Historical Factors that shaped French Nationalism
The path to revolution was a long process that unfolded over the years. The storming of the Bastille inspired people in France to finally take a stand and to fight for what they believed in. The storming of the Bastille was a historical event it inspired people to take action and many people believe that this is when the French revolution started. On July 14, 1789, about 600 angry parisians attacked the Bastille and took control of it. The parisians stormed the Bastille because they thought the king locked up people there because they spoke out against him but when they got in there they found out that that was just a rumor. In France the Bastille was a symbol of royal power and despotism and when the common people attacked it successfully the Bastille symbolized something different it symbolized that the common man is now in charge and the king, the nobility, and the church were now in trouble. This event to this date still inspires people by reminding them that the actions of ordinary people can start a chain of events that lead to a great change. This event entered the French people's collective consciousness as a defining moment in their history as a nation.