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Estates-General convenes at Versailles
The three estates meet to discuss new taxes after the Assembly of Notables refuses to agree to tax reform -
Third Estate delegates to the Estates-General declare themselves the National Assembly
In response to the grievances of the public due to the reign of King Louis XVI, the Estates-General decides to call a National Assembly, which had not been called since 1614. The Third Estate is not respresented fairly and declares themselves as the National Assembly in response. The clergy, and then the nobles, followed suit. -
The Estates-General (National Assembly) meets together as a single body
Unhappy with the standard of living and the actions of the King, the Estates-General calls a meeting to express their concerns. The goal is to call for reform within France, which is in a dire state of need both economically and socially. -
The Tennis Court Oath
On June 20th, 1789, the delegates of the Third Estate met to discuss the nation's crises, however, the deputies were shocked to discover that the chamber door was locked by soldiers of the crown. Suspecting that a crackdown was imminent, the deputies congregated in a nearby ball-court. It was there that 576 of the 577 delegates from the Third Estate took a collective oath "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established". -
The Estate General (National Assembly) meets together as a Single Body
The newly formed national assembly, meets to discuss and addresses politely but firmly the order to remove troops from France -
Parisians storm the Bastille
Louis appeared to agree with the new National Assembly, but actually called troops to march on Paris. On July 11, Louis also fired finance minister Jacques Necker. This, along with the threat of military force, compelled the sans-culottes to arm themselves. On July 14, an armed crowd marches on the Bastille, a huge prison that symbolized royal authority. This set the precedent of common people being willing to intervene violently at a crucial political moment. -
August 4th Decrees
The August 4th Decrees were issued by the National Assembly to completely abolish the tradition of the feudal system within France. -
The Great Fear
A month long riot by French Protestants wo feared an aristocratic conspiracy by the king to overthrow the Third Estte, causing rural uprisings and brigaands to form. -
The Declaration of Rights of Man
This was the document created by the National Assembly that said that men have equal natural rights, and it was inspired by the ideas of Enlightenment. -
Women's March on Versailles
A large group of women from Paris were protesting the extremely high price of bread. They attacked Versailles to pressure the King to give the bread in Versailles to the people. It is also given credit for forcing the King to move from Versailles to Paris. -
National Assembly begins to confiscate Church land for revenue
As a result of the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, paper money in France became subject to inflation because the government sold church lands to the highest bidders in state auctions. This increased the landholdings of wealthy city dwellers and prosperous peasants, but cut the value of paper money. This also regulated the Catholic church in an attempt to limit its power -
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed on July 12th, 1790, during the French Revolution; it caused the immediate subordination of the Catholic Church in France to the French revolutionary government and increased secularization of the state. It stated that members of the clergy would be elected, confiscated the Church's land holdings for the government and banned monastic vows. -
Flight to Varennes
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette attempted to escape Paris with their immediate family in order to start a counter-revolution targeting the revolutionary government. They were caught and taken back to Paris, and this decision made the King very unpopular with the people, who saw this as a betrayal of the revolution. -
Declaration of Pillnitz
The Declaration of Pillnitz was made by King Leopold and Frederick William II of Prussia to state their concerns over the developing revolution in France. Louis XVI saw this as a threat to his sovereignty and inadvertently delcared war on Austria as a result. -
Louis XVI accepts the new constitution, establishing a limited monarchy
Louis XVI reluctantly accepts the new constitution established by the National Assembly. This retained the monarchy, but gave sovereignty to the National Assembly, thus asserting its legal presence in French government. -
France declares war on Austria
France declares war on Austria. Louis and Marie-Antionette hoped such a war would lead to the defeat of the Revolution, while deputies believed that war would lead to the king's downfall. -
The Brunswick Manifesto is Issued
Issued by Charles William Ferdinand, the Manifesto stated that Austria would intervene with France if the royal family were attacked.. -
The storming of the Tuileries Palace
The storming of the Tuileries Palace was meant to be an attack on the royal family. It was an insurrection by nearly 20,000 people who stormed the royal residence and killed everyone who was inside with the exception of the royal family, who managed to escape. -
The September Massacres
The September Massacres from sept 2-7th 1792 were mass killings of prisoners in Paris. People believed that political prisoners were plotting to overthrow the rebellion by joining sides with the encroaching Austrians. -
Louis XVI's Trial
Louis XVI was put on trial on Dec. 1st 1792. The two factions in the National Convention, Girondins and The Montagnard, debated over whether to execute, exile, or jail Louis for committing treason. The Montagnard win over the Girondins and vote to execute Louis XVI. -
Louis' Execution
Louis is executed on 21st Jan. 1793. Louis was executed by the guillotine as a means to show that no man is above the law, and that Louis XVI, king or not, is just a man. -
Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety was established on April 6th 1793. It was established as an emergency government to defend the ideals of the revolution from counter-revolutionary forces. It was composed of 9 and later 12 members, who basically ruled as a collective dictatorship. Robespierre would come to be the leading figure of the Committee. -
Price Controls are Enacted to aidd the sans-culotte and mobilize the war effort
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The Thermidorian Reaction
On July 7th, 1794 - the second year of Thermidor on the revolutionary calendar - Robespierre was denounced as a tyrant. He and 21 of his colleagues were arrested and behead the following day via the national razor.
