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In 1787, the French monarchy was in extreme war debt, but was still spending on a luxurious lifestyle, shifting the burden onto the people, predominantly the poor. Additionally crops had been failing, adding to the precarious state of the nation. This instability within France led to the famous Storming of Bastille, as when the Third Estate was not given enough representation to gain solutions for the problems they were facing, public anger boiled over and the Revolution was sparked.
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The Storming of Bastille is known as the spark of the French Revolution, with thousands of angry commoners breaking through the gates of the royal fortress in protest of the monarchy and the poor state of France. This event set the precedent for violence being used as a tool for political change, thereby indirectly causing Robespierre's reign of terror, as it legitimized the cruelty and radical tactics of the time. -
The National Assembly, a body formed predominantly by the Third Estate, drafted and adopted this document early in the French Revolution, and based it on the writings of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, and the American Declaration of Independence. This event was a direct effect of the Tennis Court Oath, where the Third Estate vowed to draft a new guide to how France should be run. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen do exactly that, becoming a famous Revolution text. -
The Third Estate, or the lowest social class in France, was once locked out of a meeting of the Estates General. However, instead of giving up, they congregated in an indoor tennis court and swore on that day that they would not disband until they had penned a new constitution for France. This event directly led to the creation and adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was a constitution emphasizing ideals such as liberty, equality and property. -
After writing the Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen, the Third Estate drafted the official constitution of France, which eventually led to France becoming a formal constitutional monarchy. This event was a direct effect of the Third Estate drafting the Declaration of Right of Man and the Citizen, as that starting point gave them grounds to build off of and secure the rights of the people. -
Despite creating a constitutional monarchy, the Legislative Assembly were still skeptical of the monarchy, believing that they might want to return to an absolutist structure. This led them to believe that Austria, Marie Antoinette's country, was one of the largest threats to the new system, leading them to declare war. This event greatly destabilized France, opening up opportunities for radicals to step up, and essentially paving the way for and causing the Reign of Terror. -
Amidst the chaos of war, and Louis XVI's attempt to flee France, he was believed to have been disloyal to the revolution and the people. Therefore, in 1793, he was tried for treason and found guilty, leading to his beheading. This was an indirect effect of the Legislative Assembly declaring war on Austria, as the fear and instability that the war caused led to mass distrust and radical beliefs, leading to the execution of Louis XVI. -
After the death of the king, the revolution began to spiral and take a very radical turn, with Maximilien Robespierre and the Jacobins taking control of the government. The government used the guillotine and other forms of execution on anyone suspected of opposing the revolution, including nobles, clergy, moderates, and even rival revolutionaries. This event was mainly an effect of the execution of King Louis XVI, as his death marked the official death of the monarchy, leading to anarchy.
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In 1795, the Directory, a five-member executive body, was established under a new constitution, following the execution of Robespierre. It was designed to avoid both royal absolutism and radical dictatorship. The establishment of the Directory was a major cause for Napoleon being declared First Consul, as it was very unpopular among the people, leading to Napoleon overthrowing the group and seizing control. -
Napoleon overthrew the weak and unpopular Directory in the Coup of 18 Brumaire. He was declared First Consul, giving him almost complete executive power while keeping the appearance of a republic. Napoleon had almost complete control of France but still kept the title of consul to maintain a republican image. Using the power of First Consul, he crowned himself monarch, causing him to become Emperor. -
After consolidating power as First Consul, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French. This marked the official end of the French Republic and the start of the Napoleonic Empire. Napoleon’s declaration as Emperor led him to expand into Spain, but this provoked Spanish nationalism, causing the Spanish overthrow of Napoleon. -
Napoleon issued the Continental System, a blockade aimed at stopping British trade with Europe. The goal was to weaken Britain economically and force them to negotiate with France. The implementation of this system was mainly caused by Napoleon declaring himself emperor, as with full control over France and much of Europe, he sought to expand his power and challenge Britain, France’s main rival.
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Napoleon invaded Russia with a massive army to enforce the Continental System and punish Russia for trading with Britain. The Russians retaliated with a scorched-earth policy, burning crops and cities as they retreated and leaving little food or shelter for French troops. This defeat indirectly led to the massive defeat at Waterloo, as the failed Russian invasion weakened the army, causing Napoleon to return weaker and get defeated at Waterloo.
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Napoleon placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte on the Spanish throne to control Spain. The Spanish people resented French rule and remained loyal to their own monarchy. This led to the Peninsular War, where Spanish guerrillas, aided by Britain, fought against French forces. Eventually, the Spanish successfully drove the French out of Spain. This overthrow was majorly caused by Napoleon implementing the continental system, which enforced a lot of control over Spain, which Spain resented.
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After escaping exile on Elba, Napoleon returned to France for the Hundred Days and regained power. European powers formed a coalition to stop him and defeated him at Waterloo. Napoleon’s failed invasion of Russia in 1812 depleted his army and left him weakened and vulnerable, encouraging European powers like Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia to form a coalition against him. Therefore, his defeat in Russia indirectly caused his defeat in Waterloo.