A Timeline of the French Revolution

  • Meeting of the Three Estates

    After bad harvests and costly wars, King Louis XVI is forced to convene the Estates General assembly (meeting of representatives of the Three Estates) in order to raise taxes.
  • Period: to

    National Assembly government

    During this time period, the Revolutionary government was led by the third estate made of the commoners and low clergy of France.
  • Tennis court oath

    The Tennis Court Oath National Association resolves to not disband until they have come up with a new constitution.
  • Bastille conquered

    Bastille conquered
    After the angry mob of Paris citizens attacked and overthrew the hated prison, it signaled the beginning of the French Revolution
  • Period: to

    The Great Fear

    During this time period, Peasants of France attacked noble manors in response to the threat of lowered grain amounts.
  • Jacobin Club formed

    Delicates of the national assembly gave up class privileges and introduced new reforms.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man

    The assembly issues the Declaration of the Rights of Man, which is the first step towards a French Constitution.
  • King Louis brought to Tuileries

    King Louis brought to Tuileries
    The determined and upset march of women wanting more food brought the king from Versailles to Tuileries palace in Paris, known as the Women's march to Versailles.
  • The king flees to Austria

    Fleeing from Paris, the king and his family run to Austria ( the queen's family and the invaders of Paris) in the night, but were caught in Varennes.
  • Period: to

    Legislative Assembly government

    The legislature of France that focused on revolutionary and political debates on law making.
  • Legislative Assembaly government collapses

    When the Paris mob storms the royal palace, the result is the Legislative Assembly collapsing and the Minister of Justice Danton killing thousands of presumed traitors of the state.
  • Period: to

    National Convention government

    After the overthrow of the monarchy, the National Convention government was elected by universal male suffrage to rewrite a new constitution.
  • The monarchy is abolished

    The National Convention, the new government of Paris, abolishes the monarchy and declares Paris a republic
  • Day 1 of Revolutionary Calendar

    Day 1 of Revolutionary Calendar
    The new calendar is put into affect.
  • Introduction of the Revolutionary Calendar

    To avoid Christian associations, the French took on a new calendar with new day and month names.
  • Execution of the King

    Execution of the King
    After being tried and sentenced guilty of treason, The king is condemned to death and executed.
  • Counter-Revolutionary Revolt

    Counter-Revolutionary Revolt
    Some higher classmen and citizens didn't agree with the executions and revolted in the Vendee region.
  • "Reign of Terror"

    The Committee of Public Safety (Robespierre) begins the "reign of Terror" where anyone could be tried for treason with any action that could be taken as against the revolution.
  • Price controls and dechristianization

    Price controls are put into place by the government and they have an administrative reform to change how the government operates. France goes through dechristianization (removing the names of religious saints from the streets and anything else) to remove Christianity completely.
  • The end of the "Reign of Terror"

    The end of the "Reign of Terror"
    Robespierre is accused of treason and executed in the month of "Thermidor". Robespierre being the figure behind the "Reign of Terror", the "Reign of Terror" ends.
  • Churches reopen

    The freedom to worship is established under the constitution.
  • New constitution adopted

    The new constitution was a national constitution of France and established the new Directory government.
  • Period: to

    The Directory Government

    The Directory Government was made of two houses: the Council of Ancients and the Council of 500.
  • Coup d'etat

    Coup d'état, the government takeover, was the act of the government removing monarchy loyalists from the Directory.
  • Napoleon's coup d'etat

    Napoleon's coup d'etat
    Napoleon's own coup d'état demolished the Directory to establish the Consulate government and signal the end of the French Revolution.