Detailed Summary of The Outbreak of the Revolution
On July 14, 1789, tensions in Paris escalated as rumors spread that King Louis XVI would use military force against the citizens, prompting a significant mobilization of approximately 7,000 men and women who formed a militia to defend themselves. The crowd's attention turned to the Bastille, a notorious fortress-prison symbolizing royal oppression. When the citizens stormed the Bastille, they released just seven prisoners, but the fortress itself become a powerful symbol of the people's uprising against tyranny.
In the aftermath of the Bastille's fall, Paris and the countryside erupted in riots fueled by food scarcity, especially the rising cost of bread. These events marked the initial stages of a chain reaction leading to significant political upheaval, including the execution of Louis XVI, though such drastic outcomes were not foreseen by the populace at the time. The section addresses the role of social classes in pre-revolutionary France, detailing the overwhelming economic hardships faced by the Third Estate compared to the privileges enjoyed by the nobility and clergy.
As the population struggled for sustenance amidst increasing prices, the Third Estate demanded representation and voiced their grievances through the formation of the National Assembly. The Assembly's pivotal decisions, including the Tennis Court Oath, established a new political awakening in France. Key figures like Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès emerged, advocating for equality and rights in stark contrast to feudal privileges. The gathering momentum hinted at the revolution's potential to reshape not only France but the very fabric of society.