In the news1783
First human flight in 1783
King Louis XVI hosted the first successful human flight in a hot-air balloon at Versailles, lasting 25 minutes on November 21, 1783.
Versailles, 22 Oct 1781 – Château de Meudon, 4 Jun 1789
8 facts3 sources
22 Oct 1781
Born in Versailles
4 Jun 1789
Dies in Château de Meudon, aged 7
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1783
King Louis XVI hosted the first successful human flight in a hot-air balloon at Versailles, lasting 25 minutes on November 21, 1783.
What people wore
Commoners often went barefoot and wore secondhand
Ordinary rural people in France often went barefoot during the warmer seasons and relied heavily on secondhand clothing, as buying new outfits was exceptional.
Daily life
Simple peasant housing
Most peasant homes were single-room structures built of mud with thatched roofs, lacking ceilings and window glass.
In the news1789
On July 14, 1789, Parisian citizens stormed the Bastille prison, a pivotal event that signaled the start of the French Revolution and the collapse of royal authority.
Music
Popular dances included minuet and contredanse
The minuet and the contredanse were the two most popular dances, with the latter being a favorite figure dance involving four couples. People frequently organized and enjoyed balls in the provinces during this period.
In Europe1772–1795
Russia, Prussia and Austria divided Poland among themselves in three steps until, in 1795, it vanished from the map for 123 years.
Getting around
Dangerous conditions on poorly maintained roads
Travelers in carriages sometimes had to pay local peasants to walk alongside and support the carriage to prevent it from tipping over on flooded or muddy roads. In severe weather, travelers were occasionally forced to wait for days in miserable inns until conditions improved.