"Bastille Day": Le 14 juillet

Fête du 14 juillet : Fête nationale française.

 

 

Today is our National Day ( July 14th) which celebrates the French Revolution which ended up by the King’s death ( he was beheaded in 1793, 3 years after  ”Bastille Day”)

A stronghold called “Bastille” in Paris was used as a prison for political opponents to the kings. It was also a place where amunitions were kept so when the Parisian people got angry with the king, they invaded  the Bastille fortress to have enough amunitions for their upheaval!

 The Republic was proclaimed 3 years later! Then began another scary episode! Lots of people were beheaded and a dreadful machine called “the guillotine” ( =the gallows) was excessively used in public. The condemned people would come to specific places where the gallows were and full loads of innocent people were transported in horse-drawn carriages to be beheaded. Those Days were called ” Terror”.

BUT!  Those days also promoted the first  universal chart for HUMAN RIGHTS. Incredible!!, Terror and “La Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen, 1789″ : every human being had the same rights which did not depend on the right of birth, religion or social status as it was the case previously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen (August 1789)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nowadays, we are a little bit more peacable people!  We have fireworks and public dancing ( old-fashionned open air dances).

 Tonight, Paris will be illuminated by fireworks fired from the Eiffel Tower which is 120 years old  this year!

Affiche 14 juillet 2009: Mairie de Paris.