Calling the Estates-General. The Estates-General of 1789 was a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm summoned by Louis XVI to propose solutions to France’s financial problems. It ended when the Third Estate formed into a National Assembly, signaling the outbreak of the French Revolution.
What role did the First Estate play in the French Revolution?
1. The First Estate was one of France’s three social orders. It contained all persons ordained in a Catholic religious order, from cardinals and archbishops down to priests, monks and nuns.
What was the role of the three estates in causing the French Revolution?
The Third Estate would become a very important early part of the French Revolution. But the dramatic inequality in voting—the Third Estate represented more people, but only had the same voting power as the clergy or the nobility—led to the Third Estate demanding more voting power, and as things developed, more rights.
Why was the estates system important?
The estate to which a person belonged was very important because it determined that person’s rights, obligations and status. Usually a person remained in one estate for his or her lifetime, and any movement from upwards in the estate system could take many generations.
How did the estates work in the French Revolution?
To choose the estates, France was divided up into 234 constituencies. Each had an electoral assembly for the nobles and clergy while the third estate was voted on by every male taxpayer over twenty-five years of age. Each sent two delegates for the first and second estates and four for the third.
How did society work before the French Revolution?
It was the way that French society was ordered before the French Revolution. At the top of the societal pyramid was the king. The king was an absolute monarch, which meant that he obtained his right to rule from God, and, in theory, could do whatever he wanted. The rest of society was divided up into three estates.
How big was the Third Estate in France?
French society was divided into three estates or orders prior to the French Revolution. The largest of these estates was the Third Estate, containing around 27 million people or 98 percent of the population. Every commoner was part of the Third Estate.
What was the class system in France during the French Revolution?
The First Estate was made up of the Catholic clergy. The Catholic Church was very important in France. It was in charge of churches and some government tasks and advising the king. It was also tax exempt. The Second Estate was made up of the nobility. These were aristocrats who inherited their titles and wealth and paid no taxes.
