French Revolution Timeline
April 1770 - June 1789 - Culture of Versailles
 Write down five adjectives to describe life at Versailles:

Why would many people in the Third Estate dislike the culture at Versailles and hate
Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI.
June 20, 1789 - Tennis Court Oath and New Constitution for the Third Estate
Deputies of the Third Estate are locked out of their headquarters. They decide to call
themselves the National Assembly and to meet next door at Tennis Court and take an oath
that they would not leave or return home until a new constitution was drafted.

How many votes did each Estate get in the National Assembly? Why was this unfair?

A constitution =

Why would this act technically be considered illegal?

Who must agree to this if it were to be enacted?
July 14, 1789 - The Storming of the Bastille
Rumors began to surface that the king was going to attack members of the Third Estate and
that weapons are in an old prison called the Bastille. At the same time, the price of bread
was at an all time high (the people are hungry!). As a result, 900 Parisians surrounded the
Bastille and began to fight the guards and prison warden until they surrender (many guards
join though!). The Parisians released the prisoners and then cut off the warden’s head! In the
end, there were no weapons found …so they destroy the Bastille!

Why was does this show that the King is losing authority?

Would you participate in the storming of the Bastille? Why or why not?
August 26, 1789 - Signing of the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
This document was written similar to that of the Declaration of Independence. This
document outlines the main rights of French people according to the Third Estate (National
Assembly).
 Which three rights do you think are most important?

Who must sign this document to make it official? Why might this person not want to
sign?
October 5, 1789 - Women’s March on Versailles
With bread prices reaching an all time high, many women began to host protests arguing
that they could not feed their families. The women were particularly furious with the King and
Queen for living lives of luxury while they suffered. They decided to ally themselves with the
other revolutionaries (such as those who participated in the Storming of the Bastilles) to
create a mob of thousand who gathered weapons from the Paris armory and continue to
march to Versailles to demand change. The mob raided the palace and forced King Louis
XVI and Marie Antoinette to move back to Paris to the Tuileries Palace where the mob.

After the March on Versailles, does the King have any power left? Explain.
National Assembly in 1791 - Two Sides Emerge
Feuillant Club: Keep the King, but give the
Third Estate some power! We can coexist!
 Constitutional Monarchists
 Want to have Constitution and a King
work together

Jacobin Club: We cannot coexist! Down with
the King and let the people rule!
 Want to have a democracy (rule by
the people)
 Want to overthrow the King
Which side would you support? Why?
Spring 1792 - Austria and Prussia Invade Russia

Why did these two nations decide to invade and attempt to stop the revolution?
April 25, 1792 - The Guillotine Is Introduced in France (more information on back of page)

Why was the largest group of people who were executed from the Third Estate?
August 10, 1792 - 10 August
The Jacobins and sans-culottes were able to gain a majority in the legislature. One of their
first orders of business was to allow citizens to join a National Guard, or group of revolutionary
fighters. This powerful and angry National Guard stormed the Tuileries Palace and took the
royal family captive.

Many historians argue that this event marks the end of the monarchy in France. Do
you agree? Explain.

Why would this event make you nervous if you were a member of the Feuillant Club?
What actions would you consider in response? Be realistic!
January 21, 1793 - Execution of Louis XVI
The radicals, mostly Jacobins, begin to argue that the King is a threat to the nation, and the
nobles might rise up an support him. Many argue that he should be executed, while some
think that his being in custody of the Jacobins is enough. Eventually, the radicals win out and
they convict him of treason. The delegates vote to have him executed, and while no one
votes “not guilty” many abstain, or do not cast a vote one way or another. Louis is executed
by means of the guillotine and his death represents the beginning of the reign of terror.

Why do you think some delegates abstained from voting? What does this reveal about
their beliefs?

Should the King have been executed? Remember, he was ruling in a way that had
been common place with other absolutist rulers.
1793 - 1794 - Reign of Terror
After Louis XVI’s death, mass executions begin to take place all over France. Courts were set
up to prosecute (put on trial and convict) counter-revolutionaries and traitors. Over 40,000
people die from different means of execution, including members of the royal family, nobles,
people of opposing political parties, and intellectuals. Those executed came from all Estates,
genders, and parts of France - the Committee of Public Safety did not discriminate in this
way! These “trials” and executions were conducted by the Committee of Public Safety,
which was run by Robespierre.

Many argue that during the French Revolution, one was guilty until proven innocent.
Why do you think many argue this?

Why do you think the death toll was so high during this time period? Hint: not all the
people executed would be found guilty by today’s standards.

Video Question: Why do you think that so many people attended these executions?
The Committee of Public Safety also made some other changes to France that were
intended to help the Revolution continue. These are listed in the chart on the next page. For
each change, decide if it was a negative or positive change and briefly explain why.
Changes Made by the Committee of Public Safety
Change
Positive or Negative?
Why I feel this way!
Universal education system
created
Abolished slavery
De-Christianized the Church
Army raised to respond to
invading nations
July 28, 1794 - End of the Reign of Terror
With so few threats, the Committee of Public Safety has a hard time justifying their job.
However, Robespierre is power hungry!! He says he wants to continue to go after people
who are traitors. The National Convention (previously the Assembly) fears that they might
be the next ones to experience the “national razor!” As such, they decide to act first and
condemn Robespierre to the guillotine! This ends the Reign of Terror!!
 Was the Reign of Terror inevitable? What could have been done to prevent it?
 After Robespierre and his allies were executed, the National Convention appoints new
leaders. For these new leaders, they set term limits, meaning that they cannot serve for
an unlimited amount of time. Do you think this was a wise decision? Explain.