-
Period: to
Life of Jean-Paul Marat
Because he had a skin disease, he sat in the bathtub and worked in there. Charlotte Corday, in 1793, told him that she had information about traitors, but she didn't. She stabbed him to death as he bathed. -
Period: to
Life of King Louis XVI
Louis XVI has tutors, but they were never able to prepare him enough to be king at such a young age. Ho loved hunting and working with his hands which included metalworking. Even though he lacked making decisions, he wanted to improve lives. The decisions he did make though, was from members of his court. -
Period: to
Life of Marie Antoinette
Becauase of her involvement in controversial court affairs, she was unpopular with the French. She referred to Louis XVI as "the poor man." Instead of wearing the tight-fitting clothing style like everyone else wore, Marie decided to wear a loose cotton dress. She spent hours playing cards in need of entertainment. By gambling in card games, she lost $1.5M in one year. -
Period: to
Life of Maximilien Robespierre
Leader of the Jacobins in the National Assembly. During the Reign of Terror in 1793-1794, he attempted to silence all enemies of the Revolution in an effort to save France from invasion. Th Reign of Terror was the period of his rule. Jacobins was the Society of the Friends of the Constitution, and was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution. He was killed on July 28, 1794. -
Meeting of the Estates General
The Estates General was summoned by King Louis XVI in May with an aim to solve the monarchy's financial crisis. The three classes represented by them were the nobles, clergy, and the rest of the population (3rd Estate). Each estate had only one vote. The members of the Third Estate decided to form their own National Assembly, out of fear that they would be forced to bear the burden of the financial crisis. -
Dissolution of the National Assembly
The National Assembly formed on July 9, 1789. No member was elected to the new legislative body, becaause it was agreed earlier that no member would be allowed to hold a seat in the new Parliament. The new constitution was finally completed on September 30, 1791. -
The Battle at the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille ignites the French Revolution. Some people suggested that foreign troops (Swiss) were going to Paris to massacre French citizens. On July 14, a mob of people stormed the Bastille, looking for gunpowder. Guards were hacked to death by angry attackers. Similar to the 4th of July in the United States, Bastille Day (July 14) has been a French national holiday. -
March on Versailles
A large crowd marched from Paris to the Palace of Versailles, convinced that the royal family empowered the common people. The crowd demanded bread and wanted the king to go back to Paris with them. The king agreed thinking it would only be a temporary inconvenience. -
Declaration of War on Austria & Prussia
In France, the support for war was growing. Louis XVI wanted war because he believed that foreign armies would easily overthrow the new government. On April 20, 1792, France declared war on Austria. -
Period: to
The Reign of Terror
Maximilien Robespierre wanted to dominate the Committee of Public Safety, and establish himself as the leader. From Septemeber 1793, to July 1794, an estimated 16,000 people were killed. On July 27, 1794, Robespierre was arrested, and was guillotined the following day.
