French Revolution: The Beginnings
Cause of Revolution
- There are four main causes
- Debt
- Taxation Issues
- Failure of Reform
- Famine
Debt
- Debt of French Government was around 8 to 12 billion livre (their currency)
- Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, spent a lot of money on very luxurious things, instead of being financially responsible
- Also they still had war debts from the Seven Year's War (with England) 1756-1763
- Much of their debt was compiled because they weren't exploring 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.
Taxation
- France, at this time, was heavily involved in trading. (Good)
- However, to be a great trading country, you cannot have high tariffs, so you need to tax heavily on your people. (Bad)
- Masses of people of France, not too thrilled with this idea.. Also nobles did not pay these 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 didn't help much either
- Supply and demand occurs here with bread.
- Got to the point where peasants thought the crown had wished for them to die (conspiracy!)
Guillotine
- The condemned person is secured at the bottom of the frame, 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 President Francois Mitterrand in 1981. (a little more than 30 years ago)
Marie Antoinette
- Born in Vienna, Austria
- Marred Louis the XVI
- Became the Queen of France
- Had two sons and two daughters
- Very popular with the people at the beginning of her reign
- At the end of her reign, very popular.
- Executed by the Guillotine
Napoleon
- Military leader during the later stages fo the Revolution
- Became the Emperor of the French in 1804.
- Known for:
- Napoleonic Code
- Height (short)
- Battle Tactics
- Battle of Waterloo
1. Which of the four components does your group feel is the biggest reason for the French Revolution? Why? We believe that debt was the largest reason for the French Revolution because all of the other reasons for the cause of the French Revolution led to the debt.
2. Success Rate? Always Successful? The success rate was 99.7%, so they were not always successful.
3. What items did her and her husband spend money on? She spent a lot of money on clothes, jewels, and chateaux. Any kind of whim. She was expected to spend money on her attire.
4. Napoleon said, “A horse has memory, knowledge and love." Rode for pleasure and for travel. Napoleon was able to lead an army because he was a good leader. If he was on his horse, he would seem taller.
Excessive used? Reign of Terror? Period from June1793-1794 40000 people lost their heads
Ironic? Made for criminals but it ended up killing their king.
Death vs Fear? Oppression. Which is a bigger symbol for the French peasants? Both fear of doing something wrong and it lead to death.
Marie was born into France
Louis had more power
Nicknames-Austrian Whore and Madam Deficit
The Napoleonic Code — or Code Napoléon (originally, the Code civil des Français) — is the French civil code, established under Napoléon I in 1804. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs go to the most qualified.
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