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Research Paper On The Storming Of The Bastille

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What was the Storming of the Bastille?
The Bastille was a medieval fortress located in the east of Paris. It was built in the 14th century to guard the entrance to Paris. It had eight towers linked with walls, all 100 feet high. A moat that was more than eighty feet wide surrounded the fortress. During the 17th and 18th century, the Bastille was used as a prison for those who were thought to doubt the government and its power. The Storming of Bastille took place on July 14, 1789. A large mob of Parisians, mainly consisting of craftsmen and salesmen, marched to the tower in search of weapons and prisoners. The crowd, however, did not impress the few guards on duty at that time. Some representatives of the mob were allowed to be let into the prison; the plan was to diminish some of their anger and waste time while the …show more content…

However, when the rescue team arrived, they joined the mob instead of defending the fortress from it. The guards soon gave up, letting the mob into the castle. The people of the mob killed the guards, allowing them to free the prisoners and steal the weapons held in the Bastille. There were not many prisoners being held during the Storming of Bastille; only seven were freed. On the night of the storming, 800 men began to destroy the castle. This was the first violent act of the French Revolution that would key many more acts of violence during this time. The Storming of Bastille signaled the beginning of the French Revolution, as well as the downfall of King Louis the sixteenth and Marie Antoinette . Two days after the storming, the National Assembly ordered the remains of the building to be burned. The people cheered as the prison walls crumbled. In France, July 14th is now known as a national holiday. Bastille Day honors this crucial event in French history, the holiday commemorates an

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