Study for the HISET Social Studies Test. Access practice exams and detailed explanations to boost your confidence. Prepare effectively and succeed in your test!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


Which event marked the beginning of the French Revolution?

  1. Execution of Louis XVI

  2. Storming of the Bastille

  3. Establishment of the Directory

  4. Formation of the National Assembly

The correct answer is: Storming of the Bastille

The event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution is the storming of the Bastille. This pivotal moment occurred on July 14, 1789, when revolutionaries attacked the Bastille prison in Paris, seeking to seize weapons and ammunition. The Bastille was seen as a symbol of the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchy, and its fall represented the uprising against royal authority and the demand for liberty. This act ignited widespread revolutionary fervor across France and is often celebrated as a symbol of the people's fight against oppression. While other events, such as the execution of Louis XVI and the establishment of the Directory, played significant roles in the overall course of the Revolution, they occurred later in the timeline. The formation of the National Assembly was also crucial, as it represented the third estate's assertion of power, but the storming of the Bastille is widely recognized as the event that truly sparked the revolution.