It was on July 14, 1789, where a group of common people stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, marking a key moment in the French Revolution. The French National Day, celebrated on July 14th, marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, a key event in the French Revolution.
The Bastille was seen as a symbol of the king’s absolute power and the unfair treatment of the people, as it was used to imprison political opponents without a trial.
The storming demonstrated the people’s willingness to take drastic actions to fight for their rights and freedom, igniting widespread revolutionary fervor across France. The fall of the Bastille represented a victory for the commoners over the oppressive monarchy, encouraging more people to join the revolution and fight for change.
This event marked the beginning of a series of actions that would eventually lead to the end of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic in France. In essence, the storming of the Bastille was a powerful statement against tyranny and a call for liberty, equality, and justice, setting the stage for the French Revolution.
France Before Revolution
By the mid-18th century, this system, led by a failing monarchy, was in trouble. France’s revenues couldn’t keep up with its spending, especially on the military, and the heavy tax burden fell on the struggling peasantry.
In the 1770s and 1780s, crop failures and famines pushed the peasantry to the brink. By 1788, many could not even afford bread. Despite this, the monarchy and aristocracy lived in luxury, with King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette seen as symbols of the regime’s injustice.
The Revolution Begins
An armed force on July 14, 1789, mob marched to the Bastille, a fortress-prison symbolizing the monarchy’s oppression. The Bastille held political prisoners without trial. After failed negotiations, the governor of the Bastille, Bernard-René de Launay, ordered his troops to fire on the mob. The crowd, joined by mutinous soldiers, eventually overran the Bastille. De Launay was killed by the mob. This marked the start of the Revolution.
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