1. National Assembly

2. End of the 3rd Estate
The 3rd Estate was fed up and formed the National Assembly on June 17th, 1789
Some members of the 1st and 2nd Estates joined the National Assembly
The National Assembly plans to meet with the 1st and 2nd Estates June 20th, 1789

3. Tennis Court Oath
The doors were locked at Versailles and Louis XVI’s guards would not let the National Assembly in
The delegates of the National Assembly then met at an indoor tennis court at Versailles
They agreed not to disband until a Constitution was created

5. 577 men signed the oath
Some more nobles and clergy joined the National Assembly

6. Louis XVI’s Reaction
He ultimately gives in and agrees to draft a constitution
Louis XVI then begins to gather troops in Paris and Versailles
Around this time Louis XVI fires his director of finances, Jacques Necker
The Parisians respond with rebellion

7. Jacques
Necker

9. Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille was initially a fortress built between
In the 17th century, it became a political prison
The governor of the prison would earn a living based on how many and what kind of criminals were in the Bastille

10. Parisians stormed the Bastille because it had gunpowder and because it represented the oppression of the gov’t
It was believed that there were hundreds of prisoners inside
Only had 7 prisoners (4 counterfeiters, 2 mad men and a young aristocrat)

12. Great Fear
In July and August of 1789, there are sporadic rebellions across the French countryside against feudal landlords
The National Assembly signs the August Decrees, which cancels all obligations peasants have to their landlords

13. On August 26th, 1789, the National Assembly signs the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Gave all French due process and declared all French people to be equal (laws and legal proceedings must be fair)
Things quiet down, but not for long…