THE FALL OF THE BASTILLE
The Bastille was one of the admired and feared prisons of it's time during the late 1800s. The prisoners that were usually sent there did not need to have a warrant against them, but King Louis XVI could throw anyone into the prison any time he wanted. So if there was a helpless beggar on the street he could just pick up anyone he pleased and say you're going to the Bastille. It is little known what was inside the Bastille since the governor of the Bastille made any prisoner take a solemn word not to tell if he was released. Yet quite frankly it wasn't so bad for some of the prisoners. The Bastille officials would let them bring food and furniture from home. Even some of the rich prisoners were let to have there servants come into the prison to serve them. Others were allowed to go out of there cells and talk to the guards or other prisoners, some were even let out to walk around Paris for a day. Since the Governor and the Bastille officials never let any of this out is probably how it got such a bad reputation. Also people made up stories like "The Man in the Iron Mask" supposedly a unknown prisoner that was forced to wear a metal helmet over his head for many years. This is probably why Louis the XVI got his reputation of being cruel since so many people were sent there. All this made the might have lead up to the attack on the Bastille. It was on the 14th of July and was a rather cool day for that time of year. Thousands of Parisians were gathered at the Bastille, then one of the Parisians shouted "to the Bastille!!!!!" The people of Paris marched to the Bastille to demand the gunpowder that they needed. Yet the Governor knew in advance that the people of Paris were marching toward the Bastille. So he had recruited 18 Swiss soldiers. For a few hours the group stood around, both looking at each other . The Bastille cannons and soldiers were armed and ready but were only allowed to shoot, if shot at first. Then the people started to advance to the first drawbridge and a shot was fired. No one knows who was first to shoot, but speculations have been made. The fighting went on for quite some time. When the People had made to the last drawbridge, a signal came from one of the towers…a white flag. The Bastille was surrendering to the people of Paris. A hand was stuck out from a little hole in the drawbridge it was permission for the Governor to speak freely to the people. But the Parisians were not satisfied they breached the last wall and charged into the Bastille. When they found the Governor. They killed him posthaste, that was only one of the many battles of the French revolution. Now every July 14th is the French Bastille day (in other words there independence day) So that concludes our report/web page.
