so a few sent him their petitions directly. "Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King" written January 1, 1789 was one of the documents in which working women addressed the king in respectful terms. They carefully stated that they did not wish to overturn men's authority but simply wanted education and enlightenment which would make them better workers, wives and mothers. Most of all, women wanted to be heard.
Women were not the only group struggling to gain political and human rights during the revolution. The Calvinists, Jews, slaves, and non-land owners were represented on the list of grievances. The deputies feared the effects of the loss of commerce that would result if they either liberated the slaves or outlawed the slave trade. Enormous wealth flowed from the Caribbean. Shipbuilding, sugar refining, coffee exports and numerous subsidiary industries relied on the slave trade. After a number of bloody uprisings by the slaves, slavery was abolished.
The status of religious minorities was debated by the deputies, also. The issue of religious minorities was a highly volatile one. C
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