Causes of the French Revolution

Despite inheriting massive debts from his predecessor, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette continued to spend lavishly, such as by assisting the American colonies in gaining independence from the British. By the late 1780s, France's government was on the verge of bankruptcy.

To make matters worse, widespread crop failures caused a nationwide famine in 1788. Bread prices soared to the point where, at their peak, the average worker spent nearly 88 percent of his earnings on just that one item.

Unemployment was also an issue, which the public blamed in part on newly reduced customs duties between France and the United Kingdom. Following a harsh winter, violent food riots erupted in bakeries, granaries, and other food storage facilities across France.