### 1. The Estates-General and the National Assembly (1789)
The Problem: France is bankrupt due to expensive wars (especially the American Revolution) and an outdated, unequal tax system. King Louis XVI is forced to call the Estates-General (a representative assembly) for the first time in 175 years to approve new taxes. (2/14)

The Tennis Court Oath: The Third Estate (commoners) is outvoted by the First (clergy) and Second (nobility) Estates. They break away and declare themselves the National Assembly, vowing not to disperse until they have given France a constitution. (3/14)

Storming of the Bastille: Fearing the king will dissolve the Assembly, the people of Paris rise up. On July 14, 1789, they storm the Bastille prison, a hated symbol of royal authority, to seize gunpowder. This is the flashpoint of the revolution. (4/14)

### 2. The National Constituent Assembly (1789-1791)
The Great Fear: Rumors of noble plots spark peasant uprisings across France. Feudal dues are abolished.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: The Assembly adopts this foundational document, stating all men are born free and equal in rights.
Reforms: The Assembly nationalizes church lands, abolishes the nobility's privileges, and creates a constitutional monarchy. (5/14)

### 3. The Legislative Assembly and War (1791-1792)
The Flight to Varennes: King Louis XVI and his family attempt to flee France to join counter-revolutionaries but are caught and returned to Paris. This destroys public trust in the monarchy.
War: Austria and Prussia declare war on France, fearing the revolution's ideals will spread.
The Sans-culottes: The common people of Paris, become a powerful radical force, pushing for a republic. (6/14)

### 4. The National Convention and The Terror (1792-1794)
End of the Monarchy: The Legislative Assembly is replaced by the National Convention, which abolishes the monarchy and establishes the First French Republic.
Execution of Louis XVI: The king is tried for treason and executed by guillotine in January 1793. (7/14)

The Reign of Terror: To protect the revolution from foreign invaders and internal rebels, the Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, takes control. Enemies of the revolution are executed by the thousands. This period is known as The Terror. (8/14)

### 5. The Directory and the Rise of Napoleon (1795-1799)
The Thermidorian Reaction: The National Convention, sick of the Terror, arrests and executes Robespierre on July 28, 1794.
The Directory: A new constitution creates a five-man executive called the Directory. It's a time of political corruption and instability. (9/14)

| Year | Event | Significance |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1789 | Estates-General Meets | First meeting in 175 years, beginning of the revolution. |
| 1789 | Tennis Court Oath | National Assembly is formed, vowing to create a constitution. |
| 1789 | Storming of the Bastille | Symbolic start of the revolution; Paris is lost to the king. |
| 1789 | The Great Fear | Peasant rebellions force the nobility to renounce feudal privileges. | (11/14)

| 1791 | Flight to Varennes | Louis XVI's failed escape attempt destroys his remaining legitimacy. |
| 1792 | War with Austria and Prussia | Revolutionary wars begin, lasting over 20 years. |
| 1792 | September Massacres | Parisians kill prisoners over fears of a counter-revolution. |
| 1792 | Monarchy Abolished | National Convention declares France a republic. |
| 1793 | Execution of Louis XVI | The king is executed for treason. | (12/14)