Dashed left edge = started before June 1789 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond June 1789
Events in June 1789 3
1789Nootka Crisis beginsSpanish seizure of British ships nearly triggers warSpanish naval forces seized British trading vessels at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island, asserting Spain's claim to exclusive sovereignty over the Pacific Northwest coast. The incident brought Britain and Spain to the brink of war before being resolved diplomatically. The resulting Nootka Conventions later opened the region to British trade and settlement.
1789Third Estate declares the National AssemblyCommoners' deputies claim sole legislative authorityDeputies of the Third Estate, joined by some clergy, declared themselves the National Assembly, asserting that they alone represented the French nation. The move directly challenged the traditional division of power among the three estates. Louis XVI's attempt to dissolve the body was defied days later at the Tennis Court.
1789Tennis Court OathAssembly deputies vow not to disband until a constitution is writtenLocked out of their regular meeting hall, deputies of the newly formed National Assembly gathered on a nearby tennis court and swore not to separate until France had a written constitution. The oath was a direct act of defiance against Louis XVI. It cemented the Assembly's claim to sovereign authority.