Tennis Court Oath

Definition

The Tennis Court Oath was a pledge taken by members of France's National Assembly in 1789 where they vowed not to disband until they had written a new constitution for France.

Analogy

Imagine you're playing an intense game with your friends and you all swear not to leave until someone wins. That's kind of what happened with Tennis Court Oath – except instead of winning a game, these guys were trying to create an entirely new system for governing their country!

Related terms

Constitutional Monarchy: A form of government where monarchs are guided by a constitution that limits their powers. After taking Tennis Court Oath, the National Assembly aimed to establish a constitutional monarchy in France.

French Revolution: A period of radical political and societal change in France from 1789 to 1799. The Tennis Court Oath was one of its key events.

Storming of the Bastille: This event occurred shortly after the Tennis Court Oath when Parisians stormed the Bastille prison, marking a significant escalation in violence during the French Revolution.