What is Bastille Day?

Bastille Day is the French national holiday which is celebrated on 14 July each year. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

At one time in France, kings and queens ruled. Many people were very angry with the decisions made by the kings and queens.

What was Bastille?

The Bastille was a prison in France that the kings and queens often used to lock up the people that did not agree with their decisions.

Why was the Bastille prison attacked by the French people?

To many people, the prison was a symbol of all the bad things done by the kings and queens, so the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty (freedom) and the fight against oppression for all French citizens

The French Revolution and the End of the Monarchy

The storming of the Bastille was the beginning of the French Revolution. Like the American Revolution, the French Revolution brought great changes. Kings and queens no longer rule France. The people rule themselves and make their own decisions.

On 21 September 1792 France became a republic.