Studied by 1 person
After weeks of the Estates General meeting, there is a stale-mate - nothing is getting decided!
3rd estate declares they would form their own government called the National Assembly
They (the 3rd estate) retreat to the royal tennis courts after the king tried to ban their meeting
Here they pledge the "Tennis Court Oath" which says they will continue to meet until they have a new constitution
Louis gives in and orders the other two estates (1st and 2nd) to join the 3rd estate in the National Assembly
People demanded change and they got it, Louis XVI is forced to respond and the people realized their power
The Estates General no longer exists
A new national assembly is formed
Continued riots over bread prices. Louis sends mercenary soldiers (people from foreign countries who are paid to be in another countries army) and people assume he is using them to stop the progress
A mob of peasants attack the Bastille
The royal troops sent by the king to stop the attack end up joining the mob
The mob cut off the governor's head and parade it through the streets
Citizens from a new army "National Guard" to defend Paris
Official start of the French revolution
Bastille was symbolic of the ancient regime and power of the king - by destroying it they are effectively destroying the monarchy with their hands
It frightens Louis and he senses the power of the people
Start to see the beginning/acceptance of violence
The French flag was born
Peasants in the countryside feared the king and nobles would stop the revolution before they gained rights
Peasants stormed into the chateaux of the aristocrats and burnt feudal certificates and killed many nobles
Revolution was all over the country now, not just in Paris
The National Assembly abolished feudalism, ended serfdom, equality for all
Led to the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
Document passed by the National Assembly
Sets out basic human rights - guarantees freedom of thought, religion, speech, security, and property and put limits on the power of the government
Similar to the American Declaration of Independence - the ideas of the philosophers came to life
Puts limits on the power of the government - power now belongs to the people
The king is not mentioned in the document
They were unhappy with the progress of the National Assembly - People wanted bread and they heard Versailles was storing much wheat and they were angry
Crowds of women from Paris decided to march to Versailles - they were joined by thousands of others on the way. They attacked the National Assembly and stormed the palace almost capturing the King and Queen
Ordinary, lower class women can make a difference
Terrible violence continues to be left unchecked
Forced the monarchy to move to Paris - they could no longer ignore the revolution
Louis signs the DoRoMac
Abolished the titles of nobles, now everyone is equal and called a citizen
The new government controls the Catholic Church and takes its land
Includes the separation of powers
Administrative regions established with elected officials (democracy)
Old system is officially gone
France is now a constitutional monarchy
Philosophers ideas continue to become a reality
Many aristocrats/nobles had fled France (called the emigres) as they feared the growing power and violence of the revolution
Louis, Marie Antoinette, and their children flee France in disguise but were caught
The monarchy had to abandon their people and that made the citizens very mad
Lots of people thought the king was a traitor
Power shifts from the king to the revolutionaries
National Assembly now called the Legislative Assembly
Too many people were struggling for power
