In the news1789
Storming of the Bastille in 1789
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.
Paris, 13 Sep 1787 – 8th arrondissement of Paris, 30 Jan 1868
7 facts3 sources
13 Sep 1787
Born in Paris
15 Dec 1806
A son is born
30 Jan 1868
Dies in 8th arrondissement of Paris, aged 80
She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Paris.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
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.
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 news1783
King Louis XVI hosted the first successful human flight in a hot-air balloon at Versailles, lasting 25 minutes on November 21, 1783.
Music
Wind instruments dominated outdoor civic festivals
Wind instruments, especially the bassoon-serpent, were highly prized for outdoor festivities and civic celebrations because they were loud enough to be heard by large crowds. During the Revolution, the government promoted powerful patriotic hymns like La Marseillaise, often played by wind ensembles to help mobilize and unify citizens.
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
Long travel times across France
To cross France from Brest to Strasbourg, it took 20 to 30 days on foot or by a slow-moving carriage. Travelers using horse-drawn carriages that changed horses at relay stations could cover the same distance in half that time, though this was an exhausting effort.