The Estates-General

The King of France asked to meet with people from all three estates to solve problems. There were very bad money problems that need to be solved. The First and Second Estates voted to increase the taxes for the Third Estate. This made the people from the Third Estate very mad, and the Estates-General ended with no main solution to the problem.

The National Assembly

The Third Estate formed a new National Assembly to make laws for the French People. They created a Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen which said that men are born free and equal in rights. Some of their rights include liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. It guaranteed freedom of speech and religion and equal justice.

The Storming of the Bastille

On July 14, 1789, French citizens stormed the Bastille which was a prison, fortress, and armory in Paris. The citizens freed the prisoners and fired at the soldiers. They were ready to destroy the Bastille, when the soldiers surrendered. The soldiers were arrested and the citizens took charge of the Bastille. This started the revolution.

The Women's March

On October 4, 1789, a crowd of women marched to Versailles, demanding bread for their families. They marched in the pouring rain to speak to the king and his wife. The King met them outside and spoke to some of them, but some women managed to get into Marie Antoinette's quarters. She barely escaped by going through a secret passage. The King agreed to meet with people in Paris.

Flight to Varennes

On June 20, 1791, the Royal family tried to quietly leave Paris. They wanted to flee to Austria because they knew that the French citizens were very angry and wanted to take over. They managed to get within a few miles of the border before they were recognized in the town of Varennes. The family was forced to go back, but this incident was devastating for the National Assembly.

The Execution of the King

The monarchy was overthrown and France was now a democratic republic. King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were arrested. They had a trial and were convicted of treason. They were taken to the guillotine in Paris and executed in front of hundreds of people.