Third Estate example essay topic

"Causes of the French Revolution" The French Revolution could have been foreseen, by the French nobles but I guess they didn't! I mean they had A poor economic situation and an unmanageable national debt, was a major sign they were on the brink of a revolution. Although the nobles were wealthy they should have seen the growing problem they had with the lower-class people that were not as wealthy and needed more money to survive. France still practiced feudalism in the 18th century.

The nobles and clergy had special privileges. They did not have to pay taxes. The common people did not have power and freedom in politics. They worked hard and had to pay a lot of taxes.

The nobles and clergy made up the First and Second Estates in the Estates General. The common people made up the Third Estate. The nobles and clergy could outvote the common people easily though the Estates General. The common people became discontented with the privileged classes, and revolted. The rising cost of everything was overwhelming for the peasants because they were getting poorer and poorer, they had to do something. The peasants also had to do something because right before the revolution began food scarcity was far worse than any other time in France.

During this time the nobles and clergy were getting more and more privileges and boy did the peasants not like that Social problems were also a major factor that brought about the French Revolution. In the 18th century, France was a feudal country with class divisions. The first estate was made up of 1% of the people and owned 10% of the land in France. The second estate consisted of 2% of the people and owned 35% of the land.

The third estate held 97% of the people who owned 55% of the land. The third estate held very little land compared to the amount of people it had. The first and the second estate were the privileged classes. They clergy and the nobility were let off from many taxes. They had to pay about 2% of their income on tax.

They also needed to pay the land tax. The third estate was the most unhappy class. City workers were angry because their wages were not enough to buy goods when prices were going up rapidly. The peasants made up 80% of the population and had to pay heavy taxes.

When Louis XVI finally called the Estates General to solve financial difficulties, the Third Estate did not agree with the unfair system of the Estates General. They formed the National Assembly to make a constitution. People were afraid that the king would suppress the National Assembly. They were also discontented that the king dismissed the Finance Minister. The hungry Parisians, who suffered from bad harvest, burst out their anger by attacking the Bastille prison. The Fall of Bastille started the French Revolution.