Political - Part 2

        There were many political problems that played a part in sparking the French Revolution, including the King and Queen's overspending. Because of the aristocracy's lavish expenses, the tax rate for the 3rd estate increased tremendously causing a strain in the lives of French Citizens. Many of them took out their rage on the Queen, Marie Antoinette. The outrage was mostly focused on her because she was of high authority and publicly defended the privileges of the aristocracy. She often referred to as "Madame Veto" or even depicted in cartoons as an "Austrian whore".

       Once the taxes reached certain level protests started to occur. The most infamous happening in October of 1779, where women protesting the high cost of bread and other goods, entered Versailles, captured the entire royal family and imprisoned them. However the royal family was soon returned to Paris and Louis XVI returned to the throne, and in August of 1792 the French government declared war on Austria, as a way to test the King and Queens loyalty to France. When the war didn't turn out as planned on France's side, French citizens blamed it on the Queen. It was then that another mob broke into the castle, overthrew the monarchy and locked the royals in the tower. Thousands of royalist were massacred by French revolutionaries. Later on King Louis XVI  was put on trial for treason, and executed. Marie Antoinette soon had the same fate and was executed by the guillotine when she was 37 years old.

History.com Staff. "Marie-Antoinette". 2009. History.com. Web. May 20, 2015. 

Prachi Mital. "What Were the Political Causes of the French Revolution?" preserveartices.com. 2012. Web. May 20, 2015

By: Amity Porto