Louis XVI decides to increase taxesBut the king could not increase taxes on his own, he needed approval of Estate General, which was a political body to which three estates sent their representatives.The meeting was called on 5th

May1789.

Meeting of Estate General In the meeting of the General Estate there were 300

representatives each from the first and second estate, while 600 from the third estate. the third estate was represented by rich and educated members.

Members of the Third Estate walked out of the meeting Voting in Old regime was conducted on the basis of

one estate, one vote

In this system members of the first and second estate always came together to defeat the third estate

Third Estate demanded one member, one vote

King rejected their demand and members of Third Estate walked out in protest

Tennis Court Oath On 20 June the members of the third estate met at an

indoor tennis court in Versailles

Declared themselves a National Assembly

Took the oath not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution for France that would limit the powers of the monarch

The assembly was led by Mirabeau( of noble family who wanted to put an end to feudal system) and AbbeSieyes( a priest who wrote a pamphlet- ‘What is the Third Estate’

Storming of the Bastille On 14 July 1789 the king commanded his troops to move to

Paris

Rumours spread

People gathered to form a peoples’ militia

They broke into government buildings in search of arms

A group attacked the fortress-prison,the Bastille, -symbol of despotic power of the king

killed the commander, released prisoners, demolished the fortress and its stone fragments were sold in the market to be kept as souvenir.

The spread of the Great Fear Rumours spread at the countryside that the lords of

the manor had hired the brigands to destroy the ripe crops

Peasants attacked chateaux, looted hoarded grains, burnt documents containing records of manorial dues

The revolution which had started in Paris on 14 July 1789, soon spread in villeges.

National Assembly passed a decree Louis XVI recognised the National Assembly

It passed a decree on 4 August 1789 which

A. Abolished the feudal system of obligations and taxes

B. Clergy were forced to give up their privileges

C. Tithes were abolished

D. Land owned by the Church was confiscated

Let’s Recall Define – Estate General

When and why Louis XVI called the meeting of the estate general?

Why did members of third estate walk out of this meeting?

What was tennis court oath?

Who wrote ‘What is the Third Estate’?

Why did people attack the fortress prison of Bastille?

Explain the spread of the great fear.

Mention the main features of the decree of 4 August 1789.