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French Estate System & Causes of French Revolution

French Estate System & Causes of French Revolution. Created by Aaron Yonke Bay Port High School, Green Bay, WI. Background on France. Before the Rev. France had the largest population in Europe France was home to the ENL and a center for learning and culture

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French Estate System & Causes of French Revolution

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  1. French Estate System & Causes of French Revolution Created by Aaron Yonke Bay Port High School, Green Bay, WI

  2. Background on France • Before the Rev. France had the largest population in Europe • France was home to the ENL and a center for learning and culture • France was a superpower, #2 in the world only to Great Britain • The long-term cause of the French Rev. was the Estates System

  3. What is the Estates System • French social class system– “Three Estates” • Divided population into 3 groups • First Estate, Second Estate, Third Estate • Similar to our informal social classes • This is the main long-term cause of the French Revolution

  4. First Estate • 130 thousand people (0.5% of population) • Owned about 10% of all land • Exempt from the Taille (the main tax) • Clergy members

  5. Second Estate • 350 thousand people (1.5% of population) • Owned about 25% of all land • Held all positions in govt. and the military • Exempt from the Taille • Tried to gain more power at expense of the monarchy

  6. Third Estate • About 98% of the population • Owned about 65% of the land • Paid 100% of the Taille • Divided into 3 groups • Peasants • Urban Poor • Middle Class (Bourgeoisie)

  7. Peasants • Made up 75% of the Third Estate • Owned 35% of the land • Still under feudalism (What is feudalism?) • Had to pay to use village services, clergy, and nobles

  8. Urban Poor • Shopkeepers, craftspeople, wage earners • Lived in urban areas (the city)

  9. Bourgeoisie • 2.3 million people (8% of total population) • Owned 20% of all land • Merchants, bankers, professionals

  10. Problems with the Estates system • Biggest group has least amount of influence, power, and money • People with the least amount of money paid all the taxes • The Third Estate did all the work for little reward • Minority rules majority

  11. Causes of the French Revolution • What was the long term cause of the rev? • The immediate causes were.. • 1) Financial crisis • Bad harvests in 1788 and 1789 • Economic slowdown, food prices up and shortages • People lost their jobs • Number of “poor” now 1/3 of pop. • French govt. spent massive amounts of money on wars and luxuries

  12. Causes of the French Revolution 2) Weak Leadership of King Louis XVI Indecisive and a procrastinator Incapable of handling the Nobility 3) Unpopularity of Queen Marie Antoinette Was Austrian, historic enemy of France Seen as wasting $ by 3rdEstate 4) American Revolution Cost France a lot of $ Gave the Bourgeoisie an alternative to Monarchy

  13. Estates General meeting 1789

  14. What was the Estates General • Group of members from each Estate • First time since 1614 that Estates General was called • Job was meant to give advice to the King

  15. Members of the Estates

  16. Makeup of the Estates General

  17. Problems with the Estates General • Each Estate had one vote, but the third estate had as many members as first and second estates combined • First and Second Estate could over rule the Third Estate • Not equally represented

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