What happened in the first Bastille Day?

Answer 1

Bastille Day takes its origin from July 14, 1790, exactly one year after the storming of the Bastille, which was the first day of the Fête de la Fédération, the celebration of the union of the French people against monarchy and toward the founding of the first French Republic.

According to the records, several hundred thousand people from all over France, including the deputies from all the then 85 French departments, attended the festivities that lasted for several days on the Champ de Mars, where the Eiffel Tower is now located.

The current Bastille Day, or Fête Nationale in French, was founded by law in 1880 and has been held since then on July 14 every year, regardless of the day of the week.

Answer 2

The first 'Bastille Day' was held on the July 14, 1790, on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Revolutionaries held a gigantic meeting on the Champ de Mars (where is now the Eiffel tower) with an attendance of several hundred thousand people, including all deputies from the then 85 French departments. It was called 'la Fête de la Fédération' and lasted several days.

Its purpose was to celebrate the union (hence "federation") of the French people rallying against absolute monarchy (and towards the founding of the first French Republic, although it was not clear at that point of time) more than to celebrate the storming of the Bastille itself.

The storming by the Parisians on July 14, 1789 of the Bastille fortress to find gunpowder marks the beginning of the historical period of the French Revolution. The fact that (seven) prisoners were set free was used by revolutionary Propaganda, as the nation rising against absolutism. The French Revolution eventually led to the abolition of monarchy and the creation of the French Republic.

Since then, the 14th of July, known simply as le 14 juillet, or la Fête nationale since its formal establishment by law in 1880, is celebrated every year on that day, regardless of the day of the week. Nearly every French person will tell you that the 14th of July was established in regard of 1789, but this is strangely not exact; the 1880 law states that the national day will be held each year to mark the anniversary of the "fête de la Fédération" (see paragraphs 1 & 2 above) held in 1790, and not the storming of the Bastille itself.