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The August Decrees were enacted on August 4 1789 by the French National Assembly put an end to feudal privileges in France. This meant that nobles and clergy lost their special rights while peasants were finally relieved from paying feudal dues and church tithes. These laws signified the collapse of the Old Regime and established equality for all citizens under the law. They played a crucial role in the French Revolution paving the way for the Declaration of the Rights of Man on that same month. -
In 1789, the Third Estate decided to break away from the Estates-General and formed the National Assembly, pledging to draft a constitution. After the storming of the Bastille, the king had no choice but to accept this shift. The Assembly went on to abolish feudal privileges and introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. When the king pushed back, the people of Paris took matters into their own hands and brought him to the city. -
The Tennis Court Oath was a daring move by the Third Estate during the Estates-General, signaling the beginning of the French Revolution. They proclaimed themselves the National Assembly and committed to drafting a constitution. Following the storming of the Bastille, the king recognized their authority. The Assembly went on to eliminate feudal privileges and introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. -
The storming of the Bastille marked a pivotal moment in the French Revolution. Parisians, worried that King Louis XVI would try to quash the National Assembly took matters into their own hands and stormed the Bastille, a fortress that had long been a symbol of royal oppression. At the time it housed just seven prisoners and was set to be torn down, but its capture became a powerful emblem of freedom and rebellion. This triumph of everyday people over royal authority ignited the revolution. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is a cornerstone of human rights laying out the principles that fueled the French Revolution. This important document made up 17 articles was adopted by French National Assembly between August 20 and August 26 1789 and it served as the preamble to the Constitution of 1791. Similar declarations also acted as the preamble for the Constitution of 1793 (which was simply called the Declaration of the Rights of Man) and the Constitution of 1795. -
The Flight to Varennes was a significant event during the French Revolution. King Louis XVI attempted to flee Paris in hopes of reaching eastern France where they believed they could find support from royalist allies and foreign powers. Unfortunately they were recognized and apprehended in the town of Varennes then taken back to Paris. This botched escape severely tarnished the king’s reputation as a supporter of the Revolution and sparked a growing demand for the abolition of the monarchy.