Paragraph 5.1 - Problems in France - 2021

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Paragraph 5.1 - Problems in France

What will you learn this lesson? 

• how, in the 18th century, French society was structured according to the estates system
  
• why people of the third estate got dissatisfied with the social inequality of the estate system
  
• why many French people were dissatisfied with the king and queen
• why king Louis XVI called for a meeting of the Estates-General in 1789

The estates

• System from the Middle Ages 
• First estate: clergy
• Second estate: nobility
• Third estate: the rest

• The third is the only who pays all the taxes
  
• The first and second estates decide how to use the taxes

Emphasize that this system is in place since the Middle Ages, but society had changed immensely since then, especially the third estate. 

The Three Estates

All the people in the country belonged 

to one of the three estates.

An estate is a group of people 

you belong to from birth.

An estate is hereditary.

You can not easily 

change into 

another

etstate

Every member of the third estate was poor

1. True
2. False

Most people from the bourgeoisie were able to read

1. True
2. False

Only members of the nobility were educated at universities

1. True
2. False

Peasants were not welcome at the meeting of the Estates-General

1. True
2. False

How had society changed since the Middle Ages?

1. The Estates system had been set-up by the king
2. The Estates system was destroyed by the first estate
3. The Estates system was viewed differently by third estate
4. The Estates system had been modified to adjust to the new times by the clergy

What kind of change did the bourgeoisie demand?

1. They demanded the same power and privileges as the people from the first and second estate.
2. They wanted better working conditions.
3. They wanted the first and second estate to reduce their spending and luxurious lifestyle.
4. They demanded a better salary for their hard work.

Good parents

• Louis XVI (15) married the Austrian Archduchess Marie-Antoinette (14)
• Four years: king and queen of France
• Three years: first child is born
• Marie-Antoinette breastfed the children herself, let them play and be children
• Both parents very involved in the education of their children picking tutors, teaching them themselves 

How to get children? Letters emperor of Austria to his brother in law with instructions

First child a daughter, two sons and a daughter

Immense debt

• an income of 472 livres:  an expenditure of 633 livres (of which 50% was spend on interest payments on debts)
• Supporting the Americans in their fight for independance against the British 

Add to that...

• Famine (1788/9) -->  no more money from peasants

• Other solutions had to be found --> tax the other two estates as well

• Nobility and clergy:  You need the Estates General to agree

The preparation of the meeting

• People of France could write down their complaints in cahiers de doleances
• 300 members of the first and second estates
• 600 of the third estate

3a. The third estate had many grievances. But not all third estate groups had the same grievances. Choose which groups were most affected by the following problems:


1. not enough land

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3b. no influence in politics

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3c. low wages

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3d. bad harvests

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3e. high taxes

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups

3f. very difficult to get a noble title (but could get one for enough money)

1. peasants
2. city workers
3. bourgeoisie
4. all three groups