The 18th century was coming to an end, and with it the unjust system that dominated the French. It was during this time, ironically, after the French helped the Americans gain their independence and King Louis overspending, that the country was suffering unprecedented hunger. The government did not listen to its people’s plea for help, and kept imposing heavy taxes. It was a system where the rich kept getting richer whilst the poor suffered diseases and hunger.
The gap between the poor and the rich kept growing, until its breaking point July 14, 1789 when the French people declared they wanted a new system to replace the ancient regime. They declared this when they decided to take the Bastille fortress in an attempt to take the government’s ammunition and gunpowder. After, the “wave of revolutionary fervor and widespread hysteria quickly swept the countryside. Revolting against years of exploitation, peasants looted and burned the homes of tax collectors, landlords and the seigniorial