World History

The Battle of Wandiwash (1760) was the decisive battle in the Carnatic Wars where the British under Sir Eyre Coote defeated the French under Comte de Lally, ending French colonial ambitions in India.

The middle class emerged as a new social group positioned between the nobility/upper class and the common people/lower class. This group typically included merchants, traders, and skilled professionals who gained economic power but weren't born into nobility.

Portuguese (1498); Dutch (1602); English (1599); French (1664)

Historical records confirm only 7 prisoners were in the Bastille when stormed on July 14, 1789: 4 forgers, 2 people held for lunacy, and 1 nobleman. The surprisingly small number disappointed the revolutionaries who expected many political prisoners.

Britain was the common enemy that both the American colonies and France opposed during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). France allied with the colonies against Britain, providing crucial military and financial support that helped secure American independence.

Long years of war drained France's treasury, including the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) and France's support for the American Revolution. These conflicts cost billions and left Louis XVI inheriting an empty treasury and massive debt burden.

The Third Estate (commoners - peasants, workers, bourgeoisie) paid almost all taxes in pre-revolutionary France. The First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) were largely exempt from taxation, creating severe inequality.

French society was divided into three estates under the Ancien Régime: First Estate (clergy), Second Estate (nobility), and Third Estate (commoners). This structure determined political power and tax obligations.

The Second Estate consisted of the nobility in French society. The First Estate was the clergy, while the Third Estate comprised commoners including peasants, merchants, and artisans.

Louis XIV of France famously declared 'L'État, c'est moi' (I am the state), embodying the principle of absolute monarchy where the ruler's will was law. He ruled for 72 years and centralized all power in himself. Louis XVI was overthrown in the French Revolution, Napoleon was a military emperor, and Caesar was ancient Roman.

King John of England was forced to sign Magna Carta (Great Charter) in 1215 by rebellious barons at Runnymede. This document limited royal power and established principles like due process. Henry II and VIII came later, and William II (William Rufus) ruled before John. Magna Carta influenced constitutionalism worldwide.

This is the correct answer.

The French Revolution began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, marking the end of absolute monarchy and the rise of democracy and republicanism. This event profoundly impacted political systems worldwide and became a symbol of popular uprising against oppression.

The Fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, is considered the seminal event that sparked the French Revolution. The storming of this prison-fortress symbolized the end of royal tyranny.