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Questions and Answers
What was the reason behind the gathering of 7,000 men and women in front of the town hall on 14 July 1789?
What was the primary motive behind the storming of the Bastille?
What was the immediate outcome of the storming of the Bastille?
What was the economic situation in France at the time of Louis XVI's accession?
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What was the primary reason for the rioting that occurred in the days following the storming of the Bastille?
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What was the significance of the Bastille to the people of Paris?
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What was the main reason for France's financial resources being drained?
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Why did the French government have to increase taxes?
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What percentage of the land was owned by nobles, the Church and other richer members of the third estate?
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What was the burden of financing activities of the state through taxes borne by?
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Why did the French society in the eighteenth century have to pay a direct tax called taille?
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What was the result of the rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains?
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Study Notes
French Revolution
- On July 14, 1789, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm due to the king's command to move troops into the city.
- Rumors spread that the king would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens, leading to 7,000 people gathering in front of the town hall to form a people's militia.
- The people broke into government buildings to find arms and eventually stormed the Bastille, a fortress-prison that symbolized the despotic power of the king.
- The commander of the Bastille was killed, and the seven prisoners were released, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.
King Louis XVI and the French Economy
- Louis XVI, a 20-year-old king from the Bourbon family, ascended to the throne in 1774.
- He inherited an empty treasury, drained by long years of war and the maintenance of an extravagant court at Versailles.
- The cost of helping the American colonies gain independence from Britain added over a billion livres to the debt, which had already risen to over 2 billion livres.
- The state was forced to increase taxes to meet its regular expenses, which disproportionately affected the third estate.
The Estates System
- French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the third estate (commoners).
- The society of estates was part of the feudal system that dated back to the Middle Ages.
- The Old Regime referred to the society and institutions of France before 1789.
- Peasants made up 90% of the population, but only a small number owned the land they cultivated.
- The nobles, the Church, and other richer members of the third estate owned about 60% of the land.
Taxation and Privileges
- Members of the first two estates (clergy and nobility) enjoyed privileges by birth, including exemption from paying taxes.
- The nobles also enjoyed feudal privileges, such as feudal dues and services extracted from the peasants.
- The Church extracted tithes from the peasants, and the state levied taxes, including a direct tax called taille and indirect taxes on everyday consumption items.
- The burden of financing state activities fell solely on the third estate.
Demographic and Economic Pressures
- The population of France rose from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789, leading to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains.
- Grain production could not keep pace with the demand, leading to widespread discontent and protests against the high price of bread.
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Description
The events leading up to the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a pivotal moment in the French Revolution. Learn about the role of the people's militia and the significance of this event.
