Panic That Shook France
The Great Fear swept the French countryside in late July and early August 1789, when rumors spread that aristocrats were plotting to crush the Revolution.[12] Terrified peasants and townspeople struck back, attacking manorial houses and other symbols of feudal power.[12] The panic helped force the August Decrees, which ended feudalism in France.[12][10]
Key Facts
Timing: It lasted about three weeks in the summer of 1789.[12]
Trigger: Rumors of aristocratic plots and violent retaliation spread fear across rural France.[12]
Action: Peasants and townspeople attacked manorial houses.[12]
Causes: Food shortages, unemployment, and broken communication after unrest in Paris made the panic worse.[12]
Odd theory: Some historians have even suggested ergot, a hallucinogenic fungus, may have played a role.[12]
Historical Context
The Great Fear grew out of a France already under strain from inequality, debt, and the breakdown of the Ancien Régime.[1][10] By 1789, anger at privilege and hardship was already pushing the French Revolution forward.[1][10]
Historical Significance
The panic mattered because it turned rural fear into political change.[12] By helping destroy feudal power, the Great Fear became one of the first major shocks of the French Revolution.[12][10]
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