French Revolution Timeline: TENNIS COURT OATH JUNE 20TH 1789

On June 17,1989, the third estate led by Honoree Gabriel Riqueti transformed into a national assembly. The meeting of the Estates-General at Versailles produced a standstill among the three orders of the National assembly. A reoccurring problem was that the first and second estates combined could outvote the third estate despite the fact that the third estate is much larger, and represented the vast majority of the nation. The first and second state had a common interest; to keep wealth and power to themselves. This was enough provocation for the third estate to be angered by the situation. Despite efforts of a reformation the process remained a deadlock. As a result, the third estate had gathered their people and declared themselves of National Assembly in representation for the French. This action upset King Louis XVI because he felt the actions of the third estate were both intolerable and defiance to his authority as king. King Louis struck prompt actions and locked the third estate from their meeting place so there would be no potential place to gather. With harsh weather conditions the third estate elected to take cover in an indoor tennis court. In the tennis court, on June 20th 1789, the members of the third estate as well as sympathetic members of the other states swore on oath. “Not to separate, and to reassemble whenever circumstances require, until the constitution of the king was established”. The Tennis Court Oath is an important part of the French Revolution as it showed retaliation of the first and second state. In an absolute monarchy such as the system established by the French, it was rare to see any reformation. The Tennis Court Oath was the precedent set for many fights for rights for the masses to continue.


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