I am close to 100% sure you didn't break anything; there's not much to break on a front derailleur (as opposed to a rear one!).

Why not walk (sorry, he-he) to the library and pick up a book such as Sloane's guide to bike maintenance, or Greg Lemond's ditto, or the excellent Bicycling Magazine book, and see what you're (probably) failing to do.

It's probably something really simple and you will take a 13-mm wrench and hit yourself in the head with it when you find out. That's what I do.

Good luck. (Ouch!)