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The
Tennis Court Oath
Three days after the King
banned the third estate from the meeting hall commoners met on
a tennis court. They took an oath not to separate until France
had a constitution. Some of the more liberal members of the first and second estates
joined them. Eventually the King ordered the rest of the first
and second estate to join them and form the National Assembly.
The assembly began to create a constitution for France.
The
Storming of the Bastille
News of the National Assembly spread to Paris
and created much excitement and unrest among the peasants. There
were rumours that the King was assembling troops to suppress the
National Assembly. This led to riots throughout the country. Revolutionary
leaders encouraged people to arm themselves. One crowd of people
attacked and captured the Bastille. This event showed the King
that he no longer had control of the country. After this the King
had very little authority.
The Great
Fear
Peasants throughout the country became angry because
the Estates General failed to abolish the feudal dues. Serious
riots spread throughout the countryside. There were rumours that
soldiers were coming to attack the peasants. Crowds of angry peasants
attacked the homes of the nobility. They destroyed their property
and burned records of feudal obligations. The violence continued
to increase. Many nobles escaped abroad because they feared for
their lives. The National Assembly abolished all feudal courts
and all feudal obligations. This meant that there were no more
privileged classes. This action ended the great fear.
The Declaration
of the Rights of Man
The Assembly issued the declaration of the rights
of man, which stated three basic rules of new government. These
were personal freedom, equality before the law and popular sovereignty.
This declaration began by saying that all men are born free and
with equal and natural rights. It also stated that all people
had the right to take part or be represented in government. This
declaration was very worrying for all other European countries
because it expressed Revolutionary ideas which might encourage
rebellion in their countries.
The Civil Constitution
of the Clergy
To solve the government's financial crisis the
assembly sold all of the church lands in France. The Catholic
Church came under the control of the State. The Pope could no
longer appoint French Bishops. The people elected the Bishops.
The Clergy were forced to take an oath to support the constitution.
This created anger among Catholic leaders all over Europe.
The
Constitution of 1791
The Assembly desired a limited monarchy. When the constitution
was finished France became a constitutional monarchy. This government
followed the principle of separation of powers. The government
was divided into three branches; the legislative, the executive
and the judicial. The upper-middle class controlled the new government.
