Major Enlightenment Principles
 3 Branches of Government Social Groups/Estates in Pre-Revolutionary
 Regular elections
 Representative government
 Free Economy and trade
 Freedom of speech
 Right to protest
 Trial by jury
 Freedom of religion
 Universal education
Major Absolutist Principles
 Centralized Government
 Divine Right
 Strict Censorship
 Powerful military
 One branch of government
controls all functions
of government
France
KING
(absolute monarchy,
centralized power)
CLERGY
Church officials
First Estate
(Archbishops,
bishops,
and priests)
NOBILITY/ARISTOCRATS
Large landowners
Second Estate
who have had rich
families since the
Middle Ages/Feudalism
BOURGEOISIE
Merchants, businessmen,
and lawyers who came from
the peasant class, but have
gotten good jobs due to the
trade caused by the
Crusades and the colonies of
the New World. They have
been opening businesses
and purchasing land with
Third Estate
their money
PEASANTS
Little money (many are still
living in a feudal system)
Some peasants own a small
amount of land, but with no
education, no government
services, they cannot vote,
frequently called to fight in
wars (France keeps losing)
 Outline for a just French Society
We, the ________________________ Estate, believe in the Enlightenment Principles of ________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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Article 1: Under this new government, the following social groups will be allowed to vote: _____________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 2: The powers of the king will be _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 3: The following taxes will be collected from each of the following groups:
Section 1: The Clergy will have to pay _______% of their own wealth in annual taxes
Section 2: The Nobility will have to pay _______% of their own wealth in annual taxes
Section 3: The Bourgeoisie will have to pay _______% of their own wealth in annual taxes
Section 4: The Peasants will have to pay _______% of their own wealth in annual taxes
Article 4: The clergy will have the following special rights or privileges ____________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 5: the Nobility will have the following special rights or privileges ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 5: the 3rd Estate will have the following special rights or privileges ___________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 6: The army will only be used against citizens if _______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Article 7: Education will be available to ______________________________________________________
And will be paid for using money that comes from ______________________________________________
 Notes on the Meeting of the Estates General at the Palace of Versailles, 1789

Directions: Choose three issues from the above sheet and consider the opinion each estate has on it.

Topic one:_____________________

First Estate (Clergy) Second Estate (Nobility) Third Estate ( Bourgeoisie and Peasantry) Results of
the Vote

Topic two:_____________________

First Estate (Clergy) Second Estate (Nobility) Third Estate ( Bourgeoisie and Peasantry) Results of
the Vote

Topic three:_____________________

First Estate (Clergy) Second Estate (Nobility) Third Estate ( Bourgeoisie and Peasantry) Results of
the Vote