The Great Fear

The Great Fear was a period during the French Revolution in 1789 when widespread panic and rumors of foreign invasion and aristocratic plots spread through rural France. This unrest led peasants to fear losing their land and rights, fueling their efforts to attack noble estates and destroy feudal records. It was fueled by economic hardship, war, and political uncertainty, causing a surge of revolutionary zeal among common people. The Great Fear significantly accelerated the abolition of feudal privileges and played a key role in shaping revolutionary change by empowering peasants to challenge traditional authority.