French Revolution Part-3

Meeting for the tax increment

On 5 May 1789, 300 representatives from each of the first and second estate and 600 from the third estate gathered in a splendid hall for the assembly.From third estate educated and more prosperous people represented.Peasants and labours were not allowed in that assembly.

Disagreement in the voting system

In the existing system each estate had one vote.but this time the representatives of third estate wanted each of the third estate had one vote.But King Louis xvi rejected this proposal.As a result the representatives of the third estate walked out of meeting.

Indoor Tennis Court

On 20th of the June they gathered in an indoor tennis court in Versailles, where they declared them as National Assembly and took a pledge not to dispercentage till the new constitution is drafted Merabeau and Abbe Sieyes were the leaders of the National Assembly.

Merabeau belonged to noble family and Abbe Sieyes was a priest to the church.In spite of that they believed in the society where nobody gets some special rights

Situation outside

Because of harsh winter crops failed,this increased the price of bread.So people were facing extreme hardship because there was scarcity of food.

One day after long hours in queues, angry women attacked the bakery and looted the bread. A rumour was spread At the same time troops moved to Paris to suppress the turmoil. In retaliation, crowd destroyed the Bastille.A rumor spread that the Noble had hired goons to destroy the crops. Because of fear, peasants attacked the palaces of nobles and looted the hoarded grains. Records of manorial dues were sat on fire. Many noblemen and clergy fled to neighbouring countries to save their life.

In such a situation of complete anarchy the King had ordered the army to move into cities which resulted into the destruction of The Bastille Fort.

King Louis XVI finally surrendered against agitation and accepted the recognition of National Assembly and agreed that his power would be checked by constitution. On the 4th of the August 1789 the feudal system of obligations, taxes, privileges to the nobility and clergy were abolished and lands owned by churches were confiscated. This gave an asset of worth about 2 billion livres to the government.