July 14: Bastille Day, Machu Picchu, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Some days on the calendar just show up and do the bare minimum. July 14 is not one of those days. This date has been busy revolutionizing, exploring, mountaineering, and cranking out celebrities. Let's dig in.

Revolutions, Lost Cities, and Very Tall Rocks

Let's start with the big one. In 1789, a crowd stormed the Bastille in Paris, providing the flashpoint of the French Revolution and, more importantly, an eternal excuse for excellent pastries and fireworks. If ever there were a way to announce you're unhappy with management, storming a fortress-prison is a bold résumé line.

Meanwhile in 1902, Peruvian explorer Agustín Lizárraga stumbled upon the Incan city of Machu Picchu, which had apparently been sitting on a mountaintop this whole time waiting to become everyone's screensaver. And back in 1865, a seven-man team made the first ascent of the Matterhorn, marking the end of the golden age of alpinism — because once you've climbed the one shaped like a Toblerone, where do you even go from there?

Happy Birthday, You Overachievers

July 14 births people who refuse to be background characters. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (1985), the brilliant mind behind "Fleabag" and the reason you now make eye contact with your television, shares this day with football legend Darrelle Revis (1985), who spent his career making "Revis Island" the least desirable travel destination for opposing wide receivers.

Also blowing out candles: Dan Reynolds (1987) of Imagine Dragons, who has legally required every sports arena to play "Radioactive" at least once per event, and Conor McGregor (1988), the Irish mixed martial artist who talks a big game and then, annoyingly, backs a lot of it up. That's a birthday party where absolutely no one is losing an argument.

Bastille Day, But Make It Global

The headline observance today is Bastille Day, celebrated across France and its dependencies with parades, fireworks, and the kind of national pride that makes everyone else feel underdressed. It's the rare holiday born from a prison break that evolved into a chic summer party.

Sweden, not to be outdone, celebrates Victoria Day, an official flag-flying day honoring the birthday of Crown Princess Victoria. So today you can wave a flag for a princess, storm a metaphorical Bastille, and belt out an Imagine Dragons song — ideally all before lunch. July 14 doesn't do quiet, and honestly, we respect the commitment.