In 1789, France was under Ancien Régime or the old regime, which was going through an economic and social crisis. Society was divided in estates: the clergy, the nobility and the third estate the most numerous but with the fewest personal rights. France was an absolute monarchy, with King Louis XVI in power. Due to the difficult economic situation, the peasants began riots, which, along with the aristocracy, prompted the king to convene the Estates-General on May 5, 1789. After weeks the riots, continued and increased in mid July when the king deployed troops around Paris and Versailles, became a revolt when the news about the dismissal of the finance minister Necker became known. The final outcome was an insurrection in Paris, on July 14, when the uprisen citizens, with the aim of arming themselves, carried out a series of attacks on institutions that possessed the necessary weapons. The biggest and most important institution taken, after a long conflict with the prison's defenders was the Bastille, an infamous prison that represents the king’s absolute power. After the fall of the Bastille, the king removed the troops, which marks the end of his rule. The occupation of the Bastille had repercussions in towns and villages, where riots against local authorities also took place. The fall of the Bastille marks the beginning of the French revolution, and its demolition marks the end of the old regime.