Economic Distress

Poor harvests, price volatility, and unemployment led to a strain on France's food supply and contributed to the economic distress that sparked the Great Fear

Social Tensions

Increase in Vagrancy

The rise in vagrancy, coupled with social tensions, stoked fears among property owners and contributed to the atmosphere of distrust and rebellion

Rumors of a "Famine Plot"

Rumors that the monarchy and nobility were deliberately withholding grain to starve the common people intensified the sense of injustice felt by the Third Estate and contributed to the Great Fear

Political Factors

The political maneuvers of the Estates-General and the military build-up around Paris also fueled the rumors and tensions that led to the Great Fear

Storming of the Bastille

The Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, symbolized the defiance of the Parisian populace against the monarchy's authority and had a profound impact on the rural population

Peasant Revolts

Attacks on Manor Houses

In areas suffering from acute food shortages, peasants initiated rebellions against local symbols of feudal privilege, such as attacks on manor houses

Destruction of Feudal Documents

Peasants demanded fairer prices and the abolition of feudal dues, leading to the destruction of feudal documents that codified their obligations to the nobility

Formation of the Bourgeois Militia

The formation of the Bourgeois Militia, which evolved into the National Guard, represented the first widespread mobilization of citizens for defense and public order during the Great Fear

Weakening of Traditional Power Structures

The Great Fear exposed the deep-seated discontent among the peasantry and weakened the traditional power structures, paving the way for the radical transformations of the French Revolution

August Decrees

The events during the Great Fear forced the aristocracy to confront their precarious position and led to the August Decrees, where feudal rights and privileges were renounced