In 1774, Louis XVI ascended the French throne, facing a debt-ridden government and a population plagued by rising food costs, unjust work conditions, and an oppressive nobility and clergy. The king's inept, autocratic rule worsened matters, and widespread crop failures led to famine.
On 14 July 1789, thousands of Parisians took to the streets, marching to the Bastille, a medieval fort where Louis XVI imprisoned his enemies. The people stormed the fort, and almost in an instant were in possession of a fortification, defended by 100 men, of infinite strength.
When Louis XVI at Versailles received the news of the capture of the Bastille, he exclaimed, "Why, this is a revolt!" "No, sire," replied the news-bearer, "it is a revolution."
一七七四年，路易十六登上法國王位，其政府當時債臺高築，其人民則苦於糧食價格有升無已，勞工待遇刻薄，以及貴族、僧侶肆意壓迫。而路易十六既無能，又獨裁，使情況更加惡劣。此外，農作物普遍失收，處處饑荒。
一七八九年七月十四日，數以千計巴黎市民上街，走到巴士底監獄。那是一座中世紀堡壘，路易十六用以囚禁仇敵，建築非常堅固，有一百人把守，但幾乎轉眼就給那些巴黎市民攻陷。
路易十六在凡爾賽宮接到巴士底陷落的消息，失聲說：「啊，這是造反！」傳信者回答：「陛下，這不是造反，而是革命。」