On the afternoon of July 14, 1789 a group of over a thousand Parisians, consisting of people within all social classes, but mostly made up of artisans, wage-earners, and tradesmen arrived at the Bastille. , Legend claims that this riled group of Parisians attacked the Bastille with the sole aim of rescuing prisoners only to find that there were, in fact, only seven prisoners there, and that the Bastille was actually a discreet prison reserved for people of influence and power, which they themselves were not. In actuality, the group of Parisian insurgents arrived at the Bastille only demanding that the governor relinquish the arms and ammunition kept there. That morning, the same group had claimed all the weapons they could acquire in the Invalides hospital. For the most part, this group of Parsians was staging what they considered a defensive maneuver against the royal troops and cannons that they perceived were threatening them and their city. Had the governor prepared enough provisions the Bastille’s high walls and wide mote would have easily kept it safe from attacks. However, after one of the insurgents was permitted inside to converse and make agreements with the governor and the drawbridge was eventually let down for the crowd outside, the defenders of the Bastille were ordered to fire making the Parisians fear they had fallen into a trap and quickly retaliate. Throughout the mostly unequal battle the crowd demanded that the second drawbridge be let down, and amid the confusion and despite warnings the governor de Launey acquiesced and the crowd rushed in.
The invasion of the Bastille actually had a few other causes apart from defense and acquiring weaponry. For one, the public was facing a shortage of food s...
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11. "The French Revolution | The National Archives." The National Archives. Extract from a confidential report from the British Ambassador, 30th July 1789 (FO 27/2). http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lesson36.htm (accessed February 6, 2012).
12. "The face of a 1789 Live Free of Die medal (commemorating the Fall of the Bastille)." Vern McCrea, napoleonicmedals.com. American Social History Productions. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media . http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/1150/ (accessed February 6, 2012).
13. de Bailly, Jean Sylvain. "The Mayor of Paris on the Taking of the Bastille." Mémoires de Bailly, avec une notice sur sa vie, des notes et des éclaircissements historiques, vol. 1 (Paris: Baudouin frères, 1882) 338–341. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media . http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/304/ (accessed February 6, 2012).
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
The declaration of the Terror was a direct result of the growing discontent and ravenous violence that had been occurring since 1789. Revolution could have occurred in an orderly member as it was obvious that Louis XVI was a weak leader but the French citizens set the tone early on with the Storming of the Bastille. This event shows that the French were inclined to achieve their desires through violence and not negotiations. The Bastille was attacked as a response to Louis’ addition of troops in Paris and the fear that they would be attacked. Munitions were transferred to the poorly guarded Bastille just a few days before the attack. A mob descended upon the Bastille on July 14 of 1789. The Governor of the prison Launay tried to reassure that
...oppressor of the French people, the restoration of France’s credibility after the turmoil of the Revolution cannot simply be ignored. An ambitious and determined leader from the beginning, this “Second-Class Frenchmen” proved to be an indispensable Hero of European History. Always desiring the best for himself and his country, Napoleon’s drive and thirst to prove himself gave him the motivation to set big goals and to accomplish them. Although consistently faced with threats and attacks from his enemies, Napoleon persevered with courage, always summoning the strength to fight back. Many of the reforms made during Napoleon’s rule continued the enforcing of equality in France that were so desired during the French Revolution. A staple of historical discussion and debate, the Not-So-Little Corporal will forever continue to be recognized as an icon of France’s history.
Ed. John Hardman. French Revolution Documents 1792–95, vol. 2. “Père Duchesne, no. 313”. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1973.
The Bastille incident set off revolts all over France and Louis was soon deposed afterwards.A democratic goverment was setup in place of the old monarcy.
“A leading cause of social stress in France during the Revolution was its large population… 90 percent of the peasants lived at or below the subsistence level, earning only enough to feed their families… Many impoverished peasants blamed the tensions between the rich and poor on the country’s vast social differences” (Exploring the Revolution, 2001). To understand the difference between the importance of the Tennis Court Oath and the storming of the Bastille for the course of the Revolution, the proceedings beforehand prior to these events must be understood. Unrest was building between the rich and poor in the late 17th century and something needed to be done to help the poor peasants in the countryside. The importance key events: The Tennis
Sutherland, Donald M.G. The French Revolution and Empire: the quest for a civic order. Oxford, UK. Malden, MA: Blackwell. 2003. 40-43. Print.
The storming of the Bastille in July of 1789, led to a series of events t...
Later on that day, a delegation was invited into the prison by the Governor of the Bastille, Bernard de Launay. DeLaunay then invited the delegation to lunch with him. When they did not return the mob became angry, fearing that they had been detained. A second delegation was sent forth. These soon came out again with the message that the Governor had adamantly refused to surrender. The delegates also had the information that the cannon were unloaded. This piece of news was all that the mob needed to urge them on. "...But the fury of the crowd continued to increase and their blind wrath did not spare de Launay's escort...Exhausted by his efforts to defend his prisoner...he had to seperate from M. de Launay...Hardly had he sat down when, looking after the procession, he saw the head of M. de Launay stuck on the point of a pike...The people, fearing that their victim might be snatched away from them, hastened to cut his throat on the steps of the Hotel de Ville..."
Drastic overspending by the government of King Louis XVI left the treasury depleted of funds, and with little revenue coming in from taxes, France was experiencing the beginnings of a revolution. With the Se...
c. The invasion of the Bastille showed that the rioters would not be denied change.
of the Bastille was merely a hole in the dike, and more would follow. The
This is a twenty-six by forty-eight centimeter plan of the Champ de Mars during the Exposition Universelle of 1889, used by visitors at the time of the fair, a bold political statement on the part of France, as well as an overwhelming success. The Third Republic was established in Paris in 1870, and by 1884, when preliminary studies for the the Exposition Universelle were launched, many political issues were still largely unresolved. In 1870 Napoleon III surrendered at the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War. Two days after the defeat Republicans proclaimed the advent of the Third Republic. The Franco-Prussian war ended with Paris's capitulation in 1871. A group of Parisians found Prussia's terms humiliating and wanted to keep fighting. Later dubbed the Communards, they established a dictatorship in Paris known as the Central Committee of the National Guard, later renamed La Commune. However, before La Commune could put its principles into effect, The National Assembly sent troops into Paris to eradicate the uprising. Even with the elimination of La Commune, there was great dissention within the government. There were conflicts between and within the Left and Right movements. An economic depression began in France in 1873 and worsened into the 1880s, affecting agriculture, industry, and small-scale trade. Citizen unrest was clearly evident in the popularity of General Georges Boulanger, who promised a reform, if not revolution, of the existing government.. In 1888, when Boulanger was at the height of his political esteem, the threat of governmental crisis was very palpable.
...ville, Alexis. The Old Regime and the Revolution, Volume II: Notes on the French Revolution and Napoleon. Vol. 2. University of Chicago Press, 2001.
Violence is an inherent part of human nature, the minute we picked up sticks and stones they were fashioned into weapons. In progressive society one could claim there is no need for violence, but in the case of the French Revolution, when voices were ignored and people were oppressed, violence was a necessary move for a greater future. Before the revolution, France was still governed by a dated monarchy, comprised of three rigid social classes called Estates. With ensuing poverty and political strife, the people required change. However it could be argued that it may well have been taken too far, especially when considering the extensive violence. To understand the Third’s adoption of violence as a form of political action, it is important