Bastille Day

"Viva la France!"

France in the late 1780s was a country ruled by a corrupt aristocracy. The country was nearing bankruptcy, the poor had little to no food and the growing middle-class (bourgeoisie) felt powerless over the future of their country. Outraged, the a group of Parisians banned together on July 14, 1789, and stormed the Bastille prison, releasing the seven prisoners inside. On July 16, King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette recognized the revolutionaries, prior to fleeing to Versailles for refuge.

This march on the Bastille, a symbol of the hypocrisy and corruption of France's political system, marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The lasting significance of this event was the recognition that power was not held by the King or God, but by the people.

Bastille Day was proclaimed a French national holiday in 1880 and in 1848 the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was reinstated. An annual celebration of their independence, Bastille Day is generally celebrated with an impressive parade up the Champs Elysées, festivals, parties and fireworks.