The event that catalyzed the start of the French Revolution was the financial crisis exacerbated by King Louis XVI’s inability to manage the country’s debts, combined with widespread discontent among the Third Estate—commoners who felt overburdened by taxes and underrepresented. The situation culminated in the Estates-General’s meeting in May 1789, where the Third Estate broke away and formed the National Assembly, vowing to draft a new constitution. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, became a symbol of the revolution, representing the people's revolt against oppression and the desire for liberty, equality, and fraternity, fostering radical changes in the nation.