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The storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789 occured because the people felt the need to arm themselves and arms were stored up at the Bastille. During the reign of Louis XVI, France faced a major financial crisis, triggered by the cost of intervening in the American War of Independence, and exacerbated by an unequal system of taxation. On 5 May 1789, the Estates-General of 1789 convened to deal with this issue, but was held back by archaic protocols and the conservatism of the Second Estate. On 17 June 1789, the Third Estate, with its representatives drawn from the middle class, or bourgeoisie, reconstituted themselves as the National Assembly, a body whose purpose was the creation of a French constitution. The king initially opposed this development, but was forced to acknowledge the authority of the assembly, which subsequently renamed itself the National Constituent Assembly on 9 July. Paris, close to insurrection, and, in François Mignet's words, "intoxicated with liberty and enthusiasm, showed wide support for the Assembly. On 11 July 1789, with troops at Versailles, Sèvres, the Champ de Mars, and Saint-Denis, Louis XVI, acting under the influence of the conservative nobles of his privy council, dismissed and banished his finance minister, Jacques Necker, who had been sympathetic to the Third Estate, and completely reconstructed the ministry. News of Necker's dismissal reached Paris in the afternoon of Sunday, 12 July. The Parisians generally presumed that the dismissal marked the start of a coup by conservative elements. Liberal Parisians were further enraged by the fear that a concentration of Royal troops brought to Versailles from frontier garrisons would attempt to shut down the National Constituent Assembly, which was meeting in Versailles. Crowds gathered throughout Paris, including more than ten thousand at the Palais-Royal.

Camille Desmoulins, a known freemason from the lodge of the Nine Sisters, successfully rallied the crowd by "mounting a table, pistol in hand, exclaiming: 'Citizens, there is no time to lose; the dismissal of Necker is the knell of a Saint Bartholomew for patriots! This very night all the Swiss and German battalions will leave the Champ de Mars to massacre us all; one resource is left; to take arms!' The demonstrators had earlier stormed the Hôtel des Invalides to gather arms (29,000 to 32,000 muskets, but without powder or shot), and were mainly seeking to acquire the large quantities of arms and ammunition stored at the Bastille - on the 14th there were over 13,600 kg (30,000 lb) of gunpowder stored there. At this point, the Bastille was nearly empty of prisoners, housing only seven inmates: four forgers, two "lunatics" and one "deviant" aristocrat. The governor of the Bastille prison was monsieur De Launay. Ninety-eight attackers and one defender had died in the actual fighting. De Launay was seized and dragged towards the Hôtel de Ville in a storm of abuse. Outside the Hôtel a discussion as to his fate began. The badly beaten de Launay shouted "Enough! Let me die!" and kicked a pastry cook named Dulait in the groin. De Launay was then stabbed repeatedly and fell, and his head was sawed off and fixed on a pike to be carried through the streets

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What is the name of a famous french festival that takes plae every year?

One famous French festival that takes place every year is Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14th. This national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, a key event in the French Revolution. The day is marked by fireworks, parades, and various festivities across the country, with the largest celebration occurring in Paris.


What are facts about Bastille?

Louis XIII first used it as a State Prison.The Key to the Bastille was presented to George Washington in 1790.It was built by Charles V between 1370 and 1383.Voltaire was once a prisoner at the Bastille.The Marquis de Sade was a former prisoner of the Bastille.It was formally known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine.The Governor who surrendered the Bastille and was later lynched was born at the Bastille.It was built for the defense of Paris during the Hundred Years' War.It consisted of eight towers connected by a terrace.King Louis XIII placed the first prisoners there.Voltaire was a guest there for 11 months.It had a prisoner capacity of 50 but held only 7 when stormed.The Key to the Bastille is on display at Mount Vernon in Virginia.Voltaire and Marquis de Sade had both been prisoners there.


Does Oprah have a home on Venice Fla?

Yes. But it's not near key west, it's in key west. She lives on a small island called sunset key. She also has houses in three other places!


What is the main source of light in a scene shot in the three-point lighting system?

Key light


What are south Africa's three key resources?

Chicken, Grape Kool-aid and AK-47s Mango, Oranges.

Related Questions

What were 5 key events of the French Revolution?

guillotine liberty cap ...nothing else i can think of...


Who got the key to the Bastille?

The "main key" to the Bastille was sent by Lafayette to George Washington on 17 March 1790 and is on exhibit at Washington's home at Mount Vernon. Claims that this key was to the west portal of the Bastille need original documentation.


What are three key ideas to include in the summary of the meeting of the estates general?

What are the three key ideas in the meeting of the estates general?" what was the problem in the estates. what was the problem in the estates.


What memento from the Bastille prison of Paris is found in the US today?

The "main key" to the Bastille, gifted by Lafayette to George Washington, is on display in Mount Vernon, Virginia. A brother key is on display at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in nearby Alexandria, Virginia. Several other keys are in private hands in the United States, while dozens of Bastille keys reside in Paris museums. For more information about the Bastille's keys, check out the book "George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key — the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul."


What are facts about the Bastille?

1. It was an armory. 2. It was a prison. 3. The storming of the Bastille started the French Revolution because the peasants seized the weapons stored in the Bastille and became an army and not just a mob.


Where is the key to the Bastille prison of Paris on display?

Lafayette gifted the Bastille's "main key" to George Washington. It is on display at Mount Vernon, Virginia. A brother key is on display at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. Dozens of other brother keys are on display in Paris museums. Still another key is displayed at Madam Tussaud's in London. For more information about the Bastille keys, check out the book "George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key — the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul."


What are three key ideas found in the English bill of rights?

Accomplishment, effort and hard work matinence


What are key ideas?

Key Ideas:Key ideas is something that is helpful to you for finding your situation(Puzzle).In short words something that helped you.


What does key ideas mean?

The main ideas or themes. Imagine the subject is a tree. The key ideas is the trunk. The secondary ideas or themes would be the branches that come off the key ideas. All of those secondary ideas originally come from the key ideas.


What is An Answer Key?

a answer key is something you are gonna write on a sheet of paper and put your ideas there then you put those ideas on a paragraph


Who presented the key from the Bastille Prison in Paris to Washington?

The Marquis de Lafayette gifted the Bastille's main key to George Washington. In doing so, Lafayette gave it to Thomas Paine, who entrusted it to John Rutledge, Jr, to carry it across the Atlantic and to present it to George Washington at the Presidential Mansion, then in Manhattan, New York City, New York. For the history of the transmittal (and more about the key), check out the book "George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key — the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul."


How many key ideas should the specific purpose of the message include?

The specific purpose of a message should ideally include one key idea to ensure clarity and focus. However, if necessary, it could include up to three key ideas to convey depth and detail while still maintaining coherence.