French Revolution

The French Revolution was one of the most significant events in world history. Beginning in 1789, it transformed France from an absolute monarchy into a republic, ended the power of the nobility and the Church over everyday life, and introduced ideas about liberty, equality, and democracy that spread across the globe. This page brings together articles on the causes, key events, major figures, and lasting significance of the French Revolution, designed for students in middle school and high school.

French Revolution: Table of Contents

French Revolution - Videos

3 Videos

Articles

French Revolution

French Revolution: Overview

  • ​​French Revolution: A Detailed Overview
    • A detailed article that covers the major causes, events and history of the French Revolution.

Causes of the French Revolution

  • Causes of the French Revolution
    • France Before the French Revolution
    • Estates System of France
    • Absolute Monarchy
    • Palace of Versailles
    • How Did the Age of Enlightenment Impact the French Revolution?

Early Events of the Revolution

  • Estates-General of 1789
  • Tennis Court Oath
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
  • Storming of the Bastille

The Revolution Turns Violent

  • Execution of Louis XVI

    

  • Reign of Terror
    • Committee of Public Safety
    • Great Terror
    • Guillotine and the French Revolution

Revolutionary Governments

  • Governments of the French Revolution
    • National Assembly
    • Legislative Assembly
    • National Convention
    • Directory

People of the French Revolution

  • Louis XVI
  • Marie Antoinette
  • Maximilien Robespierre
  • Voltaire
  • Napoleon Bonaparte
  • Jean-Paul Marat
  • Jacques Necker
  • Georges Danton
  • Charlotte Corday
  • Girondins
  • Jacobins

Outcomes of the French Revolution

  • Impacts of the French Revolution
    • French Revolution and Democracy
    • Napoleon Bonaparte’s Rise to Power
    • Significance of the French Revolution

Infographics

French Revolution