THE THREE ESTATES First Estate Clergy Collect taxes, operated
schools and hospitals Less than one percent of population Owned 10
percent of land Second Estate Nobility Born into rights and
privileges Tax exempt Less than two percent of population Owned
20-25 percent of land Both hated enlightenment ideas
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THIRD ESTATE Rest of society Mostly peasants Paid ALL taxes 97
percent of population Bourgeoisie Owned means of production
Lawyers, doctors, etc. Exploited by clergy and nobility
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LIFE OF A PEASANT No food Starvation Few privileges Servants =
skilled and unskilled Laborers Responsible for taxes Wars, palaces,
used to support wealthy
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LOUIS XVI AND MARIE ANTOINETTE King and Queen of France
1774-1792 Supported American Revolution, 1776 Represented absolute
monarchy Inherited debt Bad spending habits Palace of
Versailles
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LONG TERM CAUSES Corrupt & inconsistent leadership Massive
debt Absolute monarch Resentment of 3 rd Estate privileges Paid
largest sum of taxes No voice in government First and Second Estate
would overrule Third Estate Each estate had one vote Enlightenment
Philosophy Freedom of the Individual Voltaire, Diderot, Turgot Saw
effects of American Revolution
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SHORT TERM CAUSES Government debt Did not tax upper class War
debt, tax evasion Poor harvest Bad weather in 1780s led to crop
failure Increase in the price of bread Rejection of financial
reforms Attempted to force nobles to pay taxes, failed
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ESTATES GENERAL One vote per estate Clergy and nobility joined
to outvote Third Estate Versailles May 1789 First meeting since
1614 Third Estate formed National Assembly Sign of revolution
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Third Estate established own government 1789
Inspired by Abbe Sieyes French Roman Catholic
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THE THIRD ESTATE AWAKENS
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CONFRONTATION WITH KING Louis XVI locked Third Estate out of
National Assemblys meeting hall Moved to nearby tennis courts for
meetings Tennis Court Oath Vowed not to leave King reversed
position Ordered first two estates to join National Assembly Called
French troops to Paris
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STORMING OF THE BASTILLE Rioting in Paris, early July Louis
fired Necker Lowered Third Estate taxes Paris mobs seized weapons
from armory Attacked Bastille Prison and armory: symbol of
oppression Soldiers refused to stop attack Bastille destroyed
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DECLARATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MAN AND CITIZEN Adopted by
National Assembly, 1789 Enlightenment ideas Outlined basic freedoms
held by all Asserted sovereignty of the people Libert, Egalit,
Fraternit