Why was the fall of the Bastille important beyond the number of prisoners held there?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: It was a powerful symbol of royal oppression and arbitrary authority.
The Bastille was a fortress-prison in Paris, and only a small number of prisoners were released when it was captured on 14 July 1789. Its historical importance therefore cannot be measured simply by the number of inmates. The fortress represented the king’s arbitrary authority, because imprisonment there could be associated with royal orders rather than a transparent legal process. Its fall showed that ordinary people could challenge and defeat a visible instrument of absolutism. Option A captures this symbolic and political significance. The National Convention belonged to a later phase, so B is anachronistic. C and D have no historical connection with the Bastille.
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What is the correct answer to this question?
It was a powerful symbol of royal oppression and arbitrary authority.
Why is this the correct answer?
The Bastille was a fortress-prison in Paris, and only a small number of prisoners were released when it was captured on 14 July 1789. Its historical importance therefore cannot be measured simply by the number of inmates. The fortress represented the king’s arbitrary authority, because imprisonment there could be associated with royal orders rather than a transparent legal process. Its fall showed that ordinary people could challenge and defeat a visible instrument of absolutism. Option A captures this symbolic and political significance. The National Convention belonged to a later phase, so B is anachronistic. C and D have no historical connection with the Bastille.
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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