THE FRENCH REVOLUTION: PHASES AND DATES
Estates General (3 Orders: Clergy, 300 reps.; Nobility, 300 reps.; "Third Estate," 600 reps.)
May 5, 1789: After bad harvests and costly wars, King Louis XVI is forced to convene this ancient assembly in order to raise taxes.National Assembly (1789-1791)(3rd Estate declares itself the "Assembly of the Nation," June 17, 1789)
During the election process, voters traditionally draft petitions of grievance (cahiers de doléances)(p.678)
June 29, 1789: Tennis Court Oath. Nat. Ass. resolves not to disband until it has written a constitution.Legislative Assembly (October 1791-August 1792)(Constitutional Government by elected officials)
July 14, 1789: Bastille stormed and taken by a Paris mob. (p. 680)
July 19-Aug. 3, 1789: Great Fear. Peasants attack noble manors. (p. 681f)
Aug. 4, 1789: Nobles in National Assembly renounce feudal rights; Jacobin Club formed. (p. 682f)
Aug. 27, 1789: Assembly issues Declaration of the Rights of Man. (pp. 682, 684)
Oct. 5-6, 1789: King Louis brought from Versailles to Tuileries palace in Paris. (p. 683)
July 12, 1790: Assembly issues Civil Constitution of the Clergy, requiring elections and oaths. (683)
June 20-21, 1791: King flees to Austria, is caught at Varennes.
Aug. 27, 1791: Austria and Prussia call for support of French King ("Declaration of Pillnitz")(686).
Sept. 1791: National Assembly issues Constitution; elections are held.
Apr. 20, 1792: France declares war on Austria and Prussia. (p. 686)National Convention (Sept. 1792-1795)(elected by universal male suffrage to rewrite constitution)
Aug. 10, 1792: Paris mob storms royal palace; Commune siezes Assembly; Legislative Assembly falls. Minister of Justice Danton purges thousands of presumed traitors.
Sept. 20, 1792: French army stops Prussians and Austrians at Valmy (Belgium).
Sept. 21, 1792: Convention abolishes monarchy and declares France a republic.(p. 687)Directory (1795-1799)(New constitution has 2 houses: Council of Ancients and Council of 500)
Oct. 1792: Revolutionary calendar introduced; Sept. 22, 1792=day 1. (p. 692f)
Jan. 21, 1793: Convention condemns and executes the King. (p. 687)
Feb. 1793: Convention declares war on 1st Coalition of Austria, Prussia, Britain, Holland and Spain.
Feb. 1793: Counter-revolutionary revolt in the Vendee begins. (p. 687)
March 1793: "Reign of Terror" by Committee of Public Safety (Robespierre) begins. (p. 688).
Aug. 23, 1793: Levy-in-Mass (military draft) instituted.
Fall 1793: price controls, dechristianization, administrative reform (p. 690)
Apr. 4, 1794: Danton executed.
June 26, 1794: French victory over Austrians at Fleurus (Belgium).
July 28, 1794: "Thermidor:" Robespierre executed, end of terror. (p. 691)
Feb. 21, 1795: Churches reopened. (p. 694)
Aug. 22, 1795: New constitution is adopted, forming the Directory. (p. 694)
Oct. 5, 1795: Napoleon's "Whiff of Grapeshot" save the Directory from a royalist mob.Consulate (1799-1804)(Constitution of 1800 has executive of 3 consuls)
Sept. 4, 1797: Coup d'état removes royalists from Directory.
Oct. 17, 1797: French defeat Austrians in northern Italy and make peace. (p. 696)
1798: French capture Switzerland, Rome and Naples; suffer bad defeat in Egypt (Aug. 1).
Spring 1799: 2nd Coalition of Austria, Russia, Turkey and Great Britain drive French Army back.
Nov. 9, 1799: Napoleon's coup d'état abolishes Directory and establishes Consulate.
1801-2: Napoleon makes peace with Austria and Britain, Concordat with the pope. (p. 697)Empire (1804-1815)(Napoleon crowns himself emperor)
1803: Renewed war with Britain.
1804: Napoleonic Code promulgated. (p. 698)
1805: 3rd Coalition (Austria, Britain and Russia) moves against France. (p. 699)
1805-09: French victories; "republics" set up throughout Europe, Spain resists.
1812: Napoleon suffers major defeat in Russia (40,000 of 611,000 survive). (p. 701)
1814: Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia defeat France, Napoleon sent to Elba.
Mar. 1815: Napoleon returns to France for "100 days." (p. 701)
June 18, 1815: British and Prussians defeat Napoleon at Waterloo; Louis 18th restored.