Louis called the Estates General which hadn't been assembled since 1614. The First Estate were the Clergy, the Second was the Aristocrats and, the Third was the middle class.
The Third Estate had twice as many people as the other two but the Estates voted as a bloc. Louis ordered the Estates generals to meet at Versailles in 1789. Louis noticed that the Third Estate wanted so say in the government, he granted this but was not ready to surrender his absolute power to the people. This included having small responsibilitys such as a say in fixing the tax system. After six weeks there was little progress. The Third Estate broke away, Count Mirabeau formed the National Assembly. There goal was a new constitution, for France. Louis responded by locking the National Assembly out of the assembly hall where they were meeting . People retreated to the royal Tennis Court (Jeu de Poume), they pledged to the oath that read: "The National Assembly, considering that it has been summoned to establish the constitution of the kingdom, to effect the regeneration of public order, and to maintain the true principles of monarchy; that nothing can prevent it from continuing its deliberations in whatever place it may be forced to establish itself; and, finally that wheresoever its members are assembled, there is the National Assembly... It decrees that all members of this assembly shall immediately take a solemn oath not to seperate, and to reassemble where ever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established and consolidation upon firm foundations; and that, the said oath taken, all members and each one individually shall ratify this steadfast resolution by signature." Louis responded with some democratic reforms, but the National Assembly rejected his offer. The remaining Estates where forced to join the National Assembly. It seemed that the French Revolution was a success. Count Mirabeau "We will not leave except by force of the bayonet." |
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