Ok so here I am in English class, chillin' out, maxin' and relaxin' all cool when our teacher hits us with a political figure essay. Fun stuff. I decide to actually have fun with it and choose someone that would be quite obscure to an American high school student, and ended up making this a bunch worse for myself. I chose Louis XVI.
Now normally I wouldn't ask for help for something like this, but currently I only have my rough draft completed, and the paper's due tomorrow. What I'm mainly asking for would be some proofreading (don't be afraid to be nit-picky - comma splicing, ending sentences with a preposition, whatever), checking my facts (I'm a bit confused on the chronological order of some things, and some of my sources are contradictory on certain subjects) and generally making it suck less D=.
Here's what I have right now (if you want, I'll double-space it to make it easier to read - but that will make this post all the more longer >.<):
Louis XVI is one of the most infamous rulers in history. He was the only king of France ever to be executed. Born on Aug. 23, 1754, he lost his head to the "National Razor" on Jan. 21, 1793. He was indecisive towards every subject, and seemed to believe strongest in the opinion of whomever he talked to last. Despite his unwillingness to rule, he still wanted the best for his country. Unfortunately, he ascended to the throne during some hard times, and the citizens needed a scapegoat...
As a child, Louis liked to study Latin, history, geography, and astronomy, and became fluent in Italian and English. He was Roman Catholic. He was also arranged to be married to Marie Antoinette of Austria. The marriage was arranged to make an alliance between France and Austria. At the time of the wedding, Louis was Dauphin de France. Louis was 15 on the day of the marriage, and Marie was 14. Louis' father died when he was 19, and he ascended to the throne. Marie Antoinette was his queen.
Louis XVI ruled from 1774 to 1791. He himself felt wholly unqualified for the job. At first he was loved - but later on in his reign, he wasn't trusted. He was informally nicknamed "Louis le Dernier," or "Louis the Last." The Cordielers aimed to replace Louis XVI with the Duke of Orleans. At the beginning, Louis XVI entrusted management of finances of the kingdom to Turgot, one of the best statesmen. He remitted some of the most oppressive taxes early in his reign. Unfortunately for Louis XVI, he was king during the French Revolution.
The first event that began the Revolution was the nobility's refusal to aid Louis XVI by paying taxes. The second event was the formation of the National Assembly and the Tennis Court Oath. On June 20, 1789, members of the Third Estate took what is known as the Tennis Court Oath. The French citizens formally stood in opposition to Louis XVI. The Tennis Court Oath inspired many revolts afterward. The third even that began the rebellion was the Storming of the Bastille. The Storming of the Bastille took place on July 14, 1789. As a tribute to his cluelessness during his reign, when revolutionaries seized the Bastille, he wrote in his diary, "Rien," or "Nothing." Louis XVI was put on house arrest on Oct. 6, 1789, when revolutionaries feared he would retaliate. Ironically, he was at the height of his popularity at the festival anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille.
On June 21, 1791, Louis tried to escape with Marie to Austria. He was found and arrested at Varennes, and brought back to Paris. Revolutionaries forced the king into declaring war against Austria, to discredit him with failure or declare himself an enemy of the people by refusing. It was a success on their part - the failed war intensified hatred for the royal family. Later, his disregard to his promise to abide by the new constitution led to the storming of the royal palace of the Tuileries. Revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries on August 10, 1792. The storming of the Tuileries Palace suspended the royal house's power. After the storming of the Tuileries, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the "Convention." On Sep. 21, 1792, the Convention declared royalty abolished.
On Dec. 11, 1792, the ex-king stood at trial for High Treason and Crimes against the State. On January 15, 1793, the Convention voted out the verdict. 693 of 721 Convention members voted Louis XVI guilty. He attempted a speech to assert his innocence before he was executed, but he was cut off by a drum roll. The period that followed is known as "La Terreur," or "The Terror."
The Terror lasted from Sep. 5, 1793, to July 28, 1794. The Terror was a period of time where fanatical revolutionaries executed an estimate of 20,000 to 40,000 people. Louis XVI was the first victim of The Terror. Marie Antoinette was also among the many to be executed during this time.
Marie Antoinette was tried on Oct. 14, 1793. Her trial was much more of a sham than her husband's. She was accused of orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasure money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orleans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792. She was found guilty and executed on Oct. 16, 1793.
Fanatical revolutionaries of the time later kill each other, and the turmoil dies down enough for the French to construct their first republic. Louis was unfortunate to rule during this time, but much of the catalysts for this revolution were of his own accord. He was a weak king, and did little to nothing about the hunger problems at the time. For the citizens of France, the monarchy served as a symbol of gluttony, and must be abolished. Louis wanted the best for his country, but he wasn't what the citizens needed. Louisville, Kentucky is named after him, as a sort of tribute. Considering this extreme case, it takes more than just meaning well to do well.
**** that looked shorter on paper.
Anyway yeah if you find any inconsistencies, or anything I tote as fact that is blatantly false, it would be much appreciated. Personally I find anything between the introduction and conclusion quite dry.. And unfortunately I realize that that is an obscure ruler, but anyway enjoy -.-
Now normally I wouldn't ask for help for something like this, but currently I only have my rough draft completed, and the paper's due tomorrow. What I'm mainly asking for would be some proofreading (don't be afraid to be nit-picky - comma splicing, ending sentences with a preposition, whatever), checking my facts (I'm a bit confused on the chronological order of some things, and some of my sources are contradictory on certain subjects) and generally making it suck less D=.
Here's what I have right now (if you want, I'll double-space it to make it easier to read - but that will make this post all the more longer >.<):
Louis XVI is one of the most infamous rulers in history. He was the only king of France ever to be executed. Born on Aug. 23, 1754, he lost his head to the "National Razor" on Jan. 21, 1793. He was indecisive towards every subject, and seemed to believe strongest in the opinion of whomever he talked to last. Despite his unwillingness to rule, he still wanted the best for his country. Unfortunately, he ascended to the throne during some hard times, and the citizens needed a scapegoat...
As a child, Louis liked to study Latin, history, geography, and astronomy, and became fluent in Italian and English. He was Roman Catholic. He was also arranged to be married to Marie Antoinette of Austria. The marriage was arranged to make an alliance between France and Austria. At the time of the wedding, Louis was Dauphin de France. Louis was 15 on the day of the marriage, and Marie was 14. Louis' father died when he was 19, and he ascended to the throne. Marie Antoinette was his queen.
Louis XVI ruled from 1774 to 1791. He himself felt wholly unqualified for the job. At first he was loved - but later on in his reign, he wasn't trusted. He was informally nicknamed "Louis le Dernier," or "Louis the Last." The Cordielers aimed to replace Louis XVI with the Duke of Orleans. At the beginning, Louis XVI entrusted management of finances of the kingdom to Turgot, one of the best statesmen. He remitted some of the most oppressive taxes early in his reign. Unfortunately for Louis XVI, he was king during the French Revolution.
The first event that began the Revolution was the nobility's refusal to aid Louis XVI by paying taxes. The second event was the formation of the National Assembly and the Tennis Court Oath. On June 20, 1789, members of the Third Estate took what is known as the Tennis Court Oath. The French citizens formally stood in opposition to Louis XVI. The Tennis Court Oath inspired many revolts afterward. The third even that began the rebellion was the Storming of the Bastille. The Storming of the Bastille took place on July 14, 1789. As a tribute to his cluelessness during his reign, when revolutionaries seized the Bastille, he wrote in his diary, "Rien," or "Nothing." Louis XVI was put on house arrest on Oct. 6, 1789, when revolutionaries feared he would retaliate. Ironically, he was at the height of his popularity at the festival anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille.
On June 21, 1791, Louis tried to escape with Marie to Austria. He was found and arrested at Varennes, and brought back to Paris. Revolutionaries forced the king into declaring war against Austria, to discredit him with failure or declare himself an enemy of the people by refusing. It was a success on their part - the failed war intensified hatred for the royal family. Later, his disregard to his promise to abide by the new constitution led to the storming of the royal palace of the Tuileries. Revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries on August 10, 1792. The storming of the Tuileries Palace suspended the royal house's power. After the storming of the Tuileries, the Legislative Assembly was replaced by the "Convention." On Sep. 21, 1792, the Convention declared royalty abolished.
On Dec. 11, 1792, the ex-king stood at trial for High Treason and Crimes against the State. On January 15, 1793, the Convention voted out the verdict. 693 of 721 Convention members voted Louis XVI guilty. He attempted a speech to assert his innocence before he was executed, but he was cut off by a drum roll. The period that followed is known as "La Terreur," or "The Terror."
The Terror lasted from Sep. 5, 1793, to July 28, 1794. The Terror was a period of time where fanatical revolutionaries executed an estimate of 20,000 to 40,000 people. Louis XVI was the first victim of The Terror. Marie Antoinette was also among the many to be executed during this time.
Marie Antoinette was tried on Oct. 14, 1793. Her trial was much more of a sham than her husband's. She was accused of orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of livres of treasure money to Austria, plotting to kill the Duke of Orleans, incest with her son, declaring her son to be the new king of France, and orchestrating the massacre of the Swiss Guards in 1792. She was found guilty and executed on Oct. 16, 1793.
Fanatical revolutionaries of the time later kill each other, and the turmoil dies down enough for the French to construct their first republic. Louis was unfortunate to rule during this time, but much of the catalysts for this revolution were of his own accord. He was a weak king, and did little to nothing about the hunger problems at the time. For the citizens of France, the monarchy served as a symbol of gluttony, and must be abolished. Louis wanted the best for his country, but he wasn't what the citizens needed. Louisville, Kentucky is named after him, as a sort of tribute. Considering this extreme case, it takes more than just meaning well to do well.
**** that looked shorter on paper.
Anyway yeah if you find any inconsistencies, or anything I tote as fact that is blatantly false, it would be much appreciated. Personally I find anything between the introduction and conclusion quite dry.. And unfortunately I realize that that is an obscure ruler, but anyway enjoy -.-
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