A French Constitution

Members of the Estates-General representing the third estate outnumbered representatives from both the first and second estates combined. If each representative were to be given one vote, the third estate would have more votes, and would be able to get their will passed. In order to insure this did not happen King Louis XVI locked representatives of the third estate out of the meetings.

Outraged, they met at a nearby indoor tennis court, where they gave themselves the name of The National Assembly. Here representatives took an oath that they would not leave until they had written a new constitution for France.

King Louis XVI worried about the form this constitution would take, if it were to be written strictly by members of the third estate. He ordered representatives from the first and second estates to join the National Assembly.