The revolution May-October 1789: developments in Versailles and Paris; developments in the country, including the Great Fear; the October Days
Between May and October 1789, revolution spread across France. Political crisis at Versailles, popular uprisings in Paris, rural panic in the countryside, and a march on the king's palace all dismantled royal authority within months.
Real World
The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 functioned like a symbolic collapse — similar to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 — where one dramatic event signalled an entire regime's loss of authority rather than just a single building.
Exam Focus
Distinguish between Versailles, Paris, and rural France as separate but linked arenas; examiners reward answers that show how events in each reinforced the others.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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