The onset of revolution 1789 and the rapidity with which revolutionary action took hold

what could people do with the announcement of the Estates-general in August 1788?

they could send lists of grievances that they wished to be discussed, known as cahiers de doleances

what did Louis hope the estates-general would be and what did many cahiers demand?

he hoped it would be a meeting discussing states finances and allow him to raise new taxes

but many cahiers were demanding a new constitution

what did Necker invite writers to do?

write suggestions and thoughts as to how the Estates-general should be organised and directed

what was the most famous response to Neckers request?

‘what is the third estate?’ a pamphlet written in January 1789 by Abbe Sieyes

where and when did the Estates-general gather?

at the Palace of Versailles on 5 May 1789

how was it set out?

each region and town was represent by elected members, divided by estate

how was the first estate represented?

by 303 deputies

how was the second estate represented?

by 282 nobles

how was the third estate represented?

by 578 deputies

eg. Abbe Sieyes and Mirabeau

why was the voting system unfair?

as it was by estate and not head so the first and second estate could outvote the third estate

what did many deputies push for?

voting by head

did only the third estate oppose voting by estate?

no, many deputies of the first and second also support the rights of the third estate over their own privileges

what did Louis do during the debates?

failed to exert influence over proceedings and made no judgement of ruling as to how voting arrangements should proceed

led to frustration building

what happened on June 17 1789?

the deputies declared they were the National Assembly, the body representing the greatest proportion of the French people and could decided the future of the French constitution

what did the first estate vote to do?

to join the third estate in the National Assembly

what did Louis decide to do to bring back control?

call the 3 estates yoghurt in a seance Royale and present a package of proposed reforms

what happened during preparations for this seance?

on June 20 the deputies of the third estate arrived and found the hall where they had met shut and guarded by royal soldiers

how did the deputies interpret the closing of the hall?

as Louis trying to prevent them from assembling

where did they meet instead?

in a tennis court

what happened on June 20th 1789 in the tennis court?

under the leadership of Mirabeau, the deputies swore a collective oath in defiance of the king

did Louis do the Seance anyway?

yes, on June 23rd 1789, he was willing to accept restrictions to his power, including the abolishment of the letter de cachet, agreeing to freedom of press and accepting that any new taxation would have to be approved by the new body

what did Louis not change his mind on?

that the priviliges of the first and second estate should stay and that the national assmebly as proclaimed on 17 June was void and that the 3 estates should continue to meet separately

what happened when Louis tried to dismiss the estates?

the third estate deputies, with the tennis court oath, refused to leave the hall and the next day scores of deputies from the first and second estate joined the third estates national assembly

what did Louis order the remaining deputies to do?

to join the others and the National Assembly was no legitimate

what did Louis do in fear of open revolt?

ordered troops to be moved into Paris and versailles

what did arrival of the troops do?

caused great alarm and tension

what happened 11 July 1789?

Louis dismissed Necker due to sympathies with the third estate

what was the Bastille?

a fortress used as a prison by the rulers of the ancient regime but stood as a symbol of despotism of absolute monarchy

also held cast quantities of gun powder

what happened on July 14 1789?

demonstrators demanded entry to the Bastille but the governor of the building de Launay refused and ordered troops to fire on the crowd

Bastille was stormed and De Launay was killed

why was the storming of the Bastille a significant event?

showed that Louis lost control of the streets and political assemblies

why did Louis failure to subdue the unrest lead to further changes?

the Parisian bourgeoisie were worried that the uprising could cause civil anarchy so they attempted to regain control by establishing a new assembly to govern the city known as the commune

what was one of the first acts of the commune?

establish an armed guard to keep order known as the National Guard which was lead by Lafayette