Western Civilization II / Unit 7 WC2 0606 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Election of 1789, the Cahiers, and the Price of Bread
Captions available
The idea
The spring election of seventeen eighty-nine was surprisingly democratic, most adult men voting, and each estate drew up lists of grievances, the cahiers, the standard term: noble burdens, representation, hopes of royal help. Bread prices soared after the bad harvests of eighty-seven and eighty-eight.
In practice
The witness: Paris near riot over bread in October.
Where people slip
Hunger and hope arrived together.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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