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The Estates General. YOUTUBE. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION: CRASH COURSE WORLD HISTORY #29 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTTvKwCylFY&edufilter=gMLbZye9Ttwkax4D13Y3Fg&safe=active. Background. By 1787, France’s economy is in ruins for several reasons Lavish spending by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
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YOUTUBE • THE FRENCH REVOLUTION: CRASH COURSE WORLD HISTORY #29 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTTvKwCylFY&edufilter=gMLbZye9Ttwkax4D13Y3Fg&safe=active
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)
Louis XVI, king of France
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
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
Nobility • The 2nd Estate (Nobility) was made up of 400,000 people • Enjoyed the better government jobs • Was also tax-exempt
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…