On 14 July in poetry and history
Poets born or who died on this date, plus historical events that happened on this day across history.
610 poets with calendar dates · 6,535 events with calendar dates in the catalogue
1 birthday · 10 world events on 14 July
Birthdays
World events on this day
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French Revolution Begins
The French Revolution began in 1789 with the Storming of the Bastille, a pivotal event that symbolized the uprising against the monarchy and the fight for liberty and equality. This revolution led to the establishment of a republic and significant social and political changes in France, influencing revolutionary movements worldwide. The ideals of the French Revolution, including democracy and human rights, continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about governance and civil liberties.
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Storming of the Bastille
On July 14, Parisian revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal tyranny holding political prisoners. Though few inmates were freed, it ignited the French Revolution, leading to broader prison reforms and abolition of feudal privileges.
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The Bastille Stormed — Prison Fortress Falls
On 14 July 1789, a Paris crowd stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress-prison that had stood since the fourteenth century as a symbol of absolute royal power and arbitrary imprisonment. The Bastille was actually nearly empty of prisoners at the time, but its symbolic weight was immense: as a medieval fortress repurposed as a state prison, it embodied everything the revolutionaries most hated about the ancien régime. Its demolition, which began almost immediately, produced souvenirs sold across Europe.
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Fall of the Bastille
On July 14, 1789, a crowd of revolutionaries in Paris, France, stormed and captured the Bastille, a royal fortress and prison that symbolized the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchy. This pivotal event occurred amid rising tensions from food shortages, heavy taxation, and political unrest in the early stages of the French Revolution. The fall of the Bastille marked the first major popular uprising against the ancien régime, leading to the king's recognition of the revolutionary National Assembly and igniting widespread revolt across France. It became a powerful emblem of liberty and resistance against oppression.
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Montgomerie declared outlaw after Ailsa Craig plot
On 14 July 1597 Alexander Montgomerie was declared an outlaw by the Scottish Privy Council for his involvement in the Catholic conspiracy led by Hugh Barclay of Ladyland. The plot aimed to seize the rocky island of Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde as a base for Spanish intervention. Barclay was killed in a scuffle off the shores of the island; Montgomerie remained in Scotland until his death the following year.
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Denmark Vesey's Conspiracy
In 1822, Denmark Vesey, a formerly enslaved carpenter who had purchased his freedom, organized a meticulously planned slave rebellion in Charleston, South Carolina. Vesey, inspired by the Haitian Revolution, intended to lead thousands of enslaved people in an uprising on July 14, seizing the city's arsenal and killing white inhabitants. The plot was betrayed, leading to the arrest of 131 men, the conviction of 67, and the execution of 35, including Vesey. The conspiracy profoundly frightened white Southerners and resulted in the closure of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston and the passage of stricter restrictions on Black people.
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Nazi Germany Sterilization Laws
In 1933, Nazi Germany implemented sterilization laws as part of a broader eugenics program aimed at controlling reproduction among individuals deemed 'unfit.' These laws resulted in the forced sterilization of thousands, reflecting the regime's oppressive ideology and human rights abuses. The sterilization program is a stark reminder of the dangers of pseudoscience and state control over personal freedoms.
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New Horizons Pluto Flyby
In 2015, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft conducted the first-ever flyby of Pluto and its moons, providing unprecedented data about this distant dwarf planet. This historic mission expanded our understanding of the outer solar system and reignited interest in planetary exploration. The flyby revealed stunning images and valuable information about Pluto's geology and atmosphere, reshaping our knowledge of planetary science.
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Joseph Trapp Becomes First Oxford Professor of Poetry
On 14 July 1708 Joseph Trapp became the first Oxford Professor of Poetry. The post formalised poetry as a subject for university lectures and public criticism. It gave English academic culture an institutional space for discussing poetic tradition, form and taste.
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WHO classifies aspartame as possibly carcinogenic
On July 14, 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization based in Lyon, France, classified aspartame, the artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke and thousands of other processed food products, as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B), while a separate WHO committee maintained existing acceptable daily intake levels. The dual announcement, which simultaneously raised cancer concerns and declined to change consumption guidelines, generated widespread public confusion and media attention about the safety of artificial sweeteners that are ubiquitous in diet junk food products. The aspartame classification highlighted the ongoing scientific uncertainty surrounding the artificial ingredients that the junk food industry has relied upon for decades to maintain the appeal of its products while responding to health concerns.