This podcast episode examines the intricate unfolding of events leading up to the French Revolution, focusing on the fall of the Bastille as a pivotal moment ignited by public outrage over the dismissal of a finance minister. The passionate actions of Parisian mobs, encouraged by influential figures like Camille Desmoulins, catalyzed a rebellion that dismantled symbols of oppression and ignited revolutionary fervor. The episode captures the chaos surrounding the search for gunpowder, the real significance of the Bastille itself, and the brutal aftermath of its storming, ultimately emphasizing the transformative shift in power dynamics and the uncertain future that lay ahead for France.