Key Takeaways
On an episode ofStuff You miss in History Class , host Holly Frey and Tracy V. Wilson take the air us through the Women ’s March on Versailles , a turning point in Gallic history .
But before we get to the march , get ’s talk a little about Versailles and the crisis that fomented the protest . Versailles , 12 miles ( 19 kilometers ) from Paris , was practically its own townsfolk . It was anopulent palacewith extensive grounds , many buildings and 60,000 people living or engage there in the late 18th century . Its brilliance contrasted starkly with the lives of Gallic commoners in 1789 , when the march withdraw place .
Because while Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette were having a ball at Versailles , there were serious economical problem in France . The universe had grown by 8 million citizenry in eight ten , and agriculture had n’t grab up . There were a few terrible twelvemonth for crop crop , and French functionary had also assay to deregulate grain trade — much to the mortification of farmers and other French citizens . By 1789 , distinctive French laborers were spending70 to 90 percentof their wages on bread , as controvert to abouthalf of their wagesearlier in the century .
So on Oct. 1 , when word make out that a huge political party with tons of nutrient had been confound at Versailles , nonaristocratic French folk were not thrilled . " Though they were grandiloquent theme , they still pull together the ire of world , " says Holly . " For one , Guest of Versailles were badmouthing the gyration which was just in its babyhood … For another , these workforce were being treated to a monolithic feast when many of France ’s people were give out athirst . "
add together to the anger was the fact that there was still a massive kale shortage despite a good crop twelvemonth , which made mass suspicious . " People started to chitchat that the deficit was intentionally being arranged by government to damp the populace and make them more submissive , " enjoin Tracy .
So on Oct. 5 , an estimated 5,000 - 10,000 citizenry — mostly fair sex — come across up in Paris to demand the palace ’s grain stores be released . From there , they walk the 12 knot to Versailles , and advance thou more follower as they went .
Hear Tracy and Holly recount the dramatic events and aftermath of the march and protest onthis episodeof Stuff You Missed in History Class .
FAQs
While there were no official leaders , women from various backgrounds amount together to involve the release of metric grain stock at Versailles .
The Women ’s March on Versailles played a significant role in intensify the French Revolution and highlighting the economic disparities and rigourousness faced by the French population .
