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Period: to
Timespan of French Revolution
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Meeting of the Estates General
This was a meet-up of the estates. There were three estates; the first and second estates (clergy and nobles, respectively) had about 300 representatives. The Third Estate had almost 600 representatives. Most of the Third Estate wanted to create a constitutional government that taxed the clergy and Nobility. -
Third Estate Declares itself as The National Assembly
Aggravated by the unfair voting system and lack of change, the Third Estate declares it is the National Assembly. They also declared they would draft a constitution. -
Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly's deputies went to their meeting place; the building had then found to be locked. They went to the nearby tennis court and swore to continue meeting until they had a new constitution. -
Storming of the Bastille
The French people were starving. They heard mention of the troops of the king coming. In need of ammunation, they stormed the Bastille, a container of ammunition. The starving people killed the prison warden and saved seven prisoners. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The National Assembly declared the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. This Constitution included the basic liberties and delcared no group should be exempt from taxation. -
Women's March on Versailles
Women stormed Versailles and threatened the king; in response, gave in to some of their demands, unlike ever before. -
Flight to Varennes
Under risk of physical violence, King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, disguised themselves and servant and headed to Austria. On the way, they were captured at Varennes and brought back to Paris. The people saw this as a turn on his nation. -
Legislative Assembly Amends
The new Legislative Assembly met and amended the constitution to allow for a trial of the King, since he turned against the nation in his attempted escape. -
War with Austria
The Legislative Assembly votes for war after Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, threatens to help Louis XVI retain power. -
Danton Strikes Royal Family
Georges Danton, the new minister of justice, attacks the palace with sans-culottes. -
French Republic
A meeting of the National Convention had been called. The monarchy was abolished and replaced with a Republic. -
King Beheaded
The Convention passed a decree for the King's death. This decree was followed, and the king was beheaded by a guillotine. -
France gets more enemies
Unhappy with Louis XVI's execution, Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal, and others take arms against France. -
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety was formed. The National Convention gave it power out of fear. The Committe of Public Safety fought opposition, leading to much bloodshed. -
Marie Antoinette Guillotined
After long imprisonment, Marie Antoinette was killed by the French people for past crimes. -
Death of Robespierre
Maximimilien Robespierre was guillotined, after creating fear among the deputies of the National Convention. This radical had great power of the Committe of Public Safety. Following his death, the Jacobins (radical group) lost power. -
National Convention Dissolved
Following the death of Robespierre, the National Convention approved the constitution for the regime that replaced it, resulting in its decimation. -
Coup of 30 Prairial Year VII
This was a coup that, with much blood, left Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès as the dominant figure of France. -
Napoleon Leaves Egypt
Napoleon comes back from Egypt. This is significant because if he did not return, he would have come to power later. -
Constitution of the Year VIII
The leadership of Napoleon was established. This, considered by many, was the end of the French Revolution.
