Page 63 - Key to Social Studies 5

Looking at France today, people

would never imagine how the

French people lived before the

revolution. France used to be ruled

under a monarchy that had no limit

to their power.

Even though they were the

majority, the French people were

su ering from hunger and poverty,

while the king and the rich people,

who were considered the nobility,

were living their best lives.

Taxes were also imposed

only on the poor, and the

nobility were exempt,

which made the French

people desperate to revolt.

During all this unrest, Louis

XVI inherited the throne of

France from his grandfather

in 1774. He made the

country’s situation much

worse.

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