Wednesday, July 14, 2010

July 14


Date: 14 July

Bastille Day, the French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th's Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king's power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.

Bastille Day was declared the French national holiday on 6 July 1880, on Benjamin Raspail's recommendation, when the new Republic was firmly entrenched. Bastille Day has such a strong signification for the French because the holiday symbolizes the birth of the Republic. As in the US, where the signing of the Declaration of Independence signaled the start of the American Revolution, in France the storming of the Bastille began the Great Revolution. In both countries, the national holiday thus symbolizes the beginning of a new form of government.

Although we really appreciate all the fireworks, we are having a quieter celebration today :-)





15 comments:

SewCalGal said...

Ahh....so very romantic. Have a wonderful celebration....and I hope you still see fireworks in each other's eyes.

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Carol said...

Nice wedding picture, happy anniversary.

Ivory Spring said...

Happy Anniversary, Jocelyn!

Allie said...

Well Happy Anniversary! I didn't know anything about Bastille Day. Love SewCalGal's comment, I second the notion!

andsewon said...

Happy Anniversary!!!!
Wishing you many many more years of happiness!
Hugs,
Lola

Rebecca Nelson said...

I simply LOVE seeing wedding pictures! I ahve a weakness for them. I love seeing the sweet, happy faces.

Have a wonderful celebration!

xoRebecca

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Happy Anniversary - this is quite the month for you!!

Julia said...

Thanks for the history lesson. How interesting! What a beautiful wedding picture. Happy anniversary.

Kim D. said...

Happy Anniversary!! Lovely wedding photo!! It's so fun to go back and look at old photo's.

Lis Harwood said...

Happy Anniversary, how nice of them to arrange all those fireworks for you :)

Dresden Quilter said...

Happy Anniversary!

Pokey said...

Happy Anniversary, thanks for sharing the vintage photo. Hey we are "vintage", too!
Enjoy yourselves!
:-}pokey

Denise :) said...

Happy Anniversary! Everyone always looks at me funny when I say, Happy Bastille Day! LOL! :)

Loris said...

How fun is that when the world celebrates just for you :-) Happy Anniversary!

Shelly said...

Happy Anniversary! Such a cute couple!