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Estates General Meeting
The three Estates came together to vote on issues. However each Estate was given an equal vote so the nobility and clergy could always outvote the commoners. Robespierre was an educated man who advocated for the commoners. The Third Estate was angry with the voting system and started voicing their thoughts about that and their lives, and then got locked out of the Estates General Meeting. -
National Assembly Formed
The Third Estate members formed the National Assembly to be the "real voice for the people of France" after they were locked out of the Estates General Meeting. -
Tennis Court Oath
Sworn by the National Assembly to keep meeting until they got a new Constitution for France -
Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille was a prison where France's worst criminals "disappeared" and where vast amounts of guns and ammunition were stored. The people of France attacked the Bastille to show that they stood with the National Assembly and not the monarchy. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man Written
A declaration written by the National Assembly to the monarchy and First and Second Estates that called for a representative democratic government and an end to tyranny. It demanded equal rights, justice under the laws, freedom of speech/ the press, and said that the power should belong to the people, not just one person. -
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Legislative Assembly makes laws in France
They divided into the radicals, moderates, and conservatives.
Radicals called for big revolution, conservatives supported the old regime, and moderates were in the middle. -
Execution of King Louis XVI
He is killed because is a traitor and "betrayed" the country. (He tried to flee to Austria with Marie-Antoinette, and the people felt this was betrayal because they were abandoning the country) -
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Committee of Public Safety governs France
Created by Robespierre during the Reign of Terror, these 12 people decided who to kill with the guillotine. (Whoever possibly posed a "threat" to the Revolution" -
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The Reign of Terror
When Robespierre started guillotining thousands to keep the Revolution "safe". He used Terror to rule the people of France. It started after teh King and Queen tried to escape France. -
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Dechristianization
When Robespierre and the revolutionaries felt that the Church had too much power, so they took away the wealth of the Church, changed the year/date system, changed "saint" street names, destroyed alters, stained glass windows, statues. They didn't want people to split their belief between the Church and The Revolution. -
Execution of Maxmillian Robespierre
The radical party splits into two groups. (Dantonists: think that the Revolution is out of hand, too violent, and the Robespierre supporters: think that violence is the path to eventual peace). Then, Robespierre starts acting like he thinks he is God, and so they decide he's gone nutty and kill him after he announces he has a list of the radicals who are traitors and should be killed. -
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The Directory Controls France
A group of 5 men who are given the job of keeping France stable and violence-free. They are corrupt. -
Napoleon takes over in a coup d'etat
Napoleon Bonaparte, beloved by the people, takes over using military force, and he becomes a dictator. -
Napoleon signs Concordat with Catholic Church
Napoleon gives the Church back their power, except that they have no power in national affairs. -
Napoleon creates the Napoleonic Code
A set of laws that eliminated many injustices, but also limited freedom and rights. Limited especially freedom of the speech and the press. Also restored slavery in the Caribbean colonies. -
Napoleon crowns himself the Emperor of France
Napoleon crowns himself emperor instead of the Church crowning him to show that he has more power than the Church. -
Napoleon dies after banishment to the island of St. Helena
He is banished for wanting, and trying to conquer the world. (other countries don't like that) Then he dies.
