Title: The Most Important Revolutions That Shaped World History - WorldAtlas
Headings: The Most Important Revolutions That Shaped World History
The Most Important Revolutions That Shaped World History
5. The American Revolution (1765 – 1783)
4. The French Revolution (1789 – 1799)
3. The Haitian Revolution (1791 – 1804)
2. The Chinese Revolution (1911)
1. The Russian Revolution (1917)

Content: While the National Constituent Assembly, a group of representatives from the Estates-General who were pushing for change, continued to debate France’s political future, influential figures like Maximilien de Robespierre were championing total governmental reform. In the summer of 1792, a club of extremists known as the Jacobins arrested the king who was attempting to flee. This led to the establishment of the National Convention, the first French Republic. In January 1793, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine, sparking ten months of unnecessary bloodshed as the Jacobins' Reign of Terror swept through France. In the end, between over 17,000 so-called enemies of the revolution were executed, and at least another 10,000 died in prison awaiting their trial. The death of Robespierre marked a new period in which the French revolted against the excess use of violence. By August 1795, executive power lay with the Directory, a five-member collective appointed by parliament, but the state of the country did not improve. After four more years of hardships, corruption, and discontent, the conflict came to an end in 1799 when Napoleon Bonaparte seized power through a coup d’état. The French Revolution is notable for the abolishment of the French monarchy that had ruled for centuries; it demonstrated the power of the people and their ability to truly make a difference.