It was the first meeting of the Estates General called since 1614.
King Louis XVI called the meeting because the French government was having financial problems. when Louis XVI summoned the Estates-General, the fiscal crisis that beset France in the late eighteenth century was probably too far gone to be salvaged.
Rise of Napoleon and creation of an Empire
1789 - 1799
Born on the island of Corsica, Napoleon rapidly rose through the ranks of the military during the French Revolution (1789-1799). After seizing political power in France in a 1799 coup d'état, he crowned himself emperor in 1804
Tennis Court Oath
June 20, 1789
On 20 June 1789, the members of the French Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, vowing "not to separate and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established".
Storming of the Bastile
July 14, 1789
The Storming of the Bastille took place in Paris, France on July 14, 1789. This violent attack on the government by the people of France signaled the start of the French Revolution. What was the Bastille? The Bastille was a fortress built in the late 1300s to protect Paris during the Hundred Years' War.
Reign of Terror
september 5, 1793 - July 28, 1794
The Reign of Terror began on September 5, 1793 with a declaration by Robespierre that Terror would be "the order of the day." It ended on July 27, 1794 when Robespierre was removed from power and executed. During the Reign of Terror, France was ruled by a group of men called the Committee of Public Safety.
Napoleons Empire Collapses
1814
Eventually, in April 1814, Napoleon surrendered and gave up the French throne, ending his reign. Napoleon had a great desired to defeat Britain. Even though he had conquered most of Europe. He committed three mistakes that led him to the collapse of his empire.
The Congress of Vienna
November 1814 - June 1815
The Congress of Vienna was held from September of 1814 to June of 1815. After the downfall of Napoleon Bonaparte, this international conference was called to create a balance among the European powers in such a way so as to prevent future wars and maintain peace and stability on the European continent.