French Revolution Dates & Stats

1956-63

Seven Years War

1774

Louis XVI becomes King

1785

Diamond Necklace Scandal

1774

C-G Turgot tried to cut spending, reduce privelege, & reform taxes

1778-83

France supports America in the War of Independence

late 1780s

Debt reached 4 billion livres

1788

The Crown suspended payments in a form of state bankruptcy, effectively admitting financial collapse

1789

population of Paris reached 28 million, the largest in Europe

1787 & 1788

Very poor harvests created food shortages

1788-89

bread prices rose sharply following bad harvests, helping provoke unrest among the urban poor

1774-1776

Turgot’s time as Controller-General

1777-1781

Necker’s first time as Controller-General

1788-89

Necker’s second time as Controller-General

1783-1787

de Calonne’s time as Controller-General

1781

C-G Necker published Compte Rendu

1787

Assembly of Notables called by de Calonne

0.5%

the Catholic Clergy made up __% of the population

6%

The Catholic Clergy owned __% of the land

2%

The Nobility made up __% of the population

1/2-1/3

The nobility owned__-__ of the land

95%

The Third Estate made up __% of the population

50%

__% of state revenue being spent on debt interest in the 1780s

28 million

in 1789, the population of Paris reached __ million, the largest in Europe

50% to 80-90%

Bread prices increased from __% of income to __-__% of income during crisis years/bad harvests

500 million

Necker borrowed over ___ million livres during his time as Controller-General

10%

tithes were a tax of ___% of earnings given to the local parish

40% and 25%

Literacy rates were ___% of men and ___% of women

1 in 500

___ in ____ French men fought in the American War of Independence

80,000

By 1789, unemployment had risen to ________ in Paris

1788-89

The winter of ________ had been particularly hard, with a bad harvest causing food shortages & rising prices

Feb-May 1787

The Assembly of Notables

1626

the last time the Assembly of Notables had been called

April 1788

Calonne dismissed due to failing to persuade the Assembly of Notables

May 1787 - August 1788

Brienne’s tenure as Controller-General

May 1787

Assembly of Notables dissolved by Brienne

June 1788

Day of Tiles in Grenoble

August 1788

It was announced that the Estates-General would be called

August 1788

Brienne forced to resign as the government reached a state of bankruptcy where they couldn’t borrow enough to maintain daily spending

August 1788

Necker returns as Controller-General

May 1789

Necker persuaded the King to advance the calling of the E-G to ________

1614

last time the Estates-General had been called

Jan 1789

Louis requested to hear the “wishes and grievances of our people” - start of the cahiers de doleances

May-June 1789

Meetings of the Estates-General

75%

____ of the deputies representing the 3rd Estate were from the lower clergy

4 May 1789

Estates-General proceedings began, then became deadlock as the 3rd Estate deputies refused to accept the different meeting halls

19th June 1789

some members of the lower clergy broke the deadlock and forced the 1st Estate to join the 3rd

Named themselves the National Assembly

20th June 1789

Tennis Court Oath sworn by the National Assembly

14 July 1789

Storming of the Bastille

11 July 1789

Louis dismissed Necker - led to storming of the Bastille

17th July 1789

Louis recognised the new Paris City Council and the National Guard

July-August 1789

The Great Fear

4 August 1789

Abolition of Feudalism meeting

26th August 1789

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen passed

700,000

number of enslaved people in the overseas French colonies, who were excluded from the Declaration of Rights

5-6th October 1789

The October Days

Sept 1791

New Constitution published