French Revolution

The Old Regime

• The Old Regime refers to a new social system after the French Revolution.
• The Old Regime was a term used in England during the Industrial Revolution.
• The Old Regime refers to a military strategy used in ancient Rome.
• The Old Regime refers to the social and political system of France before the French Revolution.

Under the system the Old Regime the people were divided into three large social classes called

• First Estate, Second Estate, Third Estate
• Royalty, Aristocracy, Bourgeoisie
• Nobility, Clergy, Peasants
• Upper Class, Middle Class, Lower Class

First Estate

• Made up of Commoners. Owned 10% of the land in Europe. It provided education and labor to the poor.

• Made up of Military. Owned 97% of the land in Europe. it provided food supply and labor.

• Made up of the Clergy, Owned 10% of the land in Europe. It provided education and relief services to the poor. 2% of income to gov't

• Made up of Clergy. Owned 97% of land in Europe. It provided food supply and education to the poor.

Second Estate

• Peasants
• Clergy. Made up of 10% of population and owned 10% of land. Also paid no taxes

• Merchants. Made up of 7% of population and owned 20% of land. Also paid a lot of taxes

• Rich Nobles. Made up 2% of population and owned 20% of land. Also paid almost no taxes

Third Estate

• The Third Estate was 97% of the people, representing the common people who were NOT part of the clergy or nobility.

• The Third Estate was 97% of the people, composed of the clergy in France

• The Third Estate was a group of wealthy merchants in France
• The Third Estate was a military organization in France

First group of the Third Estate were known as the

• Commoners or high class

• House of Representatives
• Parliament
• The Bourgeoisie or middle class

The Second group of the Third estate was made up of

• Clergy
• Nobility
• Workers of France's cities or Urban lower class

• Bourgeoisie

The Third group of the Third Estate was made up of

• Rural landowners, more than 90% of France's 26 million people

• Peasants, more than 80% of France's 26 million people

• Aristocrats

• clergy members

Members of the Third Estate were inspired by the ideas of the

• Enlightenment/ American Revolution

• Renaissance
• Industrial Revolution
• French Revolution

France's Gov't suffered deeply in debt in 170s and 1780s because

• extravagant spending by Louis XVII and his wife Marie Antoinette

• Investment in infrastructure
• Successful trade agreements
• High taxes on the poor