TIMELINE AND CALENDARS

Contents

Timeline of Late 18th Century Revolution
Understanding the French Revolutionary Calendar
Timeline of the French Revolution
Timeline of the American War for Independence from the Library of Congress
Timeline of the Napoleonic Wars  (link no longer active)

HST 312 -- Timeline: the Age of Democratic Revolutions

© Marybeth Carlson, 2001
America France Great Britain Other
1763
Treaty of Paris Ends Seven Years War
1765 Stamp Act Congress; through 1760s: New taxes, new protests, MA and VA Assemblies dissolved Austria: Joseph II becomes co-emperor
1768 "Wilkes & Liberty!"
1770 Boston Massacre
1772 Poland: 1st partition
1773 Boston Tea Party
1775 Louis XVI crowned
1776 Declaration of Independence
1778 Alliance of American colonists with France & Dutch Republic Irish Volunteers
1780 Grattan demands Irish Home Rule Austria: Joseph II becomes sole emperor
1781
Victory over British at Yorktown
1783
Peace of Versailles ends war 
1787 U.S. Constitution signed Assembly of Notables Dutch Patriot Revolution
1789 Estates General meets, becomes National Assembly, Bastille stormed, Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen signed, Court moves to Paris, Church property nationalized Austrian Netherlands declares independence from Habsburgs
1790 Joseph II dies
Revolt in Austrian Netherlands ended
1791 Bill of Rights ratified Constitution enacted; Legislative Assembly elected Slave revolt in Haiti
1792 Monarchy overthrown; First Republic declared;War between France and First Coalition United Irishmen founded
1793 Executions Poland: 2d Partition
1794 End of Terror Habeus Corpus suspended
1795 Directory; Rise of Napoleon Poland: 3d Partition
1798 United Irish rebellion crushed
1799 Napoleon's coup
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Understanding the Revolutionary Calendar

The National Convention introduced a new calendar in October 1793 which remained in effect until 1806. The months -- all having 30 days -- were renamed:
  • Vendémaire (vintage) -- 22 September to 21 October
  • Brumaire (mist) -- 22 October to 20 November
  • Frimaire (frost) -- 21 November to 20 December
  • Nivôse (snow) -- 21 December to 19 January
  • Pluviôse (rain) -- 20 January to 18 February
  • Ventôse (wind) -- 19 February to 20 March
  • Germinal (seedtime) -- 21 March to 19 April
  • Floréal (blossoming) -- 20 April to 19 May
  • Prairial (meadow) -- 20 May to 18 June
  • Messidor (wheat harvest) -- 19 June to 18 July
  • Thermidor (heat) -- 19 July to 17 August
  • Fructidor (ripening) -- 18 August to 16 September
    • The years were also renumbered, beginning from the date on which the French Republic was proclaimed.
  • Year 1 of the Republic began retrospectively on 21 September 1792
  • Year 2 ran from 22 September 1793 to 21 September 1794
  • Year 3 ran from 22 September 1794 to 21 September 1795
  • Year 4 ran from 22 September 1795 to 21 September 1796
  • Year 5 ran from 22 September 1796 to 21 September 1797
  • Year 6 ran from 22 September 1797 to 21 September 1798
  • Year 7 ran from 22 September 1798 to 21 September 1799
  • Year 8 ran from 22 September 1799 to 21 September 1800
  • Year 9 ran from 22 September 1800 to 21 September 1801
  • Year 10 ran from 22 September 1801 to 21 September 1802
  • Year 11 ran from 22 September 1802 to 21 September 1803
  • Year 12 ran from 22 September 1803 to 21 September 1804
  • Year 13 ran from 22 September 1804 to 21 September 1805
  • Year 14 ran from 22 September 1805 to 21 September 1806
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