-
King Louis XV dies
leaving the country even more greatly in debt because of the wars in which France was involved -
The American War of Independence against England begins
France declares war against England in support of America -
The Treaty of Paris ends America`s War of Independence
The success of America emboldens those people in France that were pushing for change through revolution. -
Tennis Court Oath
The Third Estate declared themselves the National Assembly and made the Tennis Court Oath. The Third Estate maintained that the they could do a better job of ruling France than the aristocracy that was rife with waste, extravagance, and indifference towards the common people. -
Storming of the Bastille
ignites the French Revolution -
Great Fear
begins as peasants revolt across France. -
Paris Women
invaded Versailles -
French peasants
were angry because of an unfair tax system, and a poor harvest in 1788. -
Food riots in Paris
-
King Louis XVI
executed -
Reign of Terror
sentenced more than 20,000 people to death. The National Assembly was much more brutal and authoritarian as a government than the monarchy of Louis XIV ever was. Jean-Paul Marat was one of the leaders of the Reign of Rerror. -
Napoleon begins
his series of military campaigns. -
French Revolution is over
with the National Convention fully in control of the country. Napoleon takes control of the National Convention. -
The French Army suffers
1804-1815 increasing series of setbacks, ending in the battle of Waterloo in Belgium. -
Napoleon exhiled to Saint Helena