The French Revolution, although the insurrection occurred in 1789, was a moment that would later help define the politics of the twentieth century. This is due to the massive effect the toppling of the monarchy of a great power like France and the left breaking into the mainstream would have. When the disgruntled Parisian poor and angry under-represented peasants gathered to storm the Bastille(a prison fortress), it demonstrated to the world that the poor and oppressed could not be kept down, and inspired a host of other revolutionary movements and societies with a (albeit temporary) democratic republic that swept the cob-webs of religious rule aside,  paving the way for liberal democracies across Europe to arise. The French Revolution also served as the birthplace of modern radicalism, with Enlightenment principles being elevated as the governing principles instead of monarchist principles, helping define the Left today with values such as citizens rights, equality, and democracy.