Storming the Stronghold

Bastille Day:

“Is it a revolt?”“No, Sire, it is a revolution.”These were the words famously uttered by King Louis XVI on July 14th, 1789*.

This day is most widely known as Bastille Day due to the pillaging and burning of the royal prison by that name. It marks the beginning of the French Revolution.

French National Day

Bastille Day*Because we all know how accurate those quotes are...

What is a “bastille” anyway

● “Bastille” comes from the french word “bastide” which means “stronghold”

● The prison represented French royalty, which was a touchy subject at the time --○ King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

were running the country, and by that I mean running it into the ground.

Speaking of misquotes, “Let them eat cake…”?Not exactly.

The V.I.P. List

Marie Antoinette

Known as an indecisive and careless king, Louis

XVI was particularly unpopular in his fiscal

practices and support of the traditional monarchy,

without a constitution.

King Louis XVIBernard-René de

LaunayNotoriously vain, it is safe

to say that Marie Antoinette was hated by the majority of French

people. Her outrageous spending fueled her family’

s lavish lifestyle.

De Launay was the commandant of the

Bastille at the time of the revolt. He was intercepted and guillotined on the way

to his trial with the revolutionary council.

Pierre-Augustin Hulin

Hulin was a just young soldier before the revolt. He later received honors from the new council for speaking out and acting

against the monarchy during the revolt.

The Guillotine

● France reformed their government into a constitutional monarchy

● Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were eventually sentenced to death by guillotine

● This marked the beginning of a period of time called The Reign of Terror - totaling 2,400 sentenced to the guillotine between Sept. 1793 - Aug. 1794

Today, the July 14th uprising shows what banding together for a common goal can accomplish, just like the American Colonies’ decision to break away from England.

Take a look at one Delphian School student’s film submission for the 100 Days of Freedom Competition, sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Foundation in 2013.

Click to watch!