French farmers cut off Paris with tractors
PRINT ALL READINGS (PDF)Siege of Paris - Level 0
French farmers are angry because it is becoming more difficult to live. They are blocking roads around Paris. Energy and food are more expensive. The French government is not protecting farmers from cheaper food coming from Eastern Europe. Farmers are also angry because they have more paperwork.
Farmers' tractors stopped traffic going in and out of Paris. One farmer said: "We've come to defend French agriculture." Another farmer said: "Parisians are going to be hungry." Farmers had messages that said: "The end of us would mean famine for you." A farmers union said the government must find an answer.
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Siege of Paris - Level 1
French farmers are angry. They are blocking roads around Paris. Their anger is because it is becoming more difficult to live. Energy, food and fertilizer are becoming more expensive. Farmers are also angry because the government is not protecting them from cheaper food coming from Eastern Europe. Finally, they are angry with European Union climate decisions that are adding to paperwork and the costs of doing business.
Farmers' tractors stopped traffic going in and out of Paris. They also piled smelly animal waste outside government offices. One farmer said: "We've come to defend French agriculture." Another farmer said: "Parisians are going to be hungry. The goal is to starve Parisians." Farmers carried messages that said: "The end of us would mean famine for you." A farmers union said the government must find a solution and a way out of the crisis.
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11 online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Siege of Paris - Level 2
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Farmers in France are angry. They are blocking roads around the capital city of Paris. There are many reasons for their anger. It is becoming more difficult to live. Inflation is increasing because of high energy prices. The Ukraine War is causing higher prices, especially for fertilizer. Farmers are also angry because the government is not protecting them from cheaper food coming from Eastern Europe. Finally, they are very angry with European Union climate decisions, which are adding to paperwork and the costs of doing business.
The farmers blocked highways around Paris. Their tractors stopped traffic going in and out of the city. They also dumped smelly animal waste outside government offices. One farmer told the AP news agency: "We've come to defend French agriculture. We go from crisis to crisis." Another farmer said: "Parisians are going to be hungry. The goal is to starve Parisians." Farmers carried messages that said: "No food without farmers" and "The end of us would mean famine for you." A farmers union said it is pressuring the government to find a solution and a way out of the crisis.
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11 online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Siege of Paris - Level 3
French farmers are angry with their government. They are blocking roads around France's capital city of Paris. There are many reasons for the farmers' anger. It is becoming more difficult for them to survive. Inflation in France is increasing because of high energy prices. This is making food more expensive for farmers to produce. The war in Ukraine is causing higher prices, especially for fertilizers. The farmers are also angry because the government is not protecting them from cheaper food coming from other countries, especially Eastern Europe. Finally, they are furious with European Union climate measures, which are adding to red tape and the costs of doing business.
The farmers blocked major highways around Paris. They parked their tractors on main roads to stop traffic going in and out of the city. They also dumped smelly agricultural waste outside government offices. Farmer Christophe Rossignol told the Associated Press news agency: "We've come to defend French agriculture. We go from crisis to crisis." Another farmer said: "Parisians are going to be hungry. The goal is to starve Parisians." A large farmers union said: "Our objective is to put pressure on the government so that we can quickly find a solution for a way out of the crisis." Some tractors had messages on them that said: "No food without farmers" and "The end of us would mean famine for you."
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25 online activities | 27-page printable | 2-page mini-lesson