Marleen Martinez

Mr.Dewaele
World History
7 June 2013
Firm Women in the French Revolution
On July 14, 1789 the citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille which was the first event of
the French Revolution. Although the storming of the Bastille was carried out by men, women
played a part. On October 5, Many women gathered and headed to the central marketplace of
Paris which lead to the Versailles.Versailles was really intense which had occurred during the
French Revolution. This was when the March to Versailles had occurred to gain bread and force
bread prices to lower down. Many people back then wasted most of their money to buy bread.
The price on the bread increased dramatically causing women to join a march. There was around
6,000 women armed with pitchforks, muskets, pikes, swords, and other weapons. When the
women reached to Versailles they demanded bread thru the gates. As the king saw what was
happening he quickly gave them what they wanted he ordered his people to take all the bread
back to Paris citizens.
Women were very important throughout the revolution because they stood up for their
rights without the need of a man. They join many clubs and went on strike when the price of
grain was ridiculously high. Even though many women thought they had no rights majority of
them still stood up for themselves and decided to do something about the occasion. According to
the article Women in the French Revolution states, Women had no voting rights and certainly
were not expected to enter into politics. However, as the political climate of the French
Revolution they had changed society, this women rocked the roles to which they were born.
(french.lovetoknow.com) What this article is trying to say is that back then women had no voting
rights they were not expected to be inform or even present when government issues were being
discussed. However throughout the time womens mentality changed and they no longer were
ignorant in the fill of Politics. Women notice they played an important role in the revolution.
Women took over the jobs that were left behind by many men who had join the French
Revolution.
Women no longer were stay home mothers since they had to work to gain money in order
to feed their children. Most women who didnt have any children at the time pursued an
education. Some famous women who decided to get an education were very successful. Among
the famous were those advocated by philosophers Jean Jacques Rousseau and the Marquis De
Condorcet. According to Kathy Bronsinks analysis she states, one particular woman, Olympe
de Gourges, argued in her Declaration of Rights of women that men and women are both born
free and therefore both should live equal in their rights(studymode.com). As seen women
slowly started to gain their right by expressing their feeling on paper and demanding equal
treatment for both men and women.
Another reason why women of France were important was because they would help out
men during the war. According to The French Revolution an article written by Calca she states,
Women during the revolution period had many roles including their political involvement,
donation of time to revolutionaries and contributions to ideologies(studymode.com). Women
would spend some their time to give donations to men and even took over some of the jobs that
were left behind by their loved ones. Calca states While doing their daily routines such as
hauling water or shopping many women shared ideas and beliefs, which soon led them to
participate in political and ceremonial functions. As mention before women took over the roles
of men they were not only hauling water but they would also communicate among themselves
sharing ideas and later on the ideas lead women to participate in ceremonial functions where they
share their political views. Women began to criticize societal attitudes and human institutions.
Many felt that if they were given the same opportunities to be educated, they would have the
same political positions in society as men (studymode.com). Women started to notice the
downfalls that were present in society. Majority of the women thought that maybe they might
have a chance to become educated and be seen and respected the same way as men. They
thought that if they achieve and where treated the same as men then they would stand equally to
men in society.
According to the Declaration of Rights of Women it affirms, The Declaration of the
Rights of Woman and Citizen became an important document in women's demands for political
rights in the nineteenth century, and Gouges herself became a feminist hero. (chnm.gmu.edu)
After all the hard work women achieve a Declaration of Rights of Woman and Citizen. The
Declaration was a very important document where women demanded political rights throughout
the nineteenth century. Gouges was one of the women who became a feminist hero back in the
French Revolution.
Even though the storming of Bastille was carried out from men women were able to
make a difference not only to themselves but for the future women. Now in days women are able
to study not only at home but outside in the world. They also have what they always wanted bes
liberty. Women had also won laws which protect their right to marriage. To conclude I believe
that women played an integral role in the French Revolution for this reasons.






Works Cited
www.pccua.edu/keough/march_to_versailles
www.faculty.gvsu/gillser/HST106.html
www.suunburst.usd.edu/~clehmann/HWB/hwb-r/womenrev.html
www.chnm.edu/revolution/chap5a.html
www.questia.com/library/history/european-history/france/17th-and-18th-century-france/women-
and-french_revolution
www.studymode.com/essays/Women-French-Revolution-102643.html
www.french.lovetoknow.com/Women_in_the_French_Revolution.
www.vmdgwst.blogspot.com/2012/12/Womens-roles-in-the-revolution.html
www.merithnation.com/discusses/question/2625712