Charlie Macchia

10/9/17
Period 5
March on Versailles

Conditions continued to worsen for the common people of Versailles. Bread prices were skyrocketing
and unemployment was becoming common. On October 5, 1789, 70,000 women marched to the King’s
Palace demanding bread and damaging and destroying the palace. King Louis XVI’s response was to flee
Versailles, leaving the women in control of the city. In regard to the question if this was a step towards
democracy,I’d say yes. The reason is that the people were fighting against an inept, yet powerful, ruler
and they were taking the law into their own hands to create a better country for all people. The new
government that the people created was much more democratic and replaced the king’s rule with a
parliament-like political system.