Why do French people celebrate Bastille Day?

Answer 1

The Bastille was a prison over 400 year old in Paris that housed general prisoners, political dissenters and also victims of the King's penal lettres du cachet (arrest and imprisonment without any benefit of trial or appeal). It had a notorious reputation for holding the latter two categories of prisoners and was seen as representing the oppression and abuse of privilege by the King and the nobility of France.

Its storming by Parisian demonstrators on July 14, 1789 is considered one of the actions that initiated and influenced the actions that occurred during the French Revolution.

It eventually led to the abolition of monarchy and the founding of the French Republic, which is why the French Republic celebrates its anniversary as a national holiday every year on July 14, regardless of the day of the week.

Answer 2

Bastille Day commemorates the two events without which there would be no French Republic, and is as such the national day of France.

The first event was the storming of the Bastille jail on July 14, 1789, which historically marks the beginning of the French Revolution.

The second event was the Fête de la Fédération, a more constructive celebration of the union (federation) of the French people against monarchy and toward the founding of the French Republic. This event was attended in Paris by several hundred thousand people and by the deputies of all 85 French departments.

It started on July 14, 1790, on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, and lasted for several days.

The French Republic was later founded on September 21, 1792, but July 14 was deemed a more important date because of its signification.

Note that the French do not celebrate a "Bastille" day, which is a name used by English speakers only, they celebrate the Fête Nationale (national day), known as such since its promulgation by law in 1880, more simply known as le quatorze juillet(the fourteenth of July.)

Answer 3

France's national day is called Bastille Day in English because it celebrates the storming of the Bastille jail on July 14, 1789 by the Parisians during the French Revolution, which eventually led to the abolition of monarchy and the establishment of the French Republic, which is still the current regime.

In French, this national day is known simply as "le quatorze juillet" (the fourteenth of July) or in calendars as "la fête nationale" (the national feast/fair).

Answer 4

Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14th. It commemorates the change in regimes in France. The destruction of the Bastille Prison marked the change to democracy in France.