4. It was the best ofIt was the best of
times,times,
it was the worst ofit was the worst of
times,times,
it was the age ofit was the age of
wisdom,wisdom,
it was the age ofit was the age of
foolishness,foolishness,
it was the epoch ofit was the epoch of
belief,belief,
it was the epoch ofit was the epoch of
incredulity…incredulity…
5. 3 Estates (Social Classes) from
medieval times1st
Estate-
Clergy = 1%
(those who
pray)
2nd
Estate
Nobility = 1%
(those who
fight)
3rd
Estate-
“Everyone Else”= 98%
(from lowliest peasant
vagabond to the
wealthiest non-noble
merchant)
6. Privilege = Old Regime Society
• The Third Estate
supporting the
Monarch, Clergy, and
Nobility.
• The Natural Order of
things????
– King over Subjects
– Lords over Peasants
– Men over Women
– Masters over Slaves
– Clergy over Laypeople How is equality thus created,
under this system?
7. The First Estate- The Clergy
The Privileged Estate
•Private laws and
special status
•Free from most
taxes including the
heavy tax on land
8. The Second Estate:
those who fight, the Nobility
• Rich Nobles
• Private laws and special
status was inherited
• Owned 25 to 30% of the
land
– Paid almost no taxes
including the heavy tax
on land
• Received land and taxes
from 3rd
Estate
9. The Third Estate: Everyone else
(Had 3 groups)• Paid the most taxes including:
taille=chief tax on land, and tithe=10%
of income to church
• Bourgeoisie = wealthy merchants,
bankers, doctors, lawyers,
• Petite Bourgeoisie = Urban
shopkeepers, craftspeople and workers
• Peasants and the urban poor
11. King Louis XVI
• King at 19
• Believed his power was
from God
• Shy and taciturn, with
awkward manners and little
natural grace or personal
flair
• Enjoyed hunting and
locksmithing
• Pathologically indecisive
• Well read in history and
geography and learned
German, Italian, and English
12. Marie Antoinette
• Queen at 18
• Austrian
• Pretty and lively
• Flighty and irresponsible
• Massive amounts of
money on clothes and hair
• Unable to produce an heir
for many years
• 4 Children eventually (2
boys)
• Press and commentary
was brutally harsh on her
15. Financial ProblemsFinancial Problems
•Money to help the American Revolution
•Bad harvests cause rising food prices to soar
•Bread prices doubled
•Peasants spent 30-50% of income on bread
•Population was increasing
•Louis XVI was weak and indecisive
•Marie Antoinette: Madame Deficit spent money on
jewelry, hair, clothing,
•Combine this with new Enlightenment thinking!
16. Where is the Money?
Louis
Necker1st
&
2nd
Estates
