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Together, they marked the beginning of the Age of Revolution, which continued into the mid-19th century and impacted much of Europe and the Americas.[3] However, the French quickly discarded the American Revolution as a reference point, and they are generally viewed as distinct events, with different causes.[4] Between 1700 and 1789, the French population increased from 18 million to 26 million, leading to large numbers of unemployed, accompanied by sharp rises in food prices caused by years of bad harvests.[5] Servicing high levels of state debt led to tax increases, borne disproportionately by the lower classes, who were already suffering from a collapse in real wages.[6] Exacerbated by an unusually cold winter in 1788/1789, widespread social distress led to the convocation of the Estates General in May 1789. The Estates were split into three separate houses, which allowed the Nobility and Clergy to outvote the Third Estate representing the vast majority of the population. In June, the Commons invited the other two Estates to join them in the National Assembly; initially led by moderates like Lafayette, it became increasingly radical. The July Storming of the Bastille was followed by the abolition of feudalism in August, while the October Women's March on Versailles forced the royal court back to Paris. The next three years were dominated by the political struggle between Louis XVI and the Legislative Assembly; his refusal to approve reforms and concerns external powers were preparing to intervene on his behalf led to the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in April 1792. Public unrest at high prices, political stalemate and military defeat resulted in the Insurrection of 10 August 1792, abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the First French Republic on 22 September 1792. Its goals were to unify the French people by introducing fairer taxes and democratic elections, but Louis' execution in January 1793 caused deep divisions between moderate Girondins and more radical Montagnards. European powers like Austria viewed the Revolution as a threat, and its course was closely shaped by external events. In February 1793, the Assembly announced a levée en masse or conscription law, triggering widespread unrest in South-West France; in June, popular agitation led by the Jacobin clubs in Paris removed the Girondin government. Led by Maximilien Robespierre, the Committee of Public Safety imposed price controls on food, abolished slavery, established universal suffrage and replaced the Catholic church with the Cult of the Supreme Being. However, politics was increasingly dominated by the Reign of Terror, an attack on alleged "counter-revolutionaries". By the time it ended in July 1794, over 3,000 had been executed in Paris alone, including Robespierre. A series of Royalist and Jacobin revolts led to the suspension of elections and creation of the French Directory in November 1795; despite stabilising the currency, and military success, the strain of financing the war led to economic stagnation and internal divisions. [7] Dogged by charges of corruption, in November 1799 the Directory was abolished by the coup of 18 Brumaire led by Napoleon Bonaparte; the establishment of the French Consulate is generally viewed as marking the end of the Revolutionary period.