Tennis Court Oath facts for kids
The Tennis Court Oath was an important promise made by many people in France on June 20, 1789. This event happened just before the French Revolution. Most of the people who signed the oath were members of the Third Estate. This group represented the common people of France. They met in a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles.
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What Was the Tennis Court Oath?
The oath was a promise not to give up until France had a new constitution. A constitution is a set of rules for how a country is governed. The members of the Third Estate wanted more fairness and a say in how their country was run. They believed the king and the nobles had too much power.
Why Did They Meet in a Tennis Court?
The Estates General was a big meeting of representatives from different groups in France. On June 20, 1789, the members of the Third Estate arrived at their usual meeting hall. They found the doors locked. They thought the king was trying to stop them from meeting. This made them very angry.
So, they moved to a nearby indoor tennis court. There, they all swore an oath together. They promised they would not leave until they had written a new constitution for France. They wanted "the voice of the nation" to be heard. Some nobles and clergy also joined them.
Voting Rules and Fairness
Before the oath, voting in the Estates General was unfair. Each of the three main groups, called "Estates," got one vote. The First Estate was the clergy (church leaders). The Second Estate was the nobility (rich families). The Third Estate was everyone else, including farmers, merchants, and lawyers.
Usually, the clergy and the nobility voted together. This meant they could always outvote the Third Estate. The Third Estate had more representatives than the other two combined. They argued that voting should be "by poll," meaning each person got one vote. They wanted all three Estates to meet together as one group. This way, their many representatives would have a real say.
The King's Decision
About a week after the oath, the king agreed to their demands. The Estates General then met as one body. They called themselves the "National Assembly." This was a big step towards changing France and starting the French Revolution.
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