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Presentation 1
Presentation 1
• The Estates were one of the significant causes of the French Revolution. The French society
before the revolution was divided into three main social classes, known as estates. Each
estate had different privileges and responsibilities, and this social hierarchy created a sense
of inequality and injustice, contributing to the discontent that eventually led to the
revolution.
1ST ESTATE – THE CLERGY
The First Estate consisted of the clergy, which included high-ranking members of the
Catholic Church. They enjoyed immense wealth and privileges, including exemption from
most taxes and the collection of tithes from the peasantry. The clergy's wealth and power
created resentment among the common people who had to bear the burden of heavy
taxation.