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Question
Why did Louis XVI call together an assembly of the Estates General on 5 May, 1789? What was its outcome?
What was its outcome?
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Solution
(i) On 5 May 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. The Estates General was a political body to which the three estates sent their representatives.
(ii) The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back.
(iii) The third estate was represented by its more, prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.
(iv) Louis XVI wanted voting to be conducted on the old principle-each estate having one vote. But the members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the Assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote.
(v) The king rejected their demand as a result of which they walked out of the Assembly in protest.
(vi) The members of the third estate declared themselves a National Assembly and began to draft a constitution for France which would limit the powers of the monarch.
(vii) While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution, the rest of France seethed with turmoil. They were facing acute food scarcity. Finally, the agitated common mass stormed and destroyed the Bastille, the symbol of the king's despotic and tyrannic rule on 14 July 1789.
(viii) The condition of the countryside was also not good. Peasants looted hoarded grains and burnt down documents. A large number of nobles fled from their houses.
(ix) Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would from now on be checked by a constitution.
(x) The feudal system of obligations and taxes was also abolished. Members of the clergy were forced to give up their privileges.
(ii) The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back.
(iii) The third estate was represented by its more, prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.
(iv) Louis XVI wanted voting to be conducted on the old principle-each estate having one vote. But the members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the Assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote.
(v) The king rejected their demand as a result of which they walked out of the Assembly in protest.
(vi) The members of the third estate declared themselves a National Assembly and began to draft a constitution for France which would limit the powers of the monarch.
(vii) While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution, the rest of France seethed with turmoil. They were facing acute food scarcity. Finally, the agitated common mass stormed and destroyed the Bastille, the symbol of the king's despotic and tyrannic rule on 14 July 1789.
(viii) The condition of the countryside was also not good. Peasants looted hoarded grains and burnt down documents. A large number of nobles fled from their houses.
(ix) Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would from now on be checked by a constitution.
(x) The feudal system of obligations and taxes was also abolished. Members of the clergy were forced to give up their privileges.
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