Causes of the French Revolution

Financial Crisis: France was deeply in debt from the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.
Social Inequality: The Estates System divided society into three groups: clergy (1st estate), nobility (2nd estate), and commoners (3rd estate), with the 3rd estate bearing the burden of taxation.
Enlightenment Ideas: The spread of liberal ideas from thinkers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu fueled the desire for democracy and individual rights.
Food Shortages: Widespread poverty and hunger led to discontent among the population.

Convened in 1789: King Louis XVI called the Estates General to address the financial crisis, marking the first meeting since 1614.
Representation: Each estate had one vote, despite the 3rd estate comprising approximately 95% of the population.
National Representation: The 3rd estate demanded representation based on population, rather than estate, leading to the formation of the National Assembly.

Formed in 1789: The 3rd estate, along with some members of the clergy and nobility, broke away from the Estates General to form the National Assembly.
Tennis Court Oath: Members of the National Assembly took an oath to continue their work on a new constitution, despite the king's orders to disperse.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Adopted in 1789, this document outlined the fundamental principles of the Revolution, including liberty, equality, and fraternity.

1793-1794: A period of violence and radicalization, marked by the execution of King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and thousands of others deemed enemies of the Revolution.
Committee of Public Safety: A radical Jacobin faction, led by Maximilien Robespierre, dominated the Committee and implemented policies leading to the Reign of Terror.
End of the Reign of Terror: Robespierre's fall and execution in 1794 marked the end of the Reign of Terror and the beginning of a more moderate period.

Rise to Power: Napoleon, a successful military general, seized power in 1799 through a coup d'état, marking the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Napoleonic Empire.
Consolidation of Power: Napoleon centralized authority, reorganized the government, and established the Banque de France to stabilize the economy.
Military Conquests: Napoleon's military campaigns expanded French territory, spreading revolutionary ideals throughout Europe, but ultimately leading to his downfall in 1815.

Financial Crisis: France was deeply in debt from the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783), with a debt of around 5 billion livres.
Social Inequality: The Estates System divided society into three groups: clergy (1st estate), nobility (2nd estate), and commoners (3rd estate), with the 3rd estate shouldering the burden of taxation despite making up approximately 95% of the population.
Enlightenment Ideas: The spread of liberal ideas from thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu fueled the desire for democracy and individual rights, influencing the intellectual foundation of the Revolution.
Food Shortages: Widespread poverty and hunger led to discontent among the population, exacerbated by a poor harvest in 1788 and a brutal winter in 1788-1789.

Convened in 1789: King Louis XVI called the Estates General to address the financial crisis, marking the first meeting since 1614 and a significant moment in French history.
Representation Crisis: Each estate had one vote, despite the 3rd estate comprising approximately 95% of the population, leading to demands for reform and greater representation.
National Representation: The 3rd estate demanded representation based on population, rather than estate, leading to the formation of the National Assembly and a shift towards more democratic ideals.

Formed in 1789: The 3rd estate, along with some members of the clergy and nobility, broke away from the Estates General to form the National Assembly, a key milestone in the French Revolution.
Tennis Court Oath: Members of the National Assembly took an oath to continue their work on a new constitution, despite the king's orders to disperse, symbolizing their commitment to reform.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Adopted in 1789, this document outlined the fundamental principles of the Revolution, including liberty, equality, and fraternity, and remains a cornerstone of modern French politics.

Radicalization (1793-1794): A period of violence and radicalization, marked by the execution of King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and thousands of others deemed enemies of the Revolution.
Committee of Public Safety: A radical Jacobin faction, led by Maximilien Robespierre, dominated the Committee and implemented policies leading to the Reign of Terror, including mass executions and repression of dissent.
End of the Reign of Terror: Robespierre's fall and execution in 1794 marked the end of the Reign of Terror and the beginning of a more moderate period in the French Revolution.

Rise to Power: Napoleon, a successful military general, seized power in 1799 through a coup d'état, marking the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of the Napoleonic Empire.
Consolidation of Power: Napoleon centralized authority, reorganized the government, and established the Banque de France to stabilize the economy, solidifying his grip on power.
Military Conquests: Napoleon's military campaigns expanded French territory, spreading revolutionary ideals throughout Europe, but ultimately leading to his downfall in 1815 and the Congress of Vienna.