Home > Storming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 was an important development in, and later a symbol of, the French Revolution. Though at the time the Bastille contained only seven prisoners, its taking marked the beginning of open rebellion against the king. The anniversary of the event is still celebrated as Bastille Day, France's national holiday.
1 Background
During the reign of king Louis XVI, France was forced to confront a major financial crisis which had been brewing for decades. On May 5, 1789, the Estates-General of 1789 convened to deal with this issue, but was held back by archaic protocols and the conservatism of the Second Estate. On June 17, 1789, the representatives of the Third Estate reconstituted themselves as the National Assembly, a body whose purpose was the creation of a French constitution. The king initially opposed this development, but was forced to acknowledge the authority of the assembly, which subsequently renamed itself the National Constituent AssemblyThe National Constituent Assembly ( French: Assemblee nationale constituante was formed from the National Assembly on July 9, 1789, during the first stages of the French Revolution. Background The Estates-General of 1789, which convened on May 5, had reac on July 9July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. Events 455 Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed emperor of the western Roman Empire. 1357 5:31 AM Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor assiste.
ParisEiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris throughout the world. Paris is the capital and largest city of France. The city is built on an arc of the River Seine, and is thus divided into two parts: the Right Bank to the north and the smaller Left Bank to, close to insurrection, and, in François MignetFrancois Auguste Alexis Mignet ( May 8, 1796 March 24, 1884) was a French historian. He was born at Aix in Provence. His father was a locksmith from the Vendee, who enthusiastically accepted the principles of the French Revolution and encouraged liberal i's words, "intoxicated with liberty and enthusiasm," unanimously expressed its support for the Assembly [1]. The press published the Assembly's debates; political debate spread beyond the Assembly itself into the public squares and halls of the capital. The Palais Royal and its grounds became the site of a continuous meeting. The crowd, on the authority of the meeting at the Palais Royal, broke open the prisons of the Abbaye to release some grenadiers of the French guards, imprisoned for refusing to fire on the people. The Assembly recommended them to the clemency of the king; they returned to prison, and received pardon. Their regiment now leaned toward the popular cause.
