History AS: French Revolution Timeline

Date	Event	Cause	Consequence
Aug 1786	Calonne’s land tax proposals	Royal finances were awful due to War (France had been at war for 20 years in 1740-83) and the tax system (inefficient and unfair) thus Treasury short 295m livres in 1782. With loans drying up, Calonne was forced to reform tax system so wanted to replace vingtieme/ capitation with a universal land tax (ie no privileges or exemptions)	Calonne did not want to summon Estates-General (last summoned in 1614) as it was too unpredictable so thus choose the Assembly of Notables
Feb 1787	Assembly of Notables	Assembly was handpicked 144 notables (bishops, princes, nobles etc) thus expected to be pliant and pass Calonne’s tax reforms so desperately needed	Notables refused to agree as they stood to lose the most claiming approval of the nation at the Estates-General was needed. Louis XVI realised strength of opposition so dismissed Calonne
May 1787	Brienne succeeds Calonne alongside dismissal of notables	Calonne’s failure to make Notables comply meant a notable, Brienne, became his replacement but the Assembly was not compliant so was dismissed	Brienne then presented new proposals to the Paris Parlement who again called for the E-G thus Louis exiled it to Troyes on the 15th Aug 1787
May-July 1788	Parlements suspended, ‘nobility’s revolt’	The exile of the Parlement was seen as heavy handed leading to riots where Parlements met (Grenoble, Rennes). Clergy supported nobles voting for a don gratuit (¼ of the size the Crown asked)	Brienne agreed to summon E-G for 1st May 1789. On 16th Aug 1788, he suspended all Treasury payments (ie bankrupt)
Aug-Sept 1788	Brienne succeeded by Necker with Parlements recalled	Louis had to concede defeat recalling Paris Parlement in Sept 1788 showing limitations to royal power and Brienne resigned replaced by Necker	Necker’s appointment was designed to help raise loans and restore confidence but he would not do anything until E-G met
April 1789	Riots in Paris and provinces	There were a series of bad harvests leading to food shortages and higher prices (in normal times, a Parisian worker would spend 50% of his income on bread but by spring 1789 it rose to 88%). Unemployment was also rising since with employment in the textile industry halving in 1789 alone (which was 50% of total industrial output)	There were riots and attacks on employers suspected to cut wages and those suspected of hoarding grain. This led to a ‘popular movement’ that became highly politicised due to discontent towards the gov. Every night, 1000s gathered to listen to rev. speakers at the Palais Royal
May 1789	Estates-General meets	1st Estate wanted abolition of plurality but still wanted to control education. 2nd were willing to give up fin. privileges (89%). The 3rd Estate had as many representatives as the other two combined	Gave the highly oppressed and mistreated 3rd Estate a political platform for the first time since they drew up cahiers and had an opportunity to speak through figures such as Abbe Sieyes and Robespierre
June 1789	Tennis Court Oath: Royal Session	The great controversy was whether to vote by order or by head since Louis had doubled the deputies for the 3rd Estate in Dec 1788 thus indicating voting by head. Necker only talked about tax reforms but did not mention a new constitution which all the cahiers demanded. 3rd Estate wanted to verify the details of the deputies in a common session but the other two estates declared themselves separate bodies as they felt it would set a precedent for voting by head leading to weeks of inaction. Some priests joined but by 17th June they declared themselves the National Assembly claiming to represent the nation with the clergy joining on the 19th June. As events were going out of control, Louis decided to hold a Royal Session for the 23rd June but as the hall (where the 3rd Estate) was closed in preparation, the 3rd Estates were furious as they felt barred and also had not been informed of the Royal Session. They met instead on the Tennis Court and took an oath not to disperse until France had a constitution	The 3rd Estate deputies were becoming increasingly radical as only one deputy voted against claiming the King had no authority over them whereas 3 days earlier 90 deputies voted against being called the National Assembly. The King’s response was to declare 3rd Estate’s actions as null and void and would not allow privileges to be discussed in common. He was willing however to accept restrictions on his power and proposed other reforms such as internal customs, gabelle and corvee were to be abolished. However, as more and more deputies joined the 3rd Estate, he reversed his decision ordering voting by head
July 1789	Necker dismissed, fall of the Bastille; the ‘Great Fear’	The combination of lower living standards and the feeling that Louis was about to use force to destroy the National Assembly as the King increased the military presence around Versailles (25,000 by 11th July 1789). King felt strong enough to dismiss Necker but when this news reached Paris, the people felt this marked Louis’ attempt to restore his power so took up arms and in their search captured the Bastille	20 cannon and 28,000 muskets taken from the Invalides, meaning ¼ m Parisians were under arms forcing Louis to back down saving the Assembly (first revolutionary journee) but also handed it power from the King inspiring the peasantry across the country leading to 20,000 nobles fleeing (emigres). The revolts in Paris inspired the Municipal Revolution, where provinces removed intendants establishing a national guard to prevent counter-revolutions, and the rural revolt, where suspected hoarders of grain were looted and chateaux were attacked (The ‘Great Fear’ from 20th July to 6th Aug)
Aug 1789	Feudal rights abolished; Declaration of Rights	On the night 4th Aug 1789, liberal nobles in a swell of patriotic fervour renounced their privileges (e.g. Vicomte de Noailles and Duc d’Auguillon) labelled the August Decrees possibly a result of the revolutionary pressure. All financial privileges for individuals, areas or estate abolished alongside tithe and anyone could hold office (venality banned also)	Old society of estates was now effectively over but the loss of some feudal privileges were compensated by the peasants. August Decrees set up the creation of a constitution but a set of principles was needed leading to the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen’ on 26th Aug 1789 outlining equality of freedom, property, religion, expression and taxation
Oct 1789	March to Versailles (‘October Days’)	The King did not co-operate and did not approve the Assembly’s decrees. The King decided to reinforce his guards calling the Flanders regiment greeting them with a banquet where the tricolour cockade was trampled on. This coincided with food shortages in Paris heightening tensions as, on the 5th Oct, women stormed the town hall demanding bread but were persuaded to take the matter to the King. 6,000 women marched to Versailles followed by 20,000 national guards under Lafayette.	The King agreed to provide Paris with grain and accept Rights of Man/Aug decrees. The royal family and Assembly was forced to move to Paris. The Assembly issues a decree changing Louis’ title to ‘King of the French’ thus the balance of power was shifting away from the King. The monarchien club, led by Jean-Joseph Mounier, was discredited as they wanted a monarchical constitution
Nov 1789	Decrees on Church, local gov. and assignats	By Sept 1789, gov facing financial issues so, on the 2nd Nov, Assembly decided to confiscate all Church property but the State was responsible for the upkeep of the clergy and helping the poor. Decrees in Dec 1789 and Feb 1790 decentralised power administered by elected councils from ‘active citizens’	Bonds backed up by sale of church land issued (‘assignats’) and even royal land was sold so in total it was expected to raise 400m livres. The distinction between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ citizens: men over 25 who paid 3 days labour in local taxes could be vote indirectly
Feb-Mar 1790	Religious conflict in Nimes	Revolution put the Catholics, whom were disestablished by it and Protestants, whom embraced it, into conflict. Protestants took the opportunity to exclude Catholics from official posts	There was a massacre of 300 Catholics with 20 Protestants dying. This conflict was later to be exacerbated by the CCoC
June 1790	Nobility abolished	A continuation of the rev principles and the dismantling of ancient regime	Nobility and titles abolished on the 19th June 1790
July 1790	Civil Constitution of the Clergy	Designed to extend democracy to all aspects of government was also applied to the Church. No bishop could be appointed by the Pope without approval of state, clergy were to be elected to their posts, priests to be paid by state and no absenteeism	The idea of elections was opposed but the majority of clergy wanted to reach an accommodation so demanded the reforms were submitted to a national synod of the Church but Assembly refused as it would be a privilege
Nov 1790	Clerical Oath enforced	The clergy waited for Pope’s approval of CCoC but Pope tried to delay making decision as he was negotiating his lands in Avignon. The Assembly grew tired so, on the 27th Nov 1790, decreed clergy must take oath to constitution	55% of clergy took it but many retracted it when Pope condemned CCoC in early 1791. This destroyed the revolutionary consensus with 2 churches (constitutional and ‘non-juring’ ones). Many felt they had to choose between faith and nation
June 1791	Flight to Varennes	Louis was deeply against the CCoC in reality as a devout Catholic and felt trapped in Paris under the Assembly’s control. He wanted to flee to the border where he would be in a better position to negotiate so fled on 20th June 1791	Louis was identified at Varennes and sent back to Paris showing to the nation he could not be trusted. A republican movement gained strength and, on the 24th June, 30,000 people marched to the Assembly supporting a Cordelier Club petition for King’s dismissal. Jacobin Club split with some supporting King’s removal (e.g. Robespierre) but others wanted constitutional monarch (Feuillants – majority in Assembly)
July 1791	Champ de Mars Massacre	On 17th July 1791, 50,000 flocked to the Champ de Mars to sign a republican petition. Martial Law was declared and national guard sent killing 50 people	Moderates seemed to have won with populist leaders fleeing such Hebert, Danton and Marat.
Aug 1791	Declaration of Pillnitz	After flight to Varennes, Austria felt they should issue a gesture in support of Louis so on 27th Aug 1791, with Prussia, declared that they wanted to restore the powers of the French Crown using force if necessary	Reaffirmed the republican beliefs as it justified their mistrust of the King seeing him as an enemy to the revolution from within
Sept 1791	King accepts Constitution; Constituent Assembly dissolved	Constituent Assembly wanted to replace absolutist monarchy with constitutional one. The King accepted the constitution on the 14th September 1791 because he had been suspended on 16th July 1791 after his flight to Varennes until he had sworn to observe the constitution	Constituent Assembly replaced by Legislative one of 745 members. The King would have a suspensive veto (but not relating to financial or constitutional matters), right to appoint ministers/ commanders BUT he needed Assembly’s consent for foreign policy decisions
Oct 1791	Legislative Assembly meets	There was great distrust amongst deputies owing to King, his veto and counter-rev fears thus to prevent opponents dominating new Assembly, Robespierre proposed no Constituent Assembly deputy could sit in Legislative one (self-denying ordinance)	Helped build Robespierre’s reputation of ‘incorruptible’. The smallest group were left wing (Jacobin and Girondin) with 136 deputies, followed by the right (mostly Feuillants) with 264. The largest grouping were the unattached centre of 345 deputies
April 1792	War declared on Austria	Mistrust of Marie-Antoinette  and King owing to rumours they wanted an Austrian invasion to restore the Crown’s powers forced Louis to dismiss Feuillant ministers appointing Girondin. Lafayette wanted war to enhance personal interests supported by the Brissotins, led by Jacques Brissot, who felt war would force King to declare his true stance. Lafayette convinced the rest of the Assembly to declare war by arguing rev ideals could be extended abroad and other nations wouldn’t unite. The alliance between Austria and Prussia combined with the accession of the impetuous Francis II led to declaration of War on 20th April 1792	The Revolutionary War would last 10 years affecting direction of revolution and cost 1.4m French lives. There were military problems early on as half of the army officers had emigrated alongside a highly undisciplined army. By May 1792, all 3 field-commanders were advising peace. The poor army performance was seen as evidence of royal disloyalty; Marie Antoinette had sent French military plans to the Austrians
June 1792	1st Invasion of Tuileries	King refused to approve laws: deportation of refractory priests, disband King’s guard and set up a camp for 20,000 national guards to protect Paris from invasion. When his Girondin ministers complained, Louis dismissed them causing 8,000 demonstrators (sans-culottes) stormed Tuileries on 20th June	Demonstrators did not achieve their aim of changing King’s mind as Louis was very calm. However, it highlighted importance of sans-culottes and popular democracy
July 1792	Brunswick Manifesto and agitation in Paris sections	Austro-Prussian commander in chief issued this manifesto demanding royal family was set free but if they were harmed, the army would exact ‘exemplary vengeance’	On the 3rd Aug, mayor of Paris, went to Assembly on behalf of 47/48 Parisian sections demanding monarchy’s abolition in vain
Aug 1792	10th Aug Rev. with the Kings suspension; ‘First Terror’	Failure to convince Assembly to remove King; 1,000s of national guard marched on Tuileries defended by 1,000 loyal Swiss guards. The King ordered them to cease firing at which point they were massacred (600 dead) alongside another 400 casualties. This uprising was a rejection of the monarchy and the Assembly as the rebels invaded Assembly forcing them to recognise rev Commune	Commune imprisoned King and Assembly agreed to election of National Convention to draw up new democratic constitution. Constitutional monarchists made up 2/3 of Assembly but went into hiding giving control to Girondin remaining. Assembly did everything Commune asked: Danton appointed Minister of Justice
Sept 1792	Verdun falls; Sept Massacres; Battle of Valmy; meeting of the Convention; monarchy abolished (Year I of Republic)	After the defeat at Verdun, Paris was basically unprotected so the authorities asked the people to take up arms. French won at Valmy since the soldiers were sans-culottes fighting for the survival of the rev. Convention met on 20th Sept of 749 deputies having found incriminating documents against King so monarchy abolished and republic declared over the next two days.	There were rumours of political enemies trying to escape from prison. Marat called for them to be killed with 1,250 prisoners murdered in Paris in early Sept. The two largest political groupings were to come into conflict (180 Girondins and 300 Jacobins later known as Montagnard)
Dec-Jan 1792	Trial of the King; execution	Formation of republican/ rev Convention and King was guilty sentenced to death. Girondin tried to get a reprieve but letters to the Austrians were found and also each deputy had to declare his position publicly	King executed on 21st Jan 1793 with the Girondin labelled as royalists and counter-revolutionaries by the Montagnards
Feb-Mar 1793	War with England; War with Spain	The French went from defence to attack annexing Nice and Savoy which threatened British interests near the Rhine. Decree of Fraternity (Nov 1792), France pledged to help those who wished to overthrow their rulers, meant France misjudged situation in Britain when declaring war. Spain was appalled by Louis’ execution (he was a relative of Spanish royals) so France pre-emptively declared war in March on Spain	France was at war with most of Europe – War of the First Coalition. Dumouriez defected and since the Girondin had supported him, they were badly affected. Carnot became vital figure later labelled the ‘organiser of victory’: conscription of 300,000 men in Feb and re-organising army
Mar 1793	Outbreak of revolt in the Vendee	Conscription, hatred of CCoC, sale of Church land led to many bourgeois owning rural land and raised rates for those in the Vendee and they were monarchists	There was a massive counter-rev in the Vendee on the 11th May 1793. 30,000 troops were sent to the Vendee from the front
Apr-May 1793	Committee of Public Safety established; first maximum (grain)	There was a desire in the Convention to deal with both external and internal enemies. Robespierre wanted to win over the support of the people for the Republic.	CPS established on 6th April to speed up and supervise ministers with the Convention approving its power monthly but the CPS included no Girondin. On 4th May, maximum grain price fixed
May 1793	Federalist revolts at Lyon, Marseille, Caen and Bordeaux	Some provinces hated the influence Paris Commune over the Convention leading to disturbances in 60/83 departments	Gov cut off food supplies to uprising cities
June 1793	Fall of the Girondins; Jacobin Constitution of 1793	Montagnards linked Federalist revolts to the Girondin. Girondin labelled the sans-culottes as bloodthirsty giving Robespierre some justification. On 20th May 1793, Robespierre called on the sans-culottes to rise against the corrupt Girondin. Following this, a royalist, Charlotte Corday, killed Marat	On 2nd June, alongside a popular mass, 80,000 national guard pointed cannon at Convention demanding expulsion of Girondin. The Convention complied to avoid a massacre. Jacobin constitution passed on 24th June 1793
July 1793	Robespierre enters Committee of Public Safety	Robespierre joined as it was felt he could provide the link between the sans-culottes and the middle-class. He was also seen as incorruptible because of his ‘vertu’	Robespierre now had part of the machinery that he was able to enact his policy of the Terror with
Aug 1793	Levee en masse; surrender of Toulon to the English	On the 23rd Aug, total war declared with nearly ½m called up. To prevent starvation owing to the blockade on the federalist revolt, Toulon allowed the British to enter the town in return for supplies.	This massive army needed to be fed and armed thus the government utilised the entire nation’s resources e.g. melting church bells to make cannons
Sept 1793	Terror was ‘the order of the day’; law of suspects; general maximum, creation of Parisian armee revolutionaire	Grain supplies to Paris down by 75% leading to the growth of the Enrages, led by Jacques Roux, who wanted execution of hoarders but Robespierre saw him as a threat. Roux convinced a crowd to march on the Convention demanding bread and higher wages on the 5th Sept 1793. Law of Suspects passed on 17th Sept reaffirming the process of the Terror. On 29th Sept, General Maximum passed fixing bread price and other essential goods at 1/3 above June 1790 prices owing to popular pressure. Wages were fixed at 50% above 1790 level	Roux arrested but 56 sans-culotte armee revolutionaire formed to ensure Parisian food supplies and round up enemies of the rev. Maximum was divisive: peasants hated it as price below costs of production leading to conflict between the rural peasants and armee revolutionaire so many farmers stopped working as they could not make profits. Law of suspects meant one could be arrested and held indefinitely without trial (1/2 m arrested with 10,000 dying)
Oct 1793	Gov. declared ‘revolutionary until the peace’; recapture of Lyon by republicans; execution of the Girondins	Constitution suspended to be able to ramp up the level of terror. CPS and CGS sent the armee and other sans-culottes to deal with counter-rev activities in the provinces where atrocities took place in particular in places where there were federalist revolts. Half of the executions in France were in the Vendee	Political enemies sentenced to death in front of rev tribunals: 260 trials with 25% deaths sentences. The Queen and 20 Girondin executed on the 16th and 31st Oct respectively
Nov 1793	Festival of Reason	Sans-culottes hated Catholicism so Convention drawn into a policy of de-Christianisation. Paris Commune stopped paying clerical salaries in May 1793	Notre Dame became a Temple of Reason with mast Parisian Churches closed by spring 1794. 10% priests were forced to give up priesthood
Dec 1793	Rev. Gov. reorganised by law of 14 Frimaire	A desire to restore central powers, so law of 14 Frimaire passed on 4th Dec 1793	CGS controlled police/ rev tribunals and CPS controlled ministers/ generals as it could purge government
Feb 1794	Laws of Ventose	Saint-Just (CPS member) passed them on 26th Feb, seized property of the enemies of the rev and redistributed to the poor	Other members of CPS hated Saint-Just and made sure the laws were never put into practice
Mar 1794	Hebertists and Dantonists arrested	Jacques Hebert published a newspaper called le pere duchesne demanding hoarder execution and more property redistribution, which was popular amongst sans-culottes. Danton and the Indulgents wanted an end to the Terror and centralisation and Robespierre considered him a threat as he had strong support in the Convention	When Hebert called for an uprising, he was arrested alongside 18 supporters; executed on 24th March. Robespierre felt an end to the Terror would lead to return of the monarchy. Danton arrested for corruption; executed 5th April with Desmoulins and supporters. Stifled criticism of CPS due to fear
May 1794	Assassination attempts on Robespierre	People felt Robespierre was out of control so assassination attempts on him and Couthon. Robespierre felt under threat and enemies of the rev were still at large so ramped up the terror	Passed Law of Prairial on 10th June which meant trials did not require evidence with verdicts decided by the ‘conscience of the jurors’ (59.3% of trials had a death sentence)
June 1794	Festival of the Supreme Being	Robespierre wanted to unite the whole of France under a new religion: Cult of the Supreme Being accepted by the Convention	New religion pleased no-one: Catholics insulted and CGS felt Robespierre was trying to make himself the leader of a new religion
July 1794	Execution of Robespierre and followers	Robespierre’s standing amongst the sans-culottes was falling owing to Terror, purge of Hebertistes/ Girondin, raising of max prices, and imposing maximum wage legislation. Robespierre gave a speech attacking unnamed colleagues in Convention	Moderates such as Carnot, Fouche and Collot felt threatened so decided to arrest Robespierre (Coup of Thermidor). Sans-culottes did not rise to save him thus was executed on 28th July 1794 ending the Terror
Nov 1794	Jacobin Club closed	Convention now set about dismantling the machinery of the Terror	Abolished rev tribunal, released suspects, repealed Law of Prairial closing the Jacobin Club
Dec 1794	Abolition of the maximum	Thermidorians believed in free trade and felt that the price controls were unenforceable	Led to massive inflation and a bad harvest caused scarcity/ high prices
Apr 1795	Rising of Germinal	Hunger turned into fury against Convention, so 10,000 marched on it demanding bread, 1793 constitut , release of ex-CPS members	Repression that followed was light but ex-CPS members were deported e.g. Barere, Collot and Billaud
May 1795	Rising of Prairial	Convention invaded by hungry housewives and national guard demanding bread killing a deputy but chaos halted when petition to set up a food commission was accepted	Repression was severe with 20,000 national guards surrounding rebel suburbs: 40 Montagnard arrested/ 6 executed and 6,000 militants arrested. Marked the end of sans-culotte domination of politics
Aug 1795	Constitution of Year III	Thermidorians wanted a new constitution that guaranteed the main ideals of the rev. They also wanted to ensure that a dictatorship like the CPS could not emerge and prevent a return to monarchy or popular sovereignty of the sans-culottes	Indirect suffrage for 21+ male direct tax payers. These was a separation of the legislature (Council of 500 and Council of Ancients) and the executive (Directory of 5 chosen by Legislature with one retiring annually)
Oct 1795	Rising of Vendemaire; dissolution of the Convention and the Directory	Royalists wanted a return of a constitutional monarchy especially after witnessing the food shortages and issues the Convention faced. Convention deputies would likely be in the new Legislature thus action needed	On 5th Oct 1795, 25,000 gathered on Convention to seize power BUT 7,800 troops led by Napoleon Bonaparte ended rebellion. Paris would never try to intimidate an elected assembly