French Revolution

Right from the beginning the Estates-General were divided about what to do. Instead of discussing the taxes of the king, they began to discuss the way inwhich decisions should be made. The Third Class wanted that the Estates would meet as one body and the voting would proceed per person, not per class. When theKing doubtfully rejected, the members of the Third Class declared themselves the National Assembly, the true representatives of the people. They swore that theywouldn't break up until France had a new constitution.


Under the influence of conservative nobles the king decided to send troops to Versailles to dispersethe Assembly. The people saw this as a provocation and the poor laborers of Paris attacked the Bastille.
The storming of the Bastilles prison on July14th,1789,is commemorated today as Bastille Day.
Although only seven prisoners were released : four forgers,
two lunatics, and a dangerous sexual offender.Itbecame a potent symbol of all that was hated of the Ancien Regimen.
The executive power was vested in five directors who were annually appointed by a bicameralparliament (500 representatives, 250 senators). The new regime met with opposition from remaining Jacobins and royalists. Riots and counter-revolutionaryactivities were supressed by the army. Through this way the army and its successful general, Napole on Bonaporte gained much power.
On November 9, 1799 Napoleonstaged a coup which led to his dictatorship and eventually to his proclamation as emperor, which brought the republican phase of the French Revolution to a close.