Bastille << bas TEEL >> Day is the great national holiday of France, corresponding to Independence Day. It is celebrated on July 14 because on that day in 1789 the people of Paris attacked and captured the Bastille.
The Bastille was an old fortress that had been used as a prison. Its capture symbolized the new spirit of freedom that swept through France and led to the establishment of a popular government. The celebration of Bastille Day is ordinarily cause for national rejoicing, with parades, music, and dancing in the streets. However, during the German occupation of France in World War II (1939-1945), the French stayed in their homes and did not celebrate Bastille Day. The storming of the Bastille has inspired a number of songs, pamphlets, and orations.
