What Happened After The Tennis Court Oath?

The Tennis Court Oath was a turning point in the French Revolution. But what happened after? Join us as we explore the events that followed this pivotal moment.

The Tennis Court Oath

The Tennis Court Oath (French: Serment du Jeu de Paume) was a solemn oath signed by the representatives of the Third Estate on 20 June 1789, the first day of the Estates General. The representatives of the Third Estate, which represented the common people of France, had been locked out of their meeting place by the representatives of the First and Second Estates, the Church and the aristocracy respectively.

What happened?

After the Tennis Court Oath, the Third Estate became the National Assembly and declared itself the primary governing force in France. The Assembly moved to a nearby indoor tennis court because they feared violence from the king’s troops. For nearly three months they worked to draft a new constitution that would limit the power of the monarchy.

In response to these events, King Louis XVI attempted to flee Paris with his family. However, they were stopped and captured by revolutionaries. The king was then brought back to Paris and put on trial for treason. He was ultimately executed by guillotine in 1793.

The Tennis Court Oath signaled the beginning of the French Revolution, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the French Republic.

What was the significance?

The Tennis Court Oath was significant because it represented the beginning of the French Revolution. It showed that the people were willing to fight for their rights and that they were no longer going to accept the rule of the monarchy. This event was a key turning point in history and paved the way for democracy in France.

The National Assembly

The National Assembly was formed after the Tennis Court Oath, which was a pledge made by the members of the Third Estate. The Assembly was created in order to draw up a new constitution for France, as the existing one was deemed unfair. The National Assembly was made up of deputies from the different estates in France, and its members met for the first time on June 17, 1789.

What happened?

The National Assembly was formed on June 17, 1789, after the king agreed to call a meeting of the Estates-General in an effort to resolve the financial crisis in France. The Third Estate, which represented the common people, declared itself the National Assembly and took an oath not to disband until a new constitution had been written.

In response, King Louis XVI called the royal troops to Paris and ordered them to quell the uprising. However, the troops were met with resistance from the people of Paris, and they soon joined forces with the National Assembly. This event came to be known as the Tennis Court Oath, after the National Assembly members took their oath of loyalty on a tennis court.

After taking the Tennis Court Oath, the National Assembly began working on a new constitution for France. They also issued a decree that anyone who did not swear allegiance to the National Assembly would be considered an enemy of the state. In October 1789, they published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen, which guaranteed certain rights for all French citizens.

The National Assembly continued to meet throughout 1789 and 1790, working on various reforms in addition to drafting a new constitution. However, their work was eventually undone by political infighting and violence that erupted during the French Revolution.

What was the significance?

The National Assembly (Assemblée nationale in French) was a revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate of the Estates-General of France. Their significant act was taking the Tennis Court Oath (Serment du Jeu de Paume) on June 20, 1789. This oath was a pledge to not leave until they had written a new French constitution. The significance of this can not be understated as it effectively started the French Revolution.

The National Assembly essentially became the new government of France after they took the Tennis Court Oath, as King Louis XVI was effectively powerless against them at that point. They would go on to write the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which guaranteed certain rights to all men in France regardless of social class. The National Assembly also abolished feudalism and the privileges of the nobility.

The formation of the National Assembly was an incredibly important event in not just French history, but world history as well. It signaled the beginning of a new era wherein people were no longer willing to be ruled by an absolute monarchy and nobility. The principles put forth by the National Assembly would go on to inspire revolutionaries all over the world for generations to come.

The French Revolution

The Tennis Court Oath was a significant event during the French Revolution. It was one of the first steps that the people took in order to overthrow the monarchy. After the Tennis Court Oath, the people of France started to become more aware of their rights and started to demand more change.

What happened?

In 1789, the year of the outbreak of the French Revolution, France was a monarchy ruled by Louis XVI. His decisions were advised by a group of aristocrats known as the nobility. However, many French people were unhappy with this state of affairs. The poor condition of the economy, high taxes and the supreme power of the Catholic Church led to growing discontent among the people.

On July 14th, 1789, a group of rebels stormed Bastille prison, signalling the start of the Revolution. The rebels then formed The National Assembly and drew up The Declaration of the Rights of Man, which guaranteed basic rights for all citizens. This document became the basis for France’s first constitution.

The Revolution continued to gather momentum and in 1792 King Louis XVI was forced to abdicate. A new republic was declared and a year later Louis XVI was executed by guillotine.

During the early years of the Revolutionary era France became involved in a series of wars with neighbouring countries. In 1793, revolutionary armies conquered Belgium and Holland while in 1794 they invaded Switzerland.

However, by 1795 fatigue was setting in and many people had had enough of war and bloodshed. A new government called The Directory came to power and oversaw a period of relative calm known as ‘The Thermidorian Reaction’.

But this peace didn’t last long and in 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup d’état (a takeover). He proclaimed himself ‘First Consul’ and began a period known as ‘The Consulate’ which saw significant reform in France. In 1804 Napoleon crowned himself ‘Emperor’ and embarked upon a series of military campaigns which took his armies as far away as Russia and Egypt.

What was the significance?

The Tennis Court Oath (Serment du Jeu de Paume) was a pledge signed by 576 of the 577 members from the Third Estate who were locked out of a meeting of the Estates-General on 20 June 1789. The only person who did not sign was Joseph Martin-Dauch, a representative of Albert de 177. It happened in the tennis court at the palace of Versailles.

The Oath was a direct result of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 and a power struggle between King Louis XVI and the National Assembly. The Third Estate had been left out of control over their own fate and they were desperate to have some say in how France would be governed in the future.

The Oath stated that the members of the Third Estate would not leave until they had drawn up a new constitution for France. This constitution would limit the power of the king and give more power to the people. The Oath was seen as one sign that showed that ordinary people were beginning to challenge the way things had always been done in France.

The significance of the Tennis Court Oath was that it showed that even though Louis XVI still had control over France, the people were no longer prepared to accept this without having a say in how their country was governed. This incident was one of many which led to the French Revolution.