KEY
SS9 – Crossroads
-FrnchRv2 - Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette
Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette
Directions: Read pages 62-67 in your text Crossroads – A Meeting of Nations.
1. On a separate piece of paper, provide definitions for the following terms;
Scandal
Portfolio
something that draws public attention and criticism
the area of responsibility of a government official, for example,
defence, the budget.
Deficit
Revolutionary
Mediocrity
the money the government is short each year after it pays the bills
Relating to or being a revolution…or a new way of doing things
1.
The state or quality of being mediocre.
2. Mediocre ability, achievement, or performance.
3. One that displays mediocre qualities.
2. On a separate piece of paper, answer the following questions using COMPLETE
SENTENCES;
a) Who gave Louis XIV his nickname and why was he called the “Sun King” ( 2 mks for
quality of answer)
He gave himself that name because he felt he was the source of all light in the nation.
b) Describe some of the problems associated with having to do business in France during
the reign of Louis XIV. (2 mks for your description and your examples)
Not a good decision maker
Did not understand the problems of the people
Different laws (Based on Roman laws or based on local customs)
Language barriers, some people spoke German
Many taxes and duties levied on the merchants
Shipping goods from Paris to the Med. Sea involved 30 different taxes
Terrible poverty in the country
No support of the middle class
c) Why was Marie Antoinette hated by the French people? (2 mks for quality of answer
and examples)
Marie was an Austrian and many French hated the Austrians because they had been at war with
them
She offended many aristocrats with her attitudes about French manners and courtesies
She was out-of-touch with peasants
She was extravagant and spend a lot of money ie Diamond necklace worth more than the annual
income of the whole country.
She had no learning
She dismissed people she didn’t like
d) Describe and provide an example as to how Marie Antoinette did more harm than good
when she interfered with the governing of France. (2 mks for quality of answer and
example)
She fired people she didn’t agree with without understanding their duties or responsibilities even if
they were doing a good job.
3. We often gain knowledge of people and events by asking questions.
The quality of the questions asked will often determine how
much knowledge can be gained.
Read “The Two Views of Marie Antoinette”
(found on page 67 of your text) and
devise a set of 5 questions that a person could have asked
Marie Antoinette to help determine what type of person she was
before she became Queen of France.
You will be marked out of 5 for your 5 questions and out of 5 for the quality of
questions for a total of 10 marks.
Total: ____ / 23