In the news1716
Foundation of Law's Bank in 1716
John Law established the Banque Générale in 1716, which later issued paper bank notes guaranteed by the king to stimulate the economy.
France, 1718 – 1799
5 facts1 source
1718
Born in France
1799
Dies
He lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around France.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1716
John Law established the Banque Générale in 1716, which later issued paper bank notes guaranteed by the king to stimulate the economy.
What people wore
Sunday Best for Working Women
Working-class women often kept a single outfit, similar to modern Sunday best, specifically for holidays and special public events.
Getting around
Travel times between major French cities
Traveling between cities often involved water coaches (coches d'eau) for rivers or road carriages, with a journey from Lyon to Paris taking six days at a slow pace or three days at a faster pace in 1742.
In Europe · 1701–1714War of the Spanish Succession. Europe’s powers fought for thirteen years over who would inherit the Spanish throne; a Bourbon kept it, and Britain gained Gibraltar.
In the news1709–1710
The Great Winter of 1709 brought extreme cold and severe famine to France, marking one of the century's worst economic crises.
Music
The Pocket-Sized Teacher's Violin
To make professional dance lessons convenient at home, masters used the pochette, a small, boat-shaped violin that could be easily carried in a pocket or sachet.
Daily life
Limited and irregular primary education
Primary schooling was rare, especially for girls, and often conducted irregularly by the local priest or his vicar. Education was limited to the basics of reading, writing, and the catechism.