Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Bastille BBQ
Saint Camille
Today is Bastille Day and because it's a public holiday, we all went to a friends house for a BBQ. Well, why not take advantage of the sun. There was about 20 of us there, and of course the obligatory accordian player, or in this case players.
Fête Nationale Française is the day the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille on 14th July 1789, the start of the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy.
In essence the revolution started due the huge gap between rich and poor. The country was ruled by King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette who ignored the poor and starving masses as long as there was food on the banqueting tables. The country was nearly bankrupt and the bourgeoise had no political influence or power. Those that protested were imprisoned in the Bastille.
Marie Antoinette is reported to have said «Let them eat cake» when the peasants complained that there was no bread.
The masses banded together and stormed the Bastille prison. The storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against the oppression of the monarchy for all French citizens.
The revolution lead to the creation of the First Republic and the tricolore of blue, red, and white. Blue and red are the colours of Paris and white is the colour of royalty.
Bastille Day was declared the French national holiday on 6th July 1880 and in 1848 the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" was reinstated.
| 9:14:59 PM
Bastille BBQ
