The French Revolution began in 1789.
Causes of the French Revolution . In order to resolve the crisis , the king summoned the Estates-General in May 1789 and , as it came to an impasse , the representatives of the Third Estates formed a National Assembly , against the wishes of the king , signaling the outbreak of the French Revolution . Estates General of 1789 in France . This signals the outbreak of the French Revolution . French Revolution . Demands for change were formulated in terms of Enlightenment ideals and contributed to the convocation of the Estates-General in May 1789 .