The Estates General Background By 1787, France’s economy is in ruins for several reasons

The Estates General

Background

• By 1787, France’s economy is in ruins for several reasons

• Lavish spending by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
• Poor taxing policies
• Seven Years War (1756-1763) and the American Revolution (1775-1783)

• King Louis XVI promises to call together the Estates General, which had not met since 1614

• Hopefully this will solve France’s problems

• The Estates General is scheduled to meet on May 5th, 1789 at Versailles

• Louis XVI, king of

• France

What Was the Estates General?

• This was a legislative assembly for the different French classes (Congress)

• The Estates General was made up of three classes

• Clergy-1st Estate
• Nobility-2nd Estate
• Bourgeoisie (peasants)-3rd Estate

Clergy

• By 1789, the 1st Estate (Clergy) was made up of 100,000 people

• Owned 5-10% of the land

• All property was tax-exempt

• Clergy

Nobility

• The 2nd Estate (Nobility) was made up of 400,000 people

• Enjoyed the better government jobs

• Was also tax-exempt

• Nobility

Bourgeoisie

• The 3rd Estate (Bourgeoisie, peasants) was made up of 25 million people

• The 3rd Estate paid all of the taxes

• This means the burden fell on France’s poorest

• Each Estate had one vote

• The 1st and 2nd Estates usually voted together

• The 3rd Estate had to sit by themselves at the Estates General

• They had to wear black robes

• Had to enter the Estates General through a side door

• The 3rd Estate (98% of France) is getting fed up…

2008-2009 Academics Mid-Term

• 1-25 Geography (there will be a map) 26-40 Countries and capitals (no map) 41-55 Middle Ages (matching) 56-62 Roman Numerals 63-71 Middle Ages 72-96 Renaissance 97-121 Absolute Monarchs 122-144 Reformation 145-180 French Revolution

• There will also be an essay

2008-2009 Honors Mid-Term

• 1-25 Geography (there will be a map) 26-40 Countries and capitals (no map) 41-55 Middle Ages (matching) 56-62 Roman Numerals 63-71 Middle Ages 72-96 Renaissance 97-121 Absolute Monarchs 122-144 Reformation 145-180 French Revolution 181-200 Scientific Revolution/Enlightenment There will also be an essay

Perform a Skit (10 points)

• In groups of three, perform a skit about today’s material so everyone is involved

• Some ideas include the following:

• A meeting between Louis XVI and his advisors to discuss the economy crisis
• The clergy and nobility ganging up on 3rd Estate (NO violence!)
• Re-enact voting in the Estates General
• Pretend you are a 3rd Estate family. What might you complain about?
• 3rd Estate complaining about treatment at the Estates General