The Three Estates Information sheet

Before the revolution in France, a time known as the Ancien Regime, society was divided into
three distinct classes, known as the Three Estates.

The First Estate was the clergy, who were people, including priests, who ran both the Catholic
church and some aspects of the country. In addition to keeping registers of births, deaths and
marriages, the clergy also had the power to levy a 10% tax known as the tithe.

The Second Estate consisted of the nobility of France, including members of the royal family,
except for the King. Members of the Second Estate did not have to pay any taxes. They were also
awarded special privileges, such as the wearing of a sword and hunting. Like the clergy, they also
collected taxes from the Third Estate.

The Third Estate was made up of everyone else, from peasant farmers to the bourgeoisie – the
wealthy business class. While the Second Estate was only 1% of the total population of France,
the Third Estate was 96%, and had none of the rights and privileges of the other two estates.

Historians believe that one of the reasons the French Revolution came about was the
disatisfaction of members of the Third Estate, who wanted a more equal distribution of wealth
and power.
 1. Which figure in the picture represents the First Estate? Second? Third?
First picture- the priest is keeping registers for the births, marriages and deaths. Second picture-
the second picture had some more power they didn't have to pay taxes. The third picture- they
used the less fortunate as slaves.
2. What elements of the way this character is drawn leads you to your conclusion?
-it shows us the three different estates.
3. What is the artist’s main point regarding the French Estate system?
-to show us how different the three estates were from each other.

1. What were the underlying causes of the French Revolution?

Conflicts in politics, social injustice, and financial difficulties all caused the French Revolution.
2. What were the immediate causes of the French Revolution?
The immediate causes of the French Revolution were financial crisis due to excessive
government debt, high taxes on common people, and widespread hunger caused by poor
harvests.
3. What changes needed to occur at this phase of the French
Revolution?
During this stage of the French Revolution, changes had to be made to the political structure to
make it more equal and representative, to deal with financial inequalities, and to assure basic
rights to all people.