revolutionary principles. The threat of foreign intervention to restore the monarchy propelled France into war and increased internal instability further -
Louis XVI Is Executed at the Guillotine
In 1793, the execution of King Louis XVI brought French monarchy to an end. This execution was underpinned by the war with Austria and politicization of radicalism, which further increased the revolutionary momentum. -
Robespierre’s Reign of Terror
A period of mass executions, aimed at protecting the Revolution from perceived enemies. The king's execution and external threats drove the Jacobins to impose extreme measures, creating fear and resentment. -
The Directory Is Installed
This moderate government took power after the Reign of Terror but was riddled with corruption and inefficiency. The excesses of the Reign of Terror led to its creation, but due to its instability, it provided the country with the road leading to the rise of Napoleon. -
Napoleon’s Coup d’état, Overthrowing the Directory
In 1799, Napoleon seized power, acquiring the position of First Consul. The failures of the Directory created a power vacuum which allowed Napoleon to consolidate authority. -
Napoleon Is Declared Emperor
In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, thus centralizing power even further. His consolidation as First Consul set the stage for the development of imperial ambitions. -
The Continental System Is Implemented
Napoleon's economic blockade aimed at weakening Britain. Napoleon's quest to dominate Europe begets this system which will provoke resistance and undermine his rule. -
Napoleon Is Defeated in Russia
In 1812, harsh winter and a scorched-earth policy brought about disaster in Napoleon's invasion of Russia. Indeed, the defeat of the Continental System presented Napoleon with the need to assert his supremacy through military expeditions that turned out to be his Waterloo. -
Napoleon Is Defeated at Waterloo
In 1815, this final defeat removed Napoleon from power and restored stability to Europe. His earlier defeats, such as that in Russia, had weakened his position, leading to this final exile.