USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -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.

Detailed explanation-2: -The members of the first two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed certain privileges by birth. The most important of these was exemption from paying taxes to the state.

Detailed explanation-3: -The First Estate owned approximately 10 percent of French land and collected significant revenues as result. Furthermore, the Church was permitted to levy the tithe from members of the Third Estate, which could equate to roughly 10% of a peasant’s income.

Detailed explanation-4: -France under the Ancien Régime (before the French Revolution) divided society into three estates: the First Estate (clergy); the Second Estate (nobility); and the Third Estate (commoners). The king was considered part of no estate.