how were the economic conditions in France and the American colonies before their revolutions similar and different
http://www.pbs.org/marieantoinette/revolution/america_france.html
To understand the economic conditions in France and the American colonies before their revolutions, you can analyze historical documents, textbooks, and scholarly articles. Let's break down the steps to get a comprehensive understanding:
1. Start by researching the economic conditions in France before the French Revolution:
a. Look for information on France's feudal system, which created significant social and economic inequalities.
b. Examine the tax system, including heavy taxes on the lower classes while the nobility often enjoyed exemptions.
c. Investigate the widespread poverty and food shortages that plagued the French population.
d. Study the significant debt France incurred from wars and the strain it placed on the economy.
2. Look into the economic situation in the American colonies before the American Revolution:
a. Explore the impact of British mercantilist policies, which restricted colonial trade and economic independence.
b. Investigate the colonial tax burden, such as the Stamp Act and Sugar Act, which were met with resistance by the colonists.
c. Examine how the British Navigation Acts limited the colonies' ability to develop industries and restricted trade.
d. Research the growing resentment among colonists toward British economic exploitation.
3. Compare the economic conditions in France and the American colonies:
a. Highlight both regions' dissatisfaction with the existing economic systems and their respective burdensome taxation.
b. Recognize the prevalence of social inequality in France's feudal system, while the American colonies experienced economic inequality due to colonial rule.
c. Contrast the food shortages and poverty faced by the French population with the economic restrictions imposed on the colonists by the British.
d. Analyze how the French and American revolutions aimed to address economic grievances and create more equitable systems.
By following these steps, you can gather information to compare the economic conditions in France and the American colonies before their respective revolutions.