French Revolution Timeline by TOMMY LANE

Abolition of Feudalism

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:05:12 UTC

The Third Estate, consisting of feudal peasants subservient to the higher Estates, tried to push reforms to improve their general position. The two other Estates, sensing their power being challenged, decide to deny to any reform that the Third Estate proposes. The Third Estate then decided to break away from the feudal system and establish their governing body in the form of the National Assembly, whose goal was to create a democratic society.

Louis XVI Summons the Estates General

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:10:20 UTC

On May 5, 1789 King Louis XVI summons the Estates General due to the rising debt, famine, and general decay of the French system that has been occurring the past decades since the costly French-Indian and American Revolutionary War. The Estates consisted of the 3: The Clergy, the Nobles, and the commoners that made up 98 percent of the population. This would mark the beginning of the French Revolution.

Declaration of The Rights of Man and Citizen

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:22:00 UTC

In August of 1789, the founding document of revolution was written. The work established the rights of every man (excluding women) such as: freedom of speech, the right to trial, and equal protection under the law. The text was heavily influenced by not only France's own enlightenment ideals, but the revolution that had recently concluded in America, with their constitution, which was ratified in 1788, serving as the basis for this document.

Tennis Court Oath/Creation of the National Assembly

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:29:52 UTC

In June 1789, with the break away of the Third Estate, they swear an oath in a tennis court to not adjourn until they had created a constitution. King Louis XVI had already tried to stop the Third Estate from seceding by locking them out of the Meeting Hall. Though this did not stop them, as they found a tennis court to convene in and would work for 2 years before the final draft was revealed.

Women's March

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:33:01 UTC

In October 1789, thousands of peasant women marched to the quarters of the monarchy in Versailles and forced them to leave for Paris. This would place the monarchy on house arrest. Although the women's march goal was to further women's rights in an era that was dominated by men, and there was legitimate reform happening that could aid in the fight for equality, their efforts would ultimately be futile as the French Revolution only benefited men.

Royal Flight to Varennes

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:39:04 UTC

In June 1791, the king and queen of France attempted to flee from house arrest by dressing their servants as nobles and them as peasants. The ruse is quickly discovered and the couple are escorted back to their exile in Versailles. This would lead many, such as the Jacobin extremists, to label the king a fraud and no longer a monarchy. It was seen as a disgrace to not only the people but also the new government that was trying to reform alongside the king into a constitutional monarchy.

Storming of the Bastille

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:41:57 UTC

On July 14, 1789, fearing that the revolt was already coming to an end with the king's guards trying to thwart it, peasants storm the Bastille in France to grab weapons and supplies for the impending fight. This resulted in the capture and beheading of the Governor of the Bastille, a symbol of the violence that was the follow such as the Reign of Terror.

Arrest, Trial, and Execution of King Louis XVI

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:43:20 UTC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hGMrOuAgz9kkM6HiSLjtoJglALtDMrCM/view?usp=sharing

Reign of Terror and Robespierre

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:44:01 UTC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jpb4Axne8Y6e4XcLOsKXuT9lL1gUHo9I/view

Napoleon's Italian Campaigns

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:51:36 UTC

On April 2, 1796, Napoleon began his Italian Campaign was the ultimate goal to take Austria out. He begins the campaign strongly and gains the undying loyalty of his men at the Battle of Lodi. Although an insignificant battle in the grand scheme of the campaign, it cements the legend of Napoleon. From then on he created a puppet state in Milan, and would win at Mantua from 1796-1797, giving the French division a straight shot at Vienna. The Austrians were then defeated on April 2, 1797.

Napoleon's Invasion of Egypt

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 14:59:19 UTC

From 1798-1801, in an attempt to block British trade routes to India and to re-establish trade relations with the Levant, Napoleon invades Egypt. After successfully capturing Egypt, Napoleon becomes the de facto ruler and institutes western structures into Egypt, including an Institut d’Egypte for French scholars, libraries, labs, and health services.

Coup of the 18th Brumaire

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:01:50 UTC

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17zNgluapYF-dUhftPuIo-P00Q67VLkid/view

Edit: The date is November 1799. Although you can see it in the video, I forgot to say it in the audio.

Napoleon Crowning as Emperor

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:02:52 UTC

Napoleon's Invasion of Russia

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:03:11 UTC

Battle of Trafalgar

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:03:33 UTC

Congress of Vienna

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:08:57 UTC

A series of diplomatic meetings throughout 1814-1815 discussed the future of Europe with the fall of Napoleon. the Congress settled on three goals: restoration, legitimacy, and compensation. This would be one of the first meetings of its kind to try and establish a peaceful order in Europe after centuries of constant fighting. It also served to stabilize political order as well, maintaining international supervision over each other.

Napoleon's Exile and the 100 Days

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:15:45 UTC

After the failure of numerous military campaigns and the coalition approaching, Napoleon abdicated the throne in 1814 and was exiled to Elba. But in March 1815, Napoleon returned to France in the south with a battalion-sized set of troops and retook control of France for 111 days. However, he was defeated at Waterloo on June 18 and exiled again. King Louis XVIII then took the throne, establishing monarchical rule once again.

Battle of Waterloo

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:20:05 UTC

On June 18th 1815, with Napoleon once again at the helm of France, he tries to hold on to his broken empire at the battle of Waterloo, facing a coalition of the forces of Duke of Wellington of the British and Marshal Blücher of Prussia. He was defeated, ending any chance of Napoleon establishing his power once again, and ended a two decade long war between Britain and France.

Battle of Austerlitz

tlane252 — 2024-01-18 15:24:34 UTC

The Battle of Austerlitz occurred on December 2, 1805. outnumbered--68,000 to 90,000--Napoleon managed a resounding victory nonetheless. This victory had Austria cede Venetia to the French kingdom in Italy and also tentatively ended an anti-French alliance led by major powers like the British and Prussians.

Haitian Revolution and War of Independence

tlane252 — 2024-01-22 20:26:37 UTC

A slave revolt from 1794-1801 led by Toussaint L'Ouverture that won the independence of Haiti and established by first black republic. Though efforts were made by the french to re-establish colonial rule under Napoleon, but Haiti was able to fend off the army sent to secure the region. By 1803 France was out of the area due to renewed hostilities between them and France and due to the fact it was bleeding resources France needed for other issues.

Napoleon's Exile and Death

tlane252 — 2024-01-23 23:05:26 UTC

After Waterloo, Napoleon is exiled once again, this time on St. Helena. There he was constantly supervised by British officers and others to keep him from escaping the island. Eventually, at the age of 51, Napoleon died in 1821.