Timeline of the French Revolution 1789-1790
1789
January: The Abbé Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès publishes his pamphlet, "What is the Third Estate?"
February-June elections in provinces for Estates-General
Réveillon workers riot
April 27: Riots in Paris by Réveillon workers
May 5: Formal opening of the Estates-General at Versailles.
June 3: The scientist Jean Sylvain Bailly is chosen the leader of the Third Estate deputies.
June 4th: The Dauphin Louis Joseph dies of tuberculosis
June 10: Sieyès calls on other deputies to join the Third Estate
June 17: Third Estate declare themselves the National Assembly.
June 19: The deputies of the clergy join the assembly of the Third Estate.
June 20: The Tennis Court Oath
June 22: The new National Assembly meets in the church of Saint Louis. One hundred fifty deputies from the clergy attend, along with two deputies from the nobility.
June 23: Louis XVI holds a Séance royale, vetoes the decisions of the National Assembly and tells the three estates to continue to meet separately. The Third-Estate deputies refuse to leave the hall.
June 25: Louis Philippe Duke of Orléans and other nobles, join the Assembly.
June 27: Louis XVI instructs the nobility and clergy to meet with the other estates, and recognises the National Assembly. He then orders regiments loyal to him to Paris.
July 6: The National Assembly forms a committee of thirty members to write a new Constitution.
July 11: Louis XVI dismisses Necker. This causes unrest in Paris
July 14: Storming of the Bastille.
July 15: Bailly is named mayor of Paris and Lafayette is made Commander of the new National Guard. The King orders the troops around Paris to disperse.
The Great Fear
July 16: The King reappoints Necker.
July 17: The King visits Paris and proceeds to wear the revolutionary cockade as an acceptance of the Revolution. The King’s brother the count of Artois goes into exile.
July 18: Camille Desmoulins publishes La France Libre for the first time.
July-August Unrest occurs across France as many begin to fear nobles retribution any tales of foreign armies sweep the country. The period is known as the Great Fear
July 28: Brissot publishes Le Patriote français for the first time.
August 4: National Constituent Assembly votes to end feudal titles and stop tithing for the First Estate.
August 23: National Constituent Assembly declares freedom of religion
August 24: The National Constituent Assembly proclaims freedom of speech.
August 26: The National Constituent Assembly adopts the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
September 11: The National Constituent Assembly gives the King the power to veto laws for two legislative sessions rejecting the demands for an absolute veto.
September 16: Jean Paul Marat publishes his newspaper the L'Ami du peuple for the first time.
October 1: At the welcoming of a new bodyguard regiment at Versailles rumours emerge of the trampling of the revolutionary cockade and the wearing of the royal white.
October 6: The march on reaching Versailles sees some people ransack royal rooms in search for the Queen. The King emerges to calm the crowd as does the Queen. They are escorted to Paris.
Women's march on Versailles
November 2: The National Constituent Assembly votes to nationalise church land.
December 19: The assignat is introduced basing its value on church land rather than the more traditional silver currency.
1790
February 13: The National Constituent Assembly votes for the end of monasteries and nunneries.
February 26: The National Constituent Assembly decides to split France into departments.
March 8: The National Constituent Assembly declares that slavery will continue in French colonies
April 17: The Cordeliers Club meet for the first time.
June 19-20: Feudal titles abolished as well as the ending of the orders of chivalry.
July 12: Clergymen have to take an oath of loyalty to the government known as the Civil Constitution.
July 14: The Fête de la Fédération is held on the Champ de Mars. The King, Queen and Lafayette all attend.
September 4: Necker is once more dismissed. National Constituent Assembly take control of finances
November 27: Oath to the Civil Constitution becomes mandatory.