Jacques Necker, known for his financial acumen and reformist policies, was dismissed as France's Finance Minister on July 11, 1789, by King Louis XVI. Necker had gained public support for his efforts to alleviate the financial burdens on the common people, advocating for the Third Estate during significant fiscal distress. His dismissal was perceived as a move by the monarchy to tighten control and counteract the push for reform. In response to this action, crowds began to gather in Paris, expressing their anger and fear of escalating royal repression. The situation rapidly escalated as citizens sought to protect their interests against potential tyranny.

As protests grew more intense, on July 14, an organized group of Parisians stormed the Bastille, a fortress-prison that had become a symbol of royal oppression. The storming was not merely an attack on a physical structure but represented a larger struggle for liberation from the monarchy's grip. The fall of the Bastille signified a unification of the people against a common enemy and the quest for rights and representation. This moment catalyzed widespread revolutionary movements across France, as news of the event spread, inspiring other citizens to take action against the crown.

The dismissal of Necker and the following assault on the Bastille marked the beginning of a radical transformation in French society. Public sentiment turned against the monarchy, and it fomented a revolutionary spirit that would eventually lead to the French Revolution. The foundation for a republic was being laid, spurred by a desire for equality and the elimination of the feudal structures that had long oppressed the populace. Key figures and the populace voiced their aspirations for a more just and equitable society, as they took a stand against centuries of absolutism.