What was the Bastille?

The Bastille was a fortress and a state prison built in the 14th century to defend Paris against the English. By the French Revolution, it had become a symbol of oppression and tyranny.

Who were the 7 prisoners in the Bastille on 14 July 1789?

The 7 prisoners in the Bastille included 4 forgers, an Irish “lunatic”, a deviant young aristocrat imprisoned at the behest of his family, and a man who once conspired to kill King Louis XV.

What was the Storming of the Bastille?

The Storming of the Bastille was when a mob of angry French citizens and rebellious soldiers attacked the Bastille on 14 July 1789. The fortress capitulated after the revolutionaries aimed cannons at its gate.

Why did they storm the Bastille?

Rising bread prices, the concentration of foreign soldiers around Paris, and counter-revolutionary measures by the king, such as the dismissal of Jacques Necker, caused the people of Paris to riot. Searching for weapons and gunpowder led the mob to the Bastille.

Why was the Storming of the Bastille a turning point in French history?

The Storming of the Bastille marked one of the first instances of the French lower classes taking power into their own hands, while it was also the first act of bloodshed committed by French revolutionaries. The event was also significant in the downfall of the monarchy.

Storming of the Bastille Timeline

Definition

The Storming of the Bastille was a decisive moment in the early months of the French Revolution (1789-1799). On 14 July 1789, the Bastille, a fortress and political prison symbolizing the oppressiveness of France’s Ancien Régime was attacked by a crowd mainly consisting of sans-culottes, or lower classes. The anniversary is still celebrated in France as the country’s national holiday.

More about: Storming of the Bastille

Timeline

c. 1400
The fortress of the Bastille in Paris is converted into a state prison.
27 Jun 1789
France's three estates are reconciled into a unified National Assembly; the Estates-General concludes.
c. Jul 1789 - c. Nov 1789
The Bastille fortress, symbol of the tyranny of the French monarchy, is demolished.
9 Jul 1789
The National Assembly asks King Louis XVI of France to withdraw the troops concentrated around Paris. He refuses.
11 Jul 1789
Jacques Necker, popular Chief Minister of France, is fired from King Louis XVI's cabinet for a second time and ordered into exile.
12 Jul 1789 - 14 Jul 1789
The dismissal of Jacques Necker causes over 6,000 Parisians to take to the streets. They fight with soldiers, burn toll booths, and raid armories and gunsmiths for weapons.
14 Jul 1789
The Bastille in Paris is stormed.
16 Jul 1789
The Comte d'Artois, Louis XVI's brother, flees Versailles with other royalists after the Storming of the Bastille, becoming the first wave of emigres to flee the French Revolution.
14 Jul 1790
The Fete de la Federation is celebrated in France to mark the first anniversary of the fall of the Bastille; the first time 14 July is celebrated as a national holiday.

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