French Revolutions
Cause of Revolution
Four Main Reasons
-Debt
--The debt of the French government was around 8-12 billion liver
--Louis 16th 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 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 had
-Taxation issues
--France, at this time, was heavily involved in trading
--However, to be a great trading country, you can't have high tariffs, so you need to tax heavily on your people
--Masses of people of France, not too thrilled with this idea. Also nobles didn't 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 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
Maria Antoinette
-Born in Vienna, Austria
-Married Louis the 16th'
-Became the queen of France
-Had 2 sons and two daughters
-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: Napoleon code, height, battle tactics, Waterloo
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