French Revolution

  • Louis XVI

    Louis XVI
    Louis XVI takes the throne at the age of 19. He was a weak leader who was often dominated by his wife, Marie Antoinette.
  • Period: to

    French Revolution

  • 1789

    Louis XVI's government is about to go bankrupt. Poor harvests. The Nstional Assembly is formed.
  • Revolution has begun.

    Revolution has begun.
    People of Paris storm the Bastille, a much hated prison that symbolized autocratic rule. The Revolution had begun.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

    Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
    National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the CItizen. Guaranteed the rights of, "liberty, property, security, and resisitance to oppresion" to all people.
  • The Great Fear

    The Great Fear
    The Great Fear, peasants were fearful that the nobles were hiring outlaws to terrorize them. Peasants rioted, stormed Versailles and demanded that Louis and Marie Antoinette come to Paris.
  • New Legislature Assembly is created

    National Assembly disbanded, so new Legislature Assmebly can take over. Creates a constitutional monarchy, strips power from the King and gave the Assembly the power to create the French Law.
  • Starting to turn on each other, three (3) factions in the legislative Assembly

    Revolution leaders start to turn on each other and three factions in the Legislative Assembly from Radicals, Moderates, and Conservatives.
  • Summer of 1792

    Austria and Prussia, who supported Louis XVI, sent troops to Paris.
  • July 1792 ~ July 1794

    Robespierre governed France nearly as a dictator, this period became known as the Reign of Terror. Approximately 3,000 people were executed in Paris. As many as 40,000 were killed all together.
  • Parisians invade, Louis and family are imprisoned.

    20,000 Parisians invade the Royal Palace, Louis, Marie Antoinette and their children are imprisoned.
  • September 21, 1792

    National Convention abolishes the monarchy and declares France a republic. All adult male citizens are granted right to vote, women couldn't.
  • December 1792 ~ January 1793

    Louis is no longer king. The radical Jacobins tried Louis for treason and was found guilty. He is sentenced to death.
  • Louis XVI is executed.

    Louis XVI is executed.
    Louis XVI is executed by guillotine.
  • February 1793

    Great Britain, Holland and Spain join Prussia and Austria and are fighting France. The national Assembly drafts 300,000 French citizens into the army.
  • Summer of 1793

    Revolution leader, Maximilien Robespierre sets out to gather power into his own hands. He becomes the leader of the Committee of Public Safety. He decides who should be considered an enemy of the republic. The committee had people tried and executed in the same day.
  • Marie Antoinette is executed.

    Marie Antoinette is executed.
    Marie Antoinette is executed. Revolutionary courts declare death sentences on those that challenge Robespierre.
  • Robespierre is executed.

    Robespierre is executed.
    National Comittee turns on Robespierre, claiming that he's a tyrant. He's executed on July 28.
  • National Convention

    National Convention
    Moderate leaders in the National Convention draft a new Constitution. It created two houses, legislature and an executive body of five men, known as the Directory. Napolean Bonaparte was chosen to lead France Armies.
  • The end of the French Revolution.

    Napolean staged a coup d'état, that abolished the Directory and appointing him as France's "first consul". This event marked the end of the French Revolution.