The Bastille: A Turning Point in History (July 14, 1789)
A legacy that continues to inspire current generations.
July 14, 1789 . - 234th anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille, an event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution and became a universal symbol of revolution, liberty, and transformation. But its impact was not limited to Europe.
The Bastille, a political prison of the absolute monarchy, became a symbol of the end of the Ancien Régime. Figures like the Marquis de Lafayette, who also participated in the American Revolution, were active Freemasons who promoted ideals of rationalism, individual liberty, and secularism in French Masonic lodges.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IN AMERICA.
The independence of the United States in 1776 preceded the French Revolution, but both revolutions influenced each other. Founding fathers like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin had ties to Freemasonry and helped shape constitutional values and the notion of republicanism in the country.
In Latin America, revolutionaries like Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín were also influenced by Masonic ideals. The lodges became spaces for political conspiracy and intellectual formation that helped conceive emancipatory projects.
Freemasonry not only brought philosophical thought, but also symbols and organizational structures that helped channel reformist ideas. Its transnational and discreet nature made it a vehicle for emancipatory projects that required articulation beyond colonial boundarie.
The Storming of the Bastille was a key event in human history. It marked the end of the absolute monarchy in France and laid the groundwork for the French Revolution. Its legacy can be seen in the influence it had on the revolutions of Latin America and the formation of democratic values around the world and reminds us of the power of ideas and the importance of the struggle for liberty and equality around the world.
W∴M∴ Oliver A Torrealba Torres
