The Storming of the Bastille

Paper Summary:

On July 14th 1789, Parisian crowds initiated a new chapter in French history, when they successfully stormed the historic Bastille. France had been governed by a monarchy for centuries - what could have provoked such anger and courage? Was this just a mob of low-class people running amuck? This paper uses historical evidence to show that these were ordinary Parisians, many of them women, who were provoked by unbearable conditions into taking action to try and improve their lot.

From the Paper:

"The storming of the Bastille was an important and dramatic event in the unfolding of the French Revolution in the late 18th century. Because of this, it has attracted a lot of interest from historians and government officials. For centuries, these interested parties have believed that the people who stormed the Bastille were merely low criminals, not ordinary, respectable Parisian men and women, such as women who were wives and mothers, and also the primary marketers for their families. For example, records compiled in the 18th century by French police refer to the revolutionary crowds as "the scum of the people." "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Wiesner, Merry E. Discovering the Western Past: A Look at the Evidence. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.

More papers on The Storming of the Bastille:

• Cause and Effect Essay # 147722 : "The French Revolution: The Events that formed a Republic"
• Term Paper # 131563 : "Attackon the Bastille"
• Book Review # 27891 : "Threshold of Terror"

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