MAKING OF A NEW NATION 1776 1800
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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First Estate
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Second Estate
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Third Estate
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Estates General
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Detailed explanation-1: -A majority of the population belonged to the third estate of commoners. These were the lawyers, merchants, businessmen and peasants. The nobility belonged to the second estate.
Detailed explanation-2: -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 priviliges of the other two estates.
Detailed explanation-3: -The First Estate consisted of members of the Catholic Church (the clergy). The Second Estate consisted of members of the aristocracy (the nobility). The Third Estate comprised all other members of french society (the commoners).
Detailed explanation-4: -The Second Estate was made up of all members of the nobility who were not members of the First Estate. This included members of the royal family, although not the King himself. The King was considered to be separate from all three estates.
Detailed explanation-5: -The political and financial situation in France had grown rather bleak, forcing Louis XVI to summon the Estates General. This assembly was composed of three estates – the clergy, nobility and commoners – who had the power to decide on the levying of new taxes and to undertake reforms in the country.