Today is the 234th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, a 14th century fort and political prison, by a crowd of 1000 Parisian laborers. The historic event marked the beginning of the French Revolution and the symbolic end of absolute monarchy in France. What followed was eight decades of political and social unrest as France and Europe as a whole struggled with the concept of nationalism. In France, the holiday is known as National Day. In the English-speaking world it is known as Bastille Day.
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| La Prise De La Bastille Pierre Houel (1735-1813) |
For more information about the event, the revolution it spawned, and its significance in national and world politics, visit this site posted by The Ohio State University.
For an expression of the patriotism this day represents, there is but one song and image:
We are reminded of the depth of the French nationalist struggle in the painting below by Eugene Delacroix depicting the July Revolution of 1830 or Second Revolution. A third revolution in France would follow in 1848. This event fueled political upheaval throughout Europe and forced several monarchies to grant reforms favoring the middle and working classes. Another generation would pass before the consitutional laws of 1875 would embody the full intent of liberty, equality, and fraternity for the people of France.
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| Liberty Leading the People Eugene Delacroix, 1830 |
Sources
Text:
The Anatomy of Revolution, Crane Brinton, Vantage, Revised edition, 1965
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