1789
Storming of the Bastille
A Parisian crowd, terrified of royal troops massing at the city gates, marched on the medieval fortress in search of gunpowder and freed its seven prisoners.
Washington's Inauguration
On Wall Street's Federal Hall balcony, George Washington - in a brown American-made suit and gripping a Bible - took the oath.
Mutiny on the Bounty
In Pacific waters near Tonga, acting lieutenant Fletcher Christian led part of HMS Bounty's crew in mutiny against Captain William Bligh.
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
The National Assembly adopted, in seventeen short articles, the principles of liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
Estates-General Opens at Versailles
For the first time in 175 years, France's three estates met - clergy, nobles, and a Third Estate double the size of the other two.
Tennis Court Oath
Locked out of their meeting hall, the Third Estate's delegates gathered in Versailles' indoor tennis court and swore not to separate until France…
Women's March on Versailles
Parisian market women, angry about bread prices, marched the twelve miles to Versailles in the rain.
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Frequently asked
What happened in the year 1789?
Saeculum lists 7 events from 1789. The most significant is Storming of the Bastille: A Parisian crowd, terrified of royal troops massing at the city gates, marched on the medieval fortress in search of gunpowder and freed its seven prisoners.
What era was 1789 part of?
1789 falls within the Enlightenment (1651-1800). Reason, revolution, and the first global wars.
Which regions saw notable events in 1789?
The events from 1789 span Europe, North America and Oceania.