Chapter+1

Pre-Revolution France
 * // Questions to The Group:  //**
 * // Who is going to write an introduction to this chapter?  //**
 * // What were the political problems? You have Economic and Social. What about political? Hannah and Harrison covered social and Andrew got economic.  //**

Economic: The Economic problems of France originated from their tax system. Since 1614, French kings had managed their debt by increasing the burden on the peasants, borrowing money, and sometimes by selling noble titles and other privileges; however, because noble titles exempted the holder from future taxes, the person who bought the title essentially bought an annuity. Between The Seven Years War, and the American Revolution, which France heavily financed, France was in massive debt. French finance minister Jacques Necker had tried to tax the nobles/king but they refused to accept the taxes. They instead chose to use things like Gabelles(salt tax), Tailles, taxes on peasant produce, and head taxes on the peasants who could no longer afford the new taxes. Britain actually had similar debt, and was able to solve it by increasing taxes on exports. Because they weren’t big traders, France increased taxes on goods that were moving within the country. This lead to unequal taxing in certain areas because there was no national tax. Charles Alexandre de Calonne and Jacques Necker attempted to fix the system, but the first and second estate refused to accept taxes. Adding to that the “tax farmers”(tax collectors) often collected more then they needed to collect because of the lack of standardized tax law and because they wanted to make a personal profit. Louis XIV also helped to increase debt by lavish spending. Versailles cost 5% of the budget. In modern America 5% of the budget is over 120 billion dollars -Andrew Block
 * // Questions to Andrew:  //**
 * // You have awkward words and phrases. Don’t use “things” or “Big traders”. Be sure you can pronounce French terms like Gabelle and Taille.  //**
 * // The internal tax also slowed economic development which left less money to be taxed.  //**
 * // Be clear about who Necker and Calonne were. How did Calonne contribute to the calling of the Estates General in 1789?  //**

Social:  There were many causes of the French Revolution because of the Old Regime. One of these causes was the social problems. The Old Regime was split into three estates. The first estate was the Clergy. The clergy was responsible for the registration of births, marriages and deaths, they collected the tithe, they censored books, they served as moral police and operated schools and hospitals and distributed relief to the poor. They also owned 10-15% of all the land in France. This land was all held tax-free. The clergy made up 1% of France’s population. The second estate was the Nobles. They held the highest positions in the Church, the army and the government. They did not have to pay taxes of any kind. They collected rent from the peasants who lived on their lands. The nobility owned about 30% of the land. They made up 2% of the population.   -Hannah Martin
 * // Questions to Hannah: //**
 * // Why was it a problem that 3% of the population held most of the land and wealth and paid no taxes? //**
 * // Who were the other classes and why did they resent this situation? How did it get this way in the first place? //**
 * //You need a smooth transition from the first paragraph. <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">

//** <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> The third and final estate was made up of the peasants, bourgeoisie, and sans-culottes. As a class, the bourgeoisie were merchants, manufacturers, bankers, doctors, lawyers, intellectuals; they had a little bit of wealth. Peasants were victimized by heavy taxation. The taxes were necessary to pay for the costs of war. They paid taxes to the king, the church, taxes and dues to the lord of the manor, as well as numerous indirect taxes on wine, salt, and bread. The Sans-Culottes were members of the working classes. They wore trousers, as opposed to the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, who wore knee breeches. The third estate made up 97% of the population. 97% of the population could be overruled by 3% of the population. If the clergy and the nobility agreed on a law and the third estate did not, the law would be enforced in favor of the first and second estate. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> -Harrison Gordon
 * // Questions To Harrison:  //**
 * // You need a smooth transition from the second paragraph. //**<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

**// Why were the bourgeoisie so important in the start of the revolution? They had more than “a little bit” of wealth. What did they have to gain? Why was it a problem that they had so little influence? //**
 * // Why were the sans-culottes such an important group? Where do they live? How does that make their lives difficult once the economic crisis hits?  //**
 * // What does each group hope to gain in general once the revolution starts?  //**
 * // Question to The Group:  //**
 * // How are you going to conclude this chapter? Can you get a video of a teacher summarizing the coming of the revolution? Come up with questions you could ask that when answered summed up the long range causes of the revolution.  //**