AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
The revolution May-October 1789: developments in Versailles and Paris;…
Full specification wording
2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815 (A-level only) – The experiment in constitutional monarchy, 1789–1792: 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, royal authority collapsed as revolution spread across France.
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Between May and October 1789, royal authority collapsed as revolution spread across France. In Versailles, the Estates-General transformed into the National Assembly, defying Louis XVI through the Tennis Court Oath. Simultaneously, Paris radicalised due to economic hardship and troop mobilisations, culminating in the storming of the Bastille on 14 July. This urban revolt triggered rural uprisings known as the Great Fear, where peasants attacked châteaux and destroyed feudal records, forcing the Assembly to abolish feudalism in the August Decrees. Finally, the October Days saw a Parisian crowd, largely women protesting bread shortages, march to Versailles and force the royal family to relocate to Paris, effectively making them prisoners of the revolution and shifting the political centre of gravity.
What earns the marks
- Explain the transition from the Estates-General to the National Assembly at Versailles.
- Analyse the causes and significance of the storming of the Bastille in Paris.
- Evaluate the impact of the Great Fear in the countryside on the August Decrees.
- Assess the political consequences of the October Days and the royal family's move to Paris.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the Great Fear with the Reign of Terror.
Put it right: The Great Fear was a rural panic in 1789, whereas the Terror was a period of state-sanctioned violence in 1793-1794.
Assuming the October Days were solely a political movement.
Put it right by emphasising the economic trigger of bread shortages among Parisian women.
Stating that the storming of the Bastille immediately ended the monarchy.
Put it right by noting it forced Louis XVI to share power, beginning the constitutional monarchy phase.
Exam tips
- Link urban and rural developments to show how the revolution radicalised across different geographic areas.
- Use the August Decrees as a bridge connecting the rural Great Fear to the political decisions made in Versailles.
- When discussing the October Days, emphasise the shift in power from the Crown in Versailles to the crowd and Assembly in Paris.
Try the lesson
The start of the 2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815 (A-level only) – The experiment in constitutional monarchy, 1789–1792: The revolution May-October 1789: developments in Versailles and Paris; developments in the country, including the Great Fear; the October Days lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
What was the primary cause of the 'Great Fear' that spread through the French countryside during the summer of 1789?
Listen
Between May and October 1789, royal authority collapsed as revolution spread across France. In Versailles, the Estates-General transformed into the National Assembly, defying Louis XVI through the Tennis Court Oath. Simultaneously, Paris radicalised due to economic hardship and troop mobilisations, culminating in the storming of the Bastille on 14 July. This urban revolt triggered rural uprisings known as the Great Fear, where peasants attacked châteaux and destroyed feudal records, forcing the Assembly to abolish feudalism in the August Decrees. Finally, the October Days saw a Parisian crowd, largely women protesting bread shortages, march to Versailles and force the royal family to relocate to Paris, effectively making them prisoners of the revolution and shifting the political centre of gravity. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the transition from the Estates-General to the National Assembly at Versailles. Analyse the causes and significance of the storming of the Bastille in Paris. Evaluate the impact of the Great Fear in the countryside on the August Decrees. Assess the political consequences of the October Days and the royal family's move to Paris. A common slip: Assuming the October Days were solely a political movement. Instead, emphasising the economic trigger of bread shortages among Parisian women. Exam tip: Link urban and rural developments to show how the revolution radicalised across different geographic areas.
Key words
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Great Fear
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October Days
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Economic hardship as a catalyst
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Collapse of absolute monarchy
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See every definition
- Great Fear
- Rural uprisings in the countryside in which peasants attacked châteaux and destroyed feudal records, forcing the Assembly to abolish feudalism in the August Decrees.
- October Days
- A Parisian crowd, largely women protesting bread shortages, marched to Versailles and forced the royal family to relocate to Paris, shifting the political centre of gravity.
- Economic hardship as a catalyst
- Economic hardship radicalised Paris and, through bread shortages among Parisian women, was the economic trigger of the October Days.
- Collapse of absolute monarchy
- Between May and October 1789 royal authority collapsed as revolution spread across France, and the royal family became prisoners of the revolution in Paris.
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