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France's Role In The American Revolution

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In the American Revolution France directed its forces to assist the Americans. French aid was pivotal in compelling the British to surrender at Yorktown in 1781. However although the Americans gained much from France’s support it led to no substantial gains for France but it had accumulated a debt of 1,066 million livres. France could not solely rely on its revenue from tax to fund the war thus it frequently borrowed at high rates of interest. The American Revolution combined with the Seven and Nine Years’ Wars caused heavy expenditures for France, it wasn’t capable of raising funds to equate to the level of debt it had. Louis XV was naïve in believing that with the absence of a central bank France would have been able to reduce its debt, when in reality the wars were financed by …show more content…

France had already devoted 25% of its budget to the army and navy and about 50% to pay off the debt, the further expansion was inevitably deemed to worsen the economic situation. Britain was also in debt as a result of the wars but Britain’s highly advanced fiscal organizations such as the Bank of England was able to compact the implications via low interest rates unlike the debt in France which was financed at twice the rate of interest compared to that of Britain. The unreformed and old fashioned fiscal institutions in France’s couldn’t resolve the debt like the more modern state of Great Britain. The fiscal negligence was a crucial factor in the French Revolution, if it abandoned its participation in the wars that led France to accumulate a substantial amount of debt it may have been able to avoid the revolution that was to

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The Revolution abolished monarchy and replaced it with a republic. It was a period of social and political chaos. The cost from the American Revolution and the expensive spending from King King Louis XVI left France close to bankruptcy. The spending left many peasants and urban poor with little to nothing to eat. The purpose of the French Revolution was to help solve the financial problems of the government.

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Due to their recent war with the French, Britain and its colonies were in debt. Britain turned to the colonies as a source of revenue to pay back money, and Parliament passed acts placing taxes and tariffs on the colonies and American trade. Following the revolution, the United States was in debt to France, who helped them fight Britain during the war and supplied money, troops, and supplies. Some Americans demanded paper currency and equal distribution of property (Doc. G). Although the manufacturing industry was growing in America, it was growing very slowly.

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Absolute monarchies had all the power in Europe. Their kingdoms were powerful and accomplished. Although absolute monarchies empowered and enriched their kingdoms, they were still largely detrimental because of King Louis XIV of France, debt, Frederick the Great’s seizure of Silesia, and the city of St. Petersburg. King Louis XIV of France was an absolute monarch.

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The American Revolution The French and Indian War impacted the American Revolution in many ways. Britain incurred a large debt from the cost of the war and the taxes that they imposed on the colonists created feelings of anger and rebellion that led to the revolution. As a result of the French and Indian war, the British were not at full strength which allowed the actions of the colonists to be more effective. Because of the outcome of the war, France was willing to help the colonists. Without the much needed help from the French the colonist may have never won the war.

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The French and Indian War was important to the American Revolution because the debt from the war was the reason that Parliament started taxing the colonists. Also, the French and Indian War made Britain very weak, making the colonists’ actions work a whole lot better. Since France was not happy with the outcome of their war with Britain this was a main reasons for France’s interest in helping the now Americans throughout the Revolutionary War, which was very important to the colonies’ victory. ​The reason why Britain started to tax the colonists was because of the debt resulting from the French and Indian War. The first tax was the the tax on sugar, which was put on the colonists to help pay off the war debt.

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The French Revolution was one of the most significant wars that changed France’s history. The Revolution started in 1789 and ended in 1799 and was mainly initiated by the conditions affecting the Third Estate. Louis XVI was predominately the king during this time period but little did he know that an uprising among the peasants was happening. The French Revolution was caused by the Enlightenment ideas because of the American Revolution, the knowledge of rights, and the questioning of France’s government. The American Revolution was basically the “fire” that ignited the change the Third Estate wanted to see in their country.

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However, Americans were able to succeed because of their quick increase in population and economy. One of France’s financial problems came from the money they loaned America during the war. Arthur Young traveled throughout France and saw that “lands held by the nobility are taxed very little [and] lands held by commoners are taxed heavily” (Doc B). This comes back to the idea of inequality and how the government supported a class system in France that negativly affects the third estate. Because commoners’ land was taxed so much, they were unable to feed themselves.

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As stated by Jessie Palmer, “The French and Indian War was very essential to the American Revolution because the war debt was the reason that Parliament started imposing taxes on the colonists in the first place” (Palmer). These taxes made the colonists resent the crown. France’s role prior battles

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The American and French Revolution are both remembered in history as two major changes that would shape what we know today. Every child learns of the American Revolution at least once in their lives. Both these revolutions had the similar cause, effects, and stages that resulted or started them. Just like in every warring country, it is inevitable that there will be some change that occurs whether it be for the better or for worse. Although the American and French revolutions were very similar in the actions, there were many differences leading them into ultimately different paths and states of rest.

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The French government faced a financial and societal crisis by 1789 after at least fifty years of economic prosperity. Reluctant to the idea of reforms for this government proved detrimental, resulting in the French Revolution. If not for the influences from the Enlightenment philosophes and the French Revolution, this country could have collapsed. Spending was out of control. As French leaders began recognizing the accruing debt was only taking them further backwards, they finally were opening up to change.

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