-
Estates General
Run under the same system where representatives are voted for by men of each Estate and a majority must be reached of the Estates for decisions. This usually gave First and Second Estate dominance over the Third Estate, to their displeasure. Louis XVI called the Estates General to call for more funds. -
National Assembly Formed
Representative group created by the Third Estate out of frustration with their lack of influence in the Estates General- dominated by the First and Second Estates. This led to the Third Estate being excluded from the Estates General. -
Oath of the Tennis Court
Representative group created by the Third Estate out of frustration with their lack of influence in the Estates General- dominated by the First and Second Estates. This led to the Third Estate being excluded from the Estates General. -
Storming of the Bastille
French citizens of Paris hear rumors of Louis XVI’s troops coming to sack Paris, so they storm the Bastille prison for gunpowder, freeing the prisoners and kill many of the guards. This led to marquis de Lafayette being appointed by the people as commander of the city’s armed forces and representing the loss of Paris from Louis XVI’s control. -
National Convention issues Declaration of the Rights of Man
New constitution issued by the National Convention that stated all men are born free and with equal rights and have natural rights including liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression. All men are equal before the law with a representative government and individual freedom and are innocent until proven guilty.
Link to actual document: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/rightsof.asp -
Period: to
Reign of Terror
The Committee of Public Safety with Robespierre established courts to try suspected enemies of the state. The suspects were generally judged harsher than normal procedures due to the influence and support from Jacobin clubs. 40,000 prisoners died in prison while there were in total 300,000 suspects in prison. The terror was used as a political instrument to maintain support by cutting off opponents, and it represented how France was turning into a dictatorship.
