What did the Bastille symbolize for the people?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: The despotic power of the king
The correct answer is C. The Bastille was a fortress-prison in Paris, but its importance to revolutionaries was mainly symbolic. It represented the arbitrary and despotic authority of the Bourbon monarchy, because the king could use lettres de cachet to imprison people without an ordinary public trial. Its fall on 14 July 1789 therefore became a powerful sign that the people could challenge royal absolutism. The Bastille did not symbolize farming, cheap bread, or a constitution. Bread prices helped create popular anger, and constitutional change was a revolutionary goal, but neither was the prison's central symbolic meaning.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
The despotic power of the king
Why is this the correct answer?
The correct answer is C. The Bastille was a fortress-prison in Paris, but its importance to revolutionaries was mainly symbolic. It represented the arbitrary and despotic authority of the Bourbon monarchy, because the king could use lettres de cachet to imprison people without an ordinary public trial. Its fall on 14 July 1789 therefore became a powerful sign that the people could challenge royal absolutism. The Bastille did not symbolize farming, cheap bread, or a constitution. Bread prices helped create popular anger, and constitutional change was a revolutionary goal, but neither was the prison's central symbolic meaning.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 9 History question. Chapter: The French Revolution. Topic: The Outbreak of the Revolution.
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