The one event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution was the (fill in the blank) where people discussed in an abandoned and relatively safe area, plans for the National Assembly:
September Massacre
passage of the Constitution of 1791
Oath of the Tennis Court
drafting of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is Oath of the Tennis Court.
The Oath of the Tennis Court marked the beginning of the French Revolution and was a pivotal event in the early stages of the revolution. It took place on June 20, 1789, when members of the Third Estate, which consisted mainly of commoners and those excluded from the aristocracy and clergy, found themselves locked out of the Estates-General meeting at Versailles. The Estates-General had been convened by King Louis XVI to address the financial crisis in France, but it became clear that the Third Estate was at odds with the First (clergy) and Second (nobility) Estates, who were able to maintain greater power.
Faced with the challenge of being excluded from the Estates-General meeting, the members of the Third Estate moved to a nearby tennis court. There, they vowed not to separate until they had drafted a new constitution for France, signaling their intent to form a National Assembly that would represent the people of France, rather than the privileged estates. This event was a direct challenge to the king’s authority and a defiant step toward establishing a more democratic and representative government.
The Oath of the Tennis Court symbolized the rising tension between the monarchy and the people. It was a declaration of the people’s determination to assert their rights and influence the direction of the country. This event laid the groundwork for the National Assembly, which would later lead to the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, and other key moments in the revolution.
Thus, the Oath of the Tennis Court is considered the defining moment that marked the beginning of the French Revolution, as it represented the people’s rejection of the old feudal system and their determination to create a new government based on the principles of equality, liberty, and fraternity.