French Revolution The Beginnings
Cause of Revolution
- Four main causes; Debt, Taxation Issuse, Failure of Reform, Famine
Debt
- The debt of the French gov was around 8 to 12 billion livre (their currency)
- Louis XVI spent a lot of money on very luxurious things, instead of being financially responsible
- Also, they still had war debts from the Seven Years War (with England) 1756-1763
- Much of their debt was complied bc they werent exlporing like their rival, England
- England was able to use the colonies as a steady source of income
- France had not completely bought into Mercantilism either at this time like England had
Taxation
- France, at this time, was heavily involved in traded (Good)
- Howevere, to be a great trading counrty, you cant have high tariffs, so you need to tax heavily on your people (Bad)
- Masses of people of France, not to thrilled with this idea. Also nobles didnt pay taxes.
Failure of Reform
- Some French "economists" stated that the nobles should be included in taxation
- This plan backfired, as peasants had to pay even more than before
- France continued to stick with their economic plan even though they were continuing to go deeper and deeper into debt
Famine
- Crop failure in the 1780's didnt help much either
- Supply and demand occurs here with bread
- Got to the point where peasants thought the crown had wished for them to do (conspiracy)
Guillotine
- The condemned person is secured at the bottom of the fram, with his or her neck held directly below the blade
- However, it continued to be used long after the Revolution and remained France's standard method of judicial execution until the abolition of capital punishment with the backing of Pres Francois Mitterand in 1981
Marie Antoinette
- Born in Vienna, Austria
- Married Louis the XVI
- Became the Queen of France
- Had one son and one daughter
- Very popular with the people at the beginning of her reign
- At the end of her reign, very unpopular
- Executed by Guillotine
Napoleon
- Military leader during the later stages of the Revolution
- Became the Emperor of the French in 1804
- Known for: Napolenic Code, Height (short), Battle Tricks, Waterloo
Comments