The Great Fear is basically about how the peasants revolted against the
aristocrats and nobles. It was a period of paranoia. Peasants expected, yet feared a monarchial and aristocratic counterrevolution. When they heard certain rumors that the king's armies were on their way over and the Austrians and Russians are invading they formed militias. Others attacked and burned manor houses sometimes looking for grain but usually to find and destroy records. A period of terrorization by the revolutionary French government which overthrew the monarch of France under King Louis XVI. This happened specifically through July 20th to August 5th 1789. There were 3 causes of the Great Fear. The main problem was the royal finances were in considerable debt due to their support to Britain who loss against the Americans in a revolution. Because of the government’s failure in producing a fair plan, they found themselves at constant war with parliament and everyone else. Meaning 99% of the countries were unhappy. King Louis XVI pursued a strategy of conspicuous spending which means if he could convince potential creditors to stabilize France’s finances to subdue the 99% that was upset. The problem was no one wanted to aid the unstable government for fear that they would lose all their money. Second, is the voting system, which allowed one vote to the church, one to the head of assembly and another to the third estate. This caused a problem because majority of the church and assembly were corrupt and the people asked that the two votes should be given to the neglected people, but were refused. Lastly the third, was the lack of food consistency. The nobles and royalty were holding too much parties and dinners while the average man was starving. The rumor spread among the peasants and the nobles sent brigands to march through the villages and destroy the peasant’s new harvest and their homes. This added to their fear because of the bad harvest in that year, 1787. In response, the peasants pretty much went crazy and ransacked the nobles castles and burned important documents. The results were very satisfying. On the night of August 4, the nobles gave up their rights and titles.
The new, balanced class structure allowed more people to be average instead of the majority being poor, and few being excessively wealthy. This began the separation between church and state and gave more power to the people and less power to the church, nobles, and royalty.
http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=39543
http://chalcedon.edu/research/articles/the-great-fear-and-the-great-faith/
Image: www.kidspast.com
aristocrats and nobles. It was a period of paranoia. Peasants expected, yet feared a monarchial and aristocratic counterrevolution. When they heard certain rumors that the king's armies were on their way over and the Austrians and Russians are invading they formed militias. Others attacked and burned manor houses sometimes looking for grain but usually to find and destroy records. A period of terrorization by the revolutionary French government which overthrew the monarch of France under King Louis XVI. This happened specifically through July 20th to August 5th 1789. There were 3 causes of the Great Fear. The main problem was the royal finances were in considerable debt due to their support to Britain who loss against the Americans in a revolution. Because of the government’s failure in producing a fair plan, they found themselves at constant war with parliament and everyone else. Meaning 99% of the countries were unhappy. King Louis XVI pursued a strategy of conspicuous spending which means if he could convince potential creditors to stabilize France’s finances to subdue the 99% that was upset. The problem was no one wanted to aid the unstable government for fear that they would lose all their money. Second, is the voting system, which allowed one vote to the church, one to the head of assembly and another to the third estate. This caused a problem because majority of the church and assembly were corrupt and the people asked that the two votes should be given to the neglected people, but were refused. Lastly the third, was the lack of food consistency. The nobles and royalty were holding too much parties and dinners while the average man was starving. The rumor spread among the peasants and the nobles sent brigands to march through the villages and destroy the peasant’s new harvest and their homes. This added to their fear because of the bad harvest in that year, 1787. In response, the peasants pretty much went crazy and ransacked the nobles castles and burned important documents. The results were very satisfying. On the night of August 4, the nobles gave up their rights and titles.
The new, balanced class structure allowed more people to be average instead of the majority being poor, and few being excessively wealthy. This began the separation between church and state and gave more power to the people and less power to the church, nobles, and royalty.
http://www.xtimeline.com/evt/view.aspx?id=39543
http://chalcedon.edu/research/articles/the-great-fear-and-the-great-faith/
Image: www.kidspast.com