The governmental event that occurred in France in 1789, marking the start of the French Revolution, was the Estates-General meeting followed by the formation of the National Assembly. In May 1789, King Louis XVI convened the Estates-General to address the financial crisis, but it quickly became a platform for revolutionary ideas. On June 17, members of the Third Estate, representing common citizens, declared themselves the National Assembly, claiming the right to represent the people. The situation escalated with the storming of the Bastille on July 14, which symbolized the uprising against monarchic oppression, leading to widespread societal and political change.