science

Scale models of the Bastille

Scale models of the Bastille is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Scale models of the Bastille rather than just read about it. In short: Scale models of the Bastille were produced between 1789 and 1790 by the businessman Pierre-François Palloy using stones from the demolition of the Bastille, the building they portray. History Following the fall of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 Palloy decided to take charge of its demolition, gaining official authorisation to do so on 16 July and completing work on 21 May 1791.

Key takeaways

Scale models of the Bastille belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Scale models of the Bastille to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Scale models of the Bastille from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Scale models of the Bastille were produced between 1789 and 1790 by the businessman Pierre-François Palloy using stones from the demolition of the Bastille, the building they portray.

History Following the fall of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 Palloy decided to take charge of its demolition, gaining official authorisation to do so on 16 July and completing work on 21 May 1791. Stones from the former fortress were used on several building projects, notably Pont de la Concorde, but Palloy also converted salvaged stones and other materials into souvenirs, such as stone plaques made from stones from the dungeons, medals made from chains and so on, thus launching a fashion for representations of the fall. When the 83 départements were founded at the end of 1789 Palloy decided to make a scale model of the Bastille from its stones for each of the départements' capitals. He set up a studio dedicated to producing them, initially carved from the stones, then mass-produced by casting a mix of stone powder and mortar. He offered the scale models to the départements at the end of 1790, sending with them other products and an "apostle of Liberty" (an association set up by Palloy himself), who would give a speech when the gifts were handed over. Scale models were also offered to government ministers, to Louis XVI and to foreign dignitaries such as George Washington (his is still on display at Mount Vernon). The scale models were around 40 cm high, 100 cm wide and 60 cm deep and were presented to the public at patriotic festivals and contributed to turning the Bastille's fall into a republican myth and symbol of liberty.

Surviving examples

Surviving examples include :

Auch : Archives départementales du Gers Chartres : Musée des beaux-arts de Chartres Nancy : Musée lorrain (Palais des Ducs de Lorraine) Nantes : Musée Dobrée Pau : Archives départementales des Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Paris : musée Carnavalet Paris : Musée des Archives nationales Quimper : Musée départemental breton Le Puy-en-Velay : musée Crozatier Rouen : musée départemental des antiquités Tours : hôtel Goüin Tulle: garden of the museum cloister Valence : musée des beaux-arts Vannes : Archives départementales du Morbihan Versailles : salle du Jeu de paume Vizille : salle de l'été 1789, musée de la Révolution française Saint-Brieuc : musée d'art et d'histoire de Saint-Brieuc (not on display) Coutances : Musée Quesnel-Morinière

Bibliography (in French) Jean-Pierre Babelon, 'Les maquettes et les pierres de la Bastille. Récolement des souvenirs lapidaires provenant de l'activité du patriote Pallo', La Gazette des archives, 1965

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Scale models of the Bastille

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Scale models of the Bastille claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Scale models of the Bastille before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Scale models of the Bastille ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Scale models of the Bastille

In research: Scale models of the Bastille appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Scale models of the Bastille in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Scale models of the Bastille is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Bastille, Collection of the Musée Carnavalet, Scale modeling, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Scale models of the Bastille outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Scale models of the Bastille in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Scale models of the Bastille means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Scale models of the Bastille in simple terms?

Scale models of the Bastille were produced between 1789 and 1790 by the businessman Pierre-François Palloy using stones from the demolition of the Bastille, the building they portray. History Following the fall of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 Palloy decided to take charge of its demolition, gaining…

Why does Scale models of the Bastille matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Scale models of the Bastille?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Scale models of the Bastille.