The French Revolution
Open the interactive lesson
Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
The storming of the Bastille, watercolour by Jean-Pierre Houël, 1789 · Public domain · Source page
The story
On 14 July 1789 a Paris crowd stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress and prison, looking for gunpowder. It held only seven prisoners.
What happened next
Within four years France abolished its monarchy and executed King Louis XVI. The Revolution spread ideas of liberty and equality, but it also brought the Terror, when thousands were guillotined.
Remember
- 14 July is now France’s national holiday
- The metric system came out of the Revolution
- It ended with Napoleon taking power in 1799
Review question
How many prisoners were in the Bastille when it was stormed?
Answer: Seven. The crowd wanted the Bastille’s gunpowder. Freeing prisoners was not the main goal.
Image credits
- The storming of the Bastille, watercolour by Jean-Pierre Houël, 1789 · Public domain · Source page
