FRENCH REVOLUTION
FRANCE UNDER NAPOLEON
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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proposed taxation of the Second Estate
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political representation in the government
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food shortages and riots among the peasants
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equalizing the tax burden among the Three Estates
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Detailed explanation-1: -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.
Detailed explanation-2: -In 1789, the King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General. It was the first meeting of the Estates General called since 1614. He called the meeting because the French government was having financial problems.
Detailed explanation-3: -The Estates-General of 1614, held during the minority of Louis XIII, revealed one of the body’s major weaknesses-the inability of the three orders to agree because of conflicting interests.
Detailed explanation-4: -Louis XVI hoped to avoid bankruptcy by taxing the nobles. The nobles refused to pay taxes unless Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General. This meeting had not been used since 1614. (That’s 175 years without a meeting of the representatives of France!)
Detailed explanation-5: -The Estates-General met at Versailles on May 5, 1789. They were immediately divided over a fundamental issue: should they vote by head, giving the advantage to the Third Estate, or by estate, in which case the two privileged orders of the realm might outvote the third?