USA HISTORY

MAKING OF A NEW NATION 1776 1800

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
What groups of people make up the 3rd Estate?
A
Bourgeoisie/Artisans/Commoners
B
Clergy
C
Nobles
D
Soldiers
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -This estate included wealthy merchants, educated bourgeoisie, skilled artisans, and illiterate peasants. As a proportion of the population, roughly 98% of France belonged to the Third Estate, justifying Abbe Sieyes’ description as the Third Estate being “everything”.

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: -At the apex of the Third Estate’s social hierarchy was the bourgeoisie or capitalist middle classes. The bourgeoisie were business owners and professionals with enough wealth to live comfortably. As with the peasantry, there was also diversity within their ranks.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Three Estates The France of King Louis XVI was a country divided. French society comprised three Estates, the aristocracy, the clergy and the bourgeoisie and working classes, over which the King had absolute sovereignty. The First and Second Estates were exempted from most taxes.

Detailed explanation-5: -The largest of these estates was the Third Estate, containing around 27 million people or 98 percent of the population. Every commoner was part of the Third Estate. Commoners were people not ordained by the Church and those who lacked titles. The inclusion of commoners ensured that the Third Estate was diverse.

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