by Olivia Garrett and Darcey Rydl, staff reporters

It’s July, the year is 1789. You’re a peasant living in Paris, France. You, along with the majority of the commoners, have grown weary of the current social order. As poor harvests and rising food prices cause famines throughout the country, the wealthy feast nightly. Meanwhile, you are taxed heavily to pay for the country’s massive debt. Only one man, the royal financial adviser Jacques Necker, stands for the people.

On July 11, the king dismisses Necker and completely restructures the military. The city explodes with revolutionary fever, and you begin to hoard weapons and supplies. You, and your fellow commoners, form the National Guard and wear cockades of blue, white, and red.

It’s now July 14. Outraged, you and hundreds of your patriotic companions gather around the imposing military fortress, the Bastille. A symbol of royal tyranny, the Bastille has traditionally been a prison for political prisoners, and currently holds much-needed arms and ammunition. You are pushed forward, as the crowd surges into the courtyard.

Negotiations fail when gunfire rains out from the walls, killing several men, women, and children. Ninety-eight civilians die around you, while only one defender falls. You watch the Bastille surrender. You realize that this is no revolt, but a revolution.

In the coming months, the monarchy will topple and the people will publish the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Unfortunately, you will soon taste the blood of the Reign of Terror, as the guillotine swallows men’s heads. But in this moment, you witness the beginning of the French Revolution. What song plays in your head?

Below is a playlist, compiled of Consol student’s answer to this question.

“It’s Time” – Imagine Dragons

Junior Maria Sottile.

“Unbelievers” – Vampire Weekend

Freshman Romina Lasagna.

“No Light, No Light” – Florence and the Machine

Senior Connor Dunmore.

“Viva la Vida” -Coldplay

Junior Ian Tremblay. “Because it’s about the French Revolution.”

“One Day More” -Les Miserables

Senior Sehr Khan. “It’s motivational and inspirational.”

“We Are The Champions”– Queen.

Sophomore Isabella Cruz-Vespa.

“My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark”–

Junior Tara De Leon. “The lyrics go with what happened.”

“Your Great Name”– Natalie Grant

Junior Joy Assad.

Want to learn more? Read the Wikipedia page here.