Friday Thought - July 17, 2009
Alex in the gardens of Versailles, another pivotal location in the French Revolution
Though I neglected forgot to tweet about it three days ago, July 14 was a major holiday in France: Bastille Day. I know this because I have French roots and because I’ve studied the language and culture for the past decade.
The late 1700s was an incredibly mobile time in the country’s history: the populace was enraged by many different factors (notably the overarching and highly-indulgent royals), the system of government was rapidly changing, and grief was at an all-time high. It ended in a tremendous amount of bloodshed and political turmoil that has trickled down to modern times, the most recent government shift occurring with the start of the Fifth Republic in 1958. Now the French remember the glory of the Republic by commemorating this anniversary as the national holiday (akin to the American Fourth of July).
But why is it called “Bastille Day”? Simply, the Bastille was a prison located in the heart of Paris, France. The citizens were angered by the way royalty imprisoned others with dissenting opinions, so they stormed the fortress, fought the guards, and essentially took it back from the royals. It wasn’t demolished until several months later, but the scars on the building showed the sheer power of the people and helped democracy to rise up in the nation.
Though I’m three days late (mon dieu!), I don’t think anyone will hold it against me if I celebrate with a sip of Chablis and a nibble of baguette this evening. Why, I might even go so far to make a fresh batch of crepes for breakfast tomorrow.
Bon appétit, indeed.
Did you celebrate Bastille Day on Tuesday? Tell us about your party and what sort of French delicacies you served!
