Short Term Causes of the French Revolution Worksheet - Free Printable

Problem Analysis:

The task involves analyzing three sources to understand the economic and social conditions in France between 1787 and 1789, which contributed to the French Revolution. The goal is to answer specific questions based on the provided sources and discuss how these conditions led to desperation among the people.

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Solution:

#### Task 1: What does Source 1 tell us about how much food there was in France between 1787 and 1789?

- Source 1 provides information about the weather conditions and their impact on crop yields over three years (1787–1789).
- 1787:
- Rainy autumn → Most crops died.
- Mild winter → No significant improvement.
- Hot summer → Silk harvest was very bad.
- 1788:
- Rainy spring → Poor growing conditions.
- Hailstorms in July → Terrible harvest.
- 1789:
- Hard winter with bad frosts → Better than 1788 but still poor (grapes for wine died).

- Conclusion: Food production was severely impacted due to unfavorable weather conditions. Crop failures were consistent, leading to a shortage of food supplies.

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#### Task 2: What does Source 2 tell us about how many jobs there were in 1789?

- Source 2 states that thousands of workers in the silk, cotton, and woolen industries were unemployed.
- Between September 1788 and January 1789:
- 46,000 unemployed in Amiens.
- 10,000 unemployed in Carcassonne.
- 25,000 unemployed in Lyons.
- Total unemployment in these regions alone was 81,000 workers.

- Conclusion: There was a significant loss of jobs in key industries, indicating high unemployment rates and economic hardship.

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#### Task 3: What does Source 3 tell us about the amount of money workers had to spend on bread?

- Source 3 describes the rising cost of bread for town workers:
- In August 1788: Workers spent half of their wages on bread.
- By July 1789: Workers spent three-quarters of their wages on bread.

- Conclusion: The cost of bread increased dramatically, forcing workers to spend an increasingly larger portion of their income on this essential commodity.

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#### Task 4: Unhappy people usually only become violent when they are desperate. Use the 3 sources above to explain why people in France might be getting desperate in 1789.

- Analysis of Desperation Based on Sources:
1. Food Shortage (Source 1):
- Consistent crop failures due to bad weather led to a severe shortage of food. This meant that people had less access to basic necessities, creating widespread hunger and malnutrition.

2. Unemployment (Source 2):
- High unemployment rates in major industrial centers (e.g., Amiens, Carcassonne, Lyons) left thousands of people without income. Without jobs, people could not afford even the most basic goods, including food.

3. Rising Cost of Bread (Source 3):
- The increasing cost of bread meant that workers had to spend more and more of their limited wages just to feed themselves and their families. By July 1789, three-quarters of their wages went toward bread, leaving little or no money for other essentials.

- Overall Impact:
- The combination of food shortages, unemployment, and rising prices created a perfect storm of desperation. People were unable to feed themselves or their families, and the economic situation showed no signs of improving. This desperation fueled anger and resentment toward the government, particularly King Louis XVI and the ruling elite, who were perceived as unresponsive to the suffering of the common people.

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Final Answer:

1. Source 1: Food production was severely impacted by bad weather, leading to consistent crop failures and a shortage of food.
2. Source 2: There was a significant loss of jobs in key industries, resulting in high unemployment rates (e.g., 81,000 unemployed in certain regions).
3. Source 3: The cost of bread rose sharply, forcing workers to spend an increasing portion of their wages on this essential commodity (from half to three-quarters of their wages).
4. Desperation in 1789: People were desperate due to food shortages, unemployment, and the rising cost of bread. These factors combined to create widespread suffering, anger, and a sense of hopelessness, making violence more likely as a means of seeking change.

Final Answer Boxed:
\boxed{
\text{People in France were desperate in 1789 due to food shortages, high unemployment, and the rising cost of bread, all of which created widespread suffering and resentment.}
}