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Period: to
Moderate
This is the time span for the moderate stage of the French Revolution. -
The Estates General meets
Louis XVI summons Estates-General for its first time meeting since 1614. He called the meeting because the French government was having financial problems. He brought back Jaques Necker. -
National Assembly
Was formed by the representative of the 3rd Estate. They consider themselves the National Assembly but was later abolished and taken over by the Legislative Assembly.This newly created assembly immediately captured the attention of the capitalists. -
Tennis Court Oath
Locked out of Versailles, they took an oath on the tennis court. There, they took an oath never to separate until a written constitution had been established for France. Louis XVI proved unsuited to deal with the severe financial problems. -
Storming of the Bastilles
This signaled the beginning of the French Revolution. This was an attack by an angry and aggressive mob. The prison contained just seven inmates at the time of its storming, but it was a symbol of the monarchy's abuses of power. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
All “men are born and remain free and equal in rights." They had the right to participate in legislation directly or indirectly. Equality before the law was to replace the system of privileges that characterized the old regime. -
Women's March
Women marched to Versailles and demanded bread for their families. The crowd went to the palace, and in a dramatic and violent confrontation, pressed their demands upon King Louis XVI. The next day the crowd compelled the king, his family, and most of the French Assembly to return with them to Paris. -
Creation of Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly was formed under the Constitution of 1791, which created a constitutional monarchy with Louis XVI as the head of state.The Legislative Assembly replaced the National Constituent Assembly. Completed France’s transition from absolutist monarchy to constitutional government. -
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempt to escape France
Louis XVI and Marie Antionette unsuccessfully attempted to escape from Paris in order to initiate a counter-revolution. The plan, hatched by Count Axel von Fersen, was to travel to Montmedy. The king's attempted flight provoked charges of treason that ultimately led to his execution in 1793. -
Period: to
Radical
This is when the Radical Period takes place. -
Creation of National Convention
The National Convention was revolutionary France’s third attempt at a national legislature. It followed the August 10th attack on the Tuileries. Having voted to suspend the king, the Legislative Assembly found itself without an executive or head of state. -
Reign of Terror/Committee of Public Safety
The Committee was intended to function as a war council. Within six months the Committee of Public Safety was dominated by radicals. Many consider the Committee of Public Safety as the body most responsible for the Reign of Terror. -
Louis XVI is executed
The execution of Louis XVI was done with the guillotine. It took place at the Place de la Révolution. Evidence of Louis XVI’s counterrevolutionary intrigues with Austria and other foreign nations was discovered, and he was put on trial for treason by the National Convention. -
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette Executed
During the Revolution, the government had placed the royal family under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace. After a two-day trial began, Marie Antoinette was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason. She was executed by guillotine on the Place de la Révolution. -
Maximilien Robespierre is executed
In 1793 he came to dominate the Committee of Public Safety. In 1794 he was overthrown and executed in the Thermidorian Reaction. The soldiers of the National Convention attacked the Hôtel de Ville and easily seized Robespierre and his followers. They later executed him by the guillotine. -
Period: to
Directory
This was the period of Directory during the French Revolution -
Period: to
Age of Napoleon
This is the time span for the Age of Napoleon during the French Revolution -
France is ruled by the Directory
The Directory was a five-member committee which governed France from 1795. It was overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte. The French economy was in continual crisis during the Directory.
