jul 14, 1789 - Storming of the Bastille

Description:

- crowds of Parisians gathered, first seizing around 30,000 muskets from the Hôtel des Invalides
- they then marched to the Bastille, an old fortress-prison seen as a symbol of royal tyranny
- the crowd demanded gunpowder and ammunition stored inside
- negotiations between the crowd and the governor, Bernard-René de Launay, failed
- fighting broke out; after several hours, **the crowd stormed the fortress, killing the governor and several soldiers**
- **Prisoners were freed** (only **seven** in total, but symbolically important)

- **first violent act of the French Revolution**
- marked the **end of royal absolutism in practice**
- Symbolized the power of the people and the fall of oppression
- now they have **30,000 weapons** —> kind of like an army

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