French Revolution Timeline

Estates General

Estates General

A meeting called by the king and queen of France in 1789 to address the financial crisis and prevent an uprising. The 1st and 2nd estates always outvoted the 3rd estate, leading to a lack of power for the 3rd estate.

Tennis Court Oath

An oath taken by the members of the 3rd estate during the French Revolution, pledging to never disperse until a constitution was established. This gave the members of the 3rd estate more equal power and caused concern for the king.

Storming of the Bastille

The raid of the Bastille prison on July 14th, 1789, by commoners in search of gunpowder. This event gave courage to the commoners and marked the beginning of the fight against the nobles.

Declaration of the Rights of Man & Citizen

A document created in 1776 during the French Revolution that laid out the system of rights that applied to everyone. It declared that everyone had the rights to liberty, property, and security.

Women's March on Versailles

A march by women in October 1789, who believed that the royalty was hoarding food. They demanded more food and rights to access food, and forced the king to march back with them to Paris after breaking into the palace.

France Goes to War with Austria and Prussia

The decision by Leopold and King William from Prussia to ally together and restore the French monarchy. This led to the invasion of Austria and the suspension of the monarchy, eventually resulting in the execution of Louis XVI.

Reign of Terror

A period during the French Revolution where the new government instituted mass killings of former nobles and clergy members. The lower class benefited from this period as they gained power, while the upper class suffered.

Napoleon Bonaparte's Coup d'etat and Rise to Power

Napoleon's overthrow of the new government in 1799, effectively ending the French Revolution. He established a centralized form of government, made laws, and became the Consul of France, negatively affecting those in power.

Napoleonic Code

A legal code established by Napoleon that defined the concept of equality before the law and secured the right to private property. It reflected the ideas of the French Revolution but did not provide equal status to women.

Napoleonic Wars

A series of conflicts between the French Empire and various European powers, resulting in French domination over much of Europe. These wars began from unresolved disputes of the French Revolution.

Haitian Revolution

The largest and most successful revolution in 1791, where slaves revolted against the French on the island of Haiti. Led by Toussaint L'Ouverture, the slaves were successful in their fight and Haiti became the first black republic in the world.