French Revolution: The Estates-General

French Revolution: The Estates-General

​Learning Target

We can recognize the three Estates by identifying where they fall in the class system.

​By 1788, trouble was brewing in France. The peasants and the middle class were unhappy. The government was in trouble, too. It was out of money. Fancy living and too many wars had resulted in an empty treasury. 

​In 1789, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates-General. This was a government body that was something like England's Parliament. The Estates-General had not met for 175 years. Now there was to be a meeting at Versailles. Thus was the name of the fine palace just outside of Paris where King Louis XVI lived with his Queen Marie Antoinette. King Louis wanted the Estates-General to grant him more money in new taxes.

Multiple Choice

Where did King Louis host the meeting of the Estates-General

• Big Ben

• Versailles

• Sparta

• Rome

Multiple Choice

What are taxes?

• Money that is collected from citizens by the government to use for services

• How citizens make money

• Money that is free

​Three groups of people made up the Estates-General. Each group was called an estate. The First Estate included wealthy clergy. They arrived at King Louis's meeting dressed clergy. They arrived at King Louis's meeting dressed in fine clothing and riding in beautiful carriages.

​The First Estate

Multiple Choice

The First Estate: "They arrived at King Louis's meeting dressed in fine clothing and riding in beautiful carriages."

What can we conclude from this?

• The First Estate were poor

• The First Estate were wealthy

• The First Estate isn't real

​Members of the Second Estate were the nobles. Many were wealthy and came from large country manors. Some of the nobles, however, had lost most of their wealth. They had only their titles left.

Multiple Choice

Some of the nobles in the Second Estate lost their wealth. What was the only thing they had?

• Their Titles

• Their Smile

• Their Hair

• Their Money

​The First and Second Estates represented only a tiny part of the French population. The Third Estate represented most of the people of France. The Third Estate represented a middle class of merchants and city workers as well as all the peasants of France.

Multiple Choice

________ represented a middle class of merchants and city workers as well as all the peasants of France.

• The First Estate

• The Second Estate

• The Third Estate

​Each of the three estates has one vote in meetings. This was hardly fair since the Third Estate represented 98 percent of the population. The First and Second Estates could band together. They could then outvote the Third Estate every time they wanted to. Members of the Third Estate were ready for change.

​

​At the 1789 meeting in Versailles, the Third Estate asked for more votes. King Louis XVI refused.

​Match the Estates

Multiple Choice

included wealthy clergy. They arrived at King Louis's meeting dressed clergy. They arrived at King Louis's meeting dressed in fine clothing and riding in beautiful carriages.

• The First Estate

• The Second Estate

• The Third Estate

Multiple Choice

represented most of the people of France. The Third Estate represented a middle class of merchants and city workers as well as all the peasants of France.

• The First Estate

• The Second Estate

• The Third Estate

Multiple Choice

were the nobles. Many were wealthy and came from large country manors. Some of the nobles, however, had lost most of their wealth. They had only their titles left.

• The First Estate

• The Second Estate

• The Third Estate