Economic factors
- The French economy was in turmoil in the 18th century because the many years of war and financially supporting the rebel in the American war had sent the country into near bankruptcy.
- Louis XVI decided that the aristocrats should start paying taxes in order to help the country recover financially, but the aristocrats refused to do so, thus leading Louis XVI to call a meeting with the Estates General
- The Estates general had not met for over 170 years. The representatives at the Estates general included the three different social classes; the clergy, the aristocrats, and the commoners.
- The Estates General gathered in June 1789 “at the Palace of Versailles”(1).
- The Third Estate would finally get the opportunity to “be heard by the King”(1) because in the previous year they were granted the permission to have double representation since the consisted of most of the population in France.
- When they meeting began the Third Estate realized that the promise of double representation was a fallacy.
- The Third Estate representatives were disappointed and upset with the King’s decisions so they formed the National Assembly which was made up of the three Estates and took place without the King’s direction.
- The National Assembly gathered at a tennis court and swore not to separate and to continue meeting together until a new constitution was “adopted”(2).
- A rumour that the King was sending his troops to “destabilize the new proclaimed”(3) politicians.