French revolution began in:

The correct answer is 1789.

The French Revolution was a watershed event in modern European history that began in 1789 and lasted until the late 1790s with the ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte. It was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France and its colonies that overturned the monarchy, established a republic, and culminated in a dictatorship under Napoleon. The revolution was fueled by Enlightenment ideals, particularly the concepts of popular sovereignty and inalienable rights.

The Spark: The Estates-General

By 1789, France was on the brink of bankruptcy due to its involvement in the American Revolution and years of poor harvests. King Louis XVI convened the Estates-General in May 1789 to address the financial crisis. This assembly was composed of three groups:

1. First Estate: The Clergy. 


2. Second Estate: The Nobility. 


3. Third Estate: The Commoners (representing 98% of the population)

When the Third Estate was outvoted by the first two, they broke away to form the National Assembly, swearing the "Tennis Court Oath" to not disperse until they had drafted a new constitution for France.

The Storming of the Bastille

The revolution moved from the halls of government to the streets of Paris on July 14, 1789. Fearing that the King was gathering the military to suppress the National Assembly, a mob of Parisians stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress and political prison that symbolized royal tyranny. This event is considered the flashpoint of the revolution and is celebrated today as France's national day (Bastille Day).

Declaration of the Rights of Man

In August 1789, the National Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. This document was a core statement of the values of the French Revolution, proclaiming that "men are born and remain free and equal in rights." It abolished the feudal system and traditional privileges of the nobility and clergy, effectively ending the Ancien Régime.

Timeline of Key Events (1789)

• May 5: Meeting of the Estates-General. 


• June 20: The Tennis Court Oath.


• July 14: Storming of the Bastille. 


• August 26: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. 


• October 5: The Women's March on Versailles, forcing the King to return to Paris. 

Long-term Impact

The events of 1789 triggered a decade of chaos, including the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the "Reign of Terror" under Robespierre, and eventually the rise of the French Empire. The revolution permanently altered the course of modern history by triggering the global decline of absolute monarchies and replacing them with republics and liberal democracies.

For students of history, 1789 remains one of the most significant years to remember, as it marks the birth of the modern French nation and the spread of the revolutionary slogan: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity).