On July 14, an enormous festival called Fete de la Federation was held to honour the French Revolution. The day preceded Bastille Day as it is commemorated today. The purpose of the festival was to commemorate both the Revolution and national unity. At the time, the French Revolution had replaced the monarchy’s excesses with a constitutional monarchy lead by an elected National assembly. To commemorate the first anniversary of the assault of the Bastille, the Fete de la Federation was organised. The festival occurred at a time when people believed the revolution was over, despite the fact that years of unrest would follow.
The background of Fete de la Federation
The French Revolution began with the Estates General of 1789. On July 14, 1789, a throng of protesters stormed the Bastille prison, initiating the end of the reigning ‘Ancien Régime’ or Old Regime. In 1790, the monarchy was deposed and the National Assembly was elected. The French people, believing the Revolution to be over, wanted to commemorate national unity. The festival in Paris was to be the most prominent commemoration of fraternity; the royal family, National Assembly deputies, and the general public were to attend. The event was held on the Champ de Mars, which was then located outside of Paris.
The festival began with a breakfast at 4:00 a.m., and it continued throughout the day despite the rain. A parade of ‘federes’ carrying 83 banners marched to the site of the former Bastille, where the members of the National Assembly and Louis XVI swore an oath to defend the new nation. Delegates from countries from around the world also attended the festival. After the official ceremony, a popular feast was held.
Unbeknownst to everyone who attended the celebration, the stability they anticipated was not in store for them. The subsequent years in France were marked by political unrest, which culminated in the public’s disillusionment with the monarchy and the 1873 execution of the royal family. Even after the establishment of the French Republic, calm did not follow. In June 1873, a revolt overthrew a large portion of the National Assembly, igniting the Reign of Terror throughout the nation. The following year, the Jacobins killed 16,000 people. In response to the oppressive threat posed by the former, a fragile French Directory was established, which was quickly overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte, bringing an end to the French Revolution.
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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT FRANCE
France is the most popular tourist destination in the globe.
The French national motto is “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” or “liberty, equality, fraternity.”
The French were the inventors of the hot air balloon!
Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, is located in France.
The Louvre is the most visited museum in the globe.
FETE DE LA FEDERATION DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 14 | Friday |
| 2024 | July 14 | Sunday |
| 2025 | July 14 | Monday |
| 2026 | July 14 | Tuesday |
| 2027 | July 14 | Wednesday |
