Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

Marie Antoinette

King Louis XVI

• Came to power after his father Louis XV’s death in May 1774.
• Married Marie Antoinette of Austria.
• Last King of France, and was executed by guillotine on Jan. 21st 1793.

• Became Queen at age 19.
• Married to King Louis XVI at age 14.
• Was famous for her lavish spending and

deemed “Queen Deficit” by the French common people.

Pre-revolutionary France

The caste system in France left the people of France poor and starving, while the nobility prospered.

Taxation was very high on all items because France did not trade many goods, and that is how the

government earned its money.

The people were also made to pay 1/10 of what they

earned to the church.

France had also made an alliance with America, and were helping fund the American Revolution.