Episode 57 - Bastille Day

<p>The French Revolution is a watershed moment not just in the history of France, but for all of humanity. Old ideas of class, hierarchy, and the divine right of kings are being challenged. For the first time since the classical era, an urban proletariat is starting to demand its own voice in politics. But the Revolution doesn’t start that way.</p> <p>What begins as a financial crisis for the French government requires a legislative body to sign off on new taxes. This body, the Estates General, calls for additional reforms, which provokes a reactionary response from the conservative faction of the government, led by Louis XVI’s Austrian wife, Marie Antoinette. The public backlash goes beyond the Estates General, culminating in a series of street riots that end in one of history’s most iconic moments: the Storming of the Bastille. Dan’s interview with Ben Kitchings of The History Voyager podcast: <a href='https://open.spotify.com/episode/07xhGEgKsxnCdziyitLWBQ'>https://open.spotify.com/episode/07xhGEgKsxnCdziyitLWBQ</a></p> <p>What is the Third Estate? (Complete text): <a href='https://pages.uoregon.edu/dluebke/301ModernEurope/Sieyes3dEstate.pdf'>https://pages.uoregon.edu/dluebke/301ModernEurope/Sieyes3dEstate.pdf</a></p> <p>SUBSCRIBE TO RELEVANT HISTORY, AND NEVER MISS AN EPISODE!</p> <p>Relevant History Patreon: <a href='https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF'>https://bit.ly/3vLeSpF</a></p> <p>Subscribe on Spotify: <a href='https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo'>https://spoti.fi/38bzOvo</a></p> <p>Subscribe on Apple Music (iTunes): <a href='https://apple.co/2SQnw4q'>https://apple.co/2SQnw4q</a></p> <p>Subscribe on Google Music: <a href='https://bit.ly/30hUTRD'>https://bit.ly/30hUTRD</a></p> <p>Relevant History on Twitter: <a href='https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk'>https://bit.ly/3eRhdtk</a></p> <p>Relevant History on Facebook: <a href='https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm'>https://bit.ly/2Qk05mm</a></p> <p>Official website: <a href='https://bit.ly/3btvha4'>https://bit.ly/3btvha4</a></p> <p>Episode transcript (90% accurate): <a href='https://docs.google.com/docume