French Vocabulary Related to National Holidays and Patriotism

In honor of the 4th of July (American Independence Day), Bastille Day, Canada Day, and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, here is a list of French vocabulary related to national holidays.

France

Celebration: le quatorze juillet, la fête nationale   Bastille Day

Origins: la Révolution (française)   French Revolution

Institution: la Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen
   Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Initiator: l'Assemblée nationale   National Assembly

Government: une république   republic

Anthem: la Marseillaise   Marseillaise

Flag: le drapeau tricolore   tricolor flag (French flag)

Motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
   Liberty, Equality, Fraternity


United States

Celebration:
   le jour de l'indépendance, le 4 juillet
      Independence Day, 4th of July

Origins: la Guerre d'indépendance américaine    Revolutionary War

Institution: la Déclaration d'indépendance   Declaration of Independence

Initiator: les pères fondateurs   Founding Fathers

Government: une démocratie   democracy

Anthem: la bannière étoilée   Star-Spangled Banner

Flag: la Bannière étoilée   Stars and Stripes

Motto: En Dieu nous avons confiance   In God We Trust


Canada

Celebration: la fête du Canada   Canada Day (1 July)

Origins: l'union des provinces en une dominion
   union of the provinces into a dominion

Institution: la Constitution du Canada
   Constitution of Canada

Initiator: Governeur général lord Monck
   Governor General Lord Monck

Government: une dominion   dominion

Anthem: Ô Canada   O Canada

Flag: l'Unifolié   Maple Leaf Flag

Motto: D'un océan à l'autre   From sea to sea


Québec*

Celebration: la Saint-Jean-Baptiste, la fête nationale du Québec
   Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Québec National Holiday (24 June)

Origins: la célébration du solstice d'été, de la nation québécoise
   celebration of the summer solstice and the Québécois nation

Institution: la Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste   Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society

Initiator: Ludger Duvernay, instigateur de la fête nationale   Ludger Duvernay

Government: une province du Canada   Canadian province

Anthem: Gens du pays   "People of the country"

Flag: le (drapeau) fleurdelisé   Québec flag

Motto: Je me souviens   I remember

*Québec is a Canadian province, and its national anthem, government, etc., are all those of Canada. However, some of its citizens would like it to secede from Canada and there have been several referendums over the years, all of which have failed. As a lover of the French language, I am particularly interested in Québec and I think that from a linguistic and cultural point of view, the above facts about the province itself, outside of the whole of Canada, are interesting. That does not mean that I have taken sides; in fact, I know very little about the referendums and honestly don't have much of an opinion about whether or not Québec should secede. Please accept this lesson as it is intended: as a snapshot comparison of patriotic holidays in these places.


Additional Vocabulary

le discours   speech

le feu d'artifice   fireworks

le feu de joie   bonfire

le défilé   parade

le patriotisme   patriotism

le pique-nique   picnic

Vive la France !   Long live France!


Quiz: National holidays and patriotism