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The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was when scholars began yo think about human nature. They believed that they could apply logic to make "laws" for human nature. Some of the more notable thinkers are Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Hobbes, all of whom helped in the creation of freedom ideals during the French Revolution. -
War of the Spanish Sucession
The last war fought by Louis XIV, the Sun King. The goal was to gain land in America. Figting ceased in 1814. This marked the start of England's rise in America. -
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The French & Indian War
This was the true beginning of conflict with Great Britan for the United States. The French and the English were battling for land in America. The war may have been fought in North America, but it was really stemming from across the ocean in the superpowers of France and England. -
Louis XVI is Married
Louis XVI is married to Marie Antoinette of Austria. The marriage is arranged to create a peace between Austria and France. Unfortunately, Louis isn't the best husband and a worse king. While he rules France with a weak hand, he is also unable to produce an heir. -
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Freedom of America from England
America finally wins the Revolutionary war against King James of England. They draft and publish their declaration of independence which starts the war, and they end it by writing their constitution. This, along with the Bill of Rights, takes ideas from enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke. -
Louis and Marie have a child
The first child of Louis and Marie, Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte, is born. The reason that Louis was unable to have a child was because of a medical condition that made arousal painful. He never got the operation because he was scared of the pain. When he finally got the operation, a child was born and the people of France were settled slightly, knowing that there was an heir to the throne. -
France goes Bankrupt
France had been struggling with financial problems for a while, but it finally drained its bank. There were multiple factors that influenced the decline. One was that Louis' wife, Marie, was spending frivolously on luxurious items. Another was that France had loaned money to America to help it fight its own Revolution. Finally, there were major taxation imbalances within the French infrastructure where the poor were taxed the most, while the rich barely had to pay. -
Bread Shortage
France had a bad harvest. The weather was not kind to the grain and much of it died. Bread was the staple food of France and the shortage made prices skyrocket. Already paying most of the taxes, the common people were angered greatly by this. There was wisps of uprising hiding in the cracks. -
Louis Ruins Finances
The French financial system in shambles, Louis attempts to dabble in this department of the government. Having little experience, he quickly makes a mess of things. In an attempt to make taxations more fair and balanced, he tries to place more taxes on the nobles. This causes anger and revolts in return, so he puts taxes back on the poor, even more than before. -
Meeting of the Estates General
In response to his recent mistakes with the economy, Louis calls the estates general in for the first time in 150 years. The three estates are very unevenly balanced. While the third estate, or those who aren't members of the nobility or clergy, made up 96% of the population, they only got 33% of the vote. -
United States Constitution Ratified and put into effect
The American Constitution is ratified on September 17, 1787. The Amercians borrow many ideas including checkas and balances, as well as separation of powers from enlightenment Philosophers. They ingrain these into their new system of government. This becomes a mold for governments of the future. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The third estate was extremely frustrated with Louis for their inequal vote. They took the liberty of renaming themselves the National Assembly. They also said that they represented the views of the French people. Louis didn't like this, so he locked them out of the meeting room. The Assembly was furious and found another room to occupy, an indoor tennis court. Here they made the Tennis Court Oath which stated that they would not leave until France had adopted a new constitution. -
Attack on the Bastille
The residents of the city of Paris are ready to start an uprising. The Bastile, a fortress-like prison, represents all the government oppression that has been going on for years. The people storm the prison in search of gunpowder. Instead, they find nothing but six prisoners. They brutally murder the guards and then tear the Bastille down, brick by brick. This act of rebellion marks the start of the French Revolution. -
March on Versailles
Angry with Louis XVI for many things, but mostly the rising price of bread, the women of Paris march to Versialles in protest. Many men join along the way. Soon, an angry mob of Parisians forms outside the palace. They become too much for the guards and storm the home of the king and queen. They shout for blood and kill the guards. They almost kill the queen, but she makes it to Louis' chambers before they can get to her. -
Napoleon's Coup d'etat
After the French Revolution, France was ruled by a weak governmental system known as the directory. It was led by a system of five men, called Directors. A military general by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte rose in political power and eventually overthrew this system to seize power. -
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Napoleon's Reign
Napoleon was a military general who seized power though a Coup d'etat. He decalared himself emperor in 1804. He led France to win many wars with his military expertise, yet his reign ended after he overextended his empire. -
America Buys Louisiana
The French had originally claimed the central part of America. They named it Louisiana after their king, Louis. Napoleon sold the plot of land to the Americans through the Louisiana Purchase Treaty. It costed them $15 million. That tranlsates to approximately 4 cents per acre.