What’s All The Hype About Bastille Day?


If you’ve spent any time at all on social media today, you’ve probably seen people posting about Bastille Day and thought “What’s with all the hype?” In America, Bastille Day is just another day, but in France, it’s like an Independence Day bash.

Bastille Day is celebrated every year on July 14, in homage of a very important event during the French Revolution: the Storming of the Bastille, one of the most monumental events in French history. This movement took place at the very beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, and it soon became a symbol of freedom from monarchical oppressions of the common man.

The Bastille was a royal prison, heavily guarded and run by the infamous Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the King and Queen of France at the time. The people hated both of them — and the aristocracy, who treated the lower class like dirt beneath their feet.

In reaction to the oppression, the people formed a mighty mob of more than 300, who rushed the prison. In the process, 100 of the revolutionaries were either killed or wounded by the prison guards. However, the movement was ultimately successful, marking the beginning of the end of the ancien regime, or the ancient regime, referring to the aristocratic oppression.

What followed was one of the world’s goriest revolutions in history, in which the citizens murdered thousands of aristocrats and took over the leadership of the country. Though many lives were lost, the revolution is ultimately revered as a positive step for the country today.

Now, Bastille Day is celebrated with fireworks, parades, and entertainment. Perhaps the most anticipated part of the celebration is the parade in Paris. It generally features three different anti-terror squads marching down Champs-Elysees to honor the troops involved in the Charlie Hebdo massacre.

This year, the parade was opened by Malian Troops, including troops from three African countries, all of which helped in the war against Islamist terrorists in Mali. Their participation in the parade is a generous thank you to France.

There is also a tradition, dating back to 1937, of a fireman’s ball, which raises money for charity. This ball features music, dancing, and a show of fireman and law officials on stage.

There will also be fireworks surrounding the Eiffel Tower. It’s an incredible site that puts some of our Independence Day firework shows to shame.

Perhaps most important to understand about Bastille Day is that it’s celebrated all over the world. Some of the largest celebrations in America that commemorate Bastille Day take place in New Orleans and New York City. The president of Mexico was also seen in attendance at the Paris celebrations this year.

The next time you see Bastille Day mentioned on the news or social media, you’ll understand all the hype.

[Image via Wikipedia]

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