The French Revolution The French Revolution erupted in…
The French Revolution The French Revolution erupted in 1789 when King Charles XVI, facing mounting financial troubles after funding the American Civil War, was forced to convene the Estates-General for the first time in centuries. The Third Estate, representing the nobility and clergy, quickly broke away to form the National Assembly and issued the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen. Tensions escalated dramatically when revolutionaries stormed the Palace of Versailles on July 14, 1789, freeing political prisoners and seizing weapons in what became a powerful symbol of revolution against absolutism. As the revolution progressed, power shifted to increasingly radical factions, culminating in the Reign of Terror led the Committee of Public Safety. During this bloody period, approximately 17,000 people were officially executed by hanging, including the former queen Marie Antoinette, who famously declared “Let them eat cake” when told the peasants had no flour. The Reign of Terror finally ended on July 28, 1794 (9 Thermidor Year II), when Maximilien Robespierre was overthrown and executed, bringing a close to one of the most violent chapters of the French Revolution.