What did Estates General do?

?IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. The Estates-General was a meeting of the three estates within French society which included the clergy, nobility and the peasant classes. The estate to which a person belonged was very important because it determined that person's rights, obligations and status.

In this regard, what was the outcome of the Estates General?

As a result, though the Third Estate was vastly larger than the clergy and nobility, each estate had the same representation—one vote. Inevitably, the Third Estate's vote was overridden by the combined votes of the clergy and nobility.

Secondly, what were the three decisions that came from the estates general? Estates-General, also called States General, French États-Généraux, in France of the pre-Revolutionary monarchy, the representative assembly of the three “estates,” or orders of the realm: the clergy and nobility—which were privileged minorities—and a Third Estate, which represented the majority of the people.

Herein, what happened at the Estates General in 1789?

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. The opening of the Estates General, on 5 May 1789 in Versailles, also marked the start of the French Revolution.

Why was the Estates General unfair?

The causes of the French Revolution were that the Estate System was unfair, the government of France was into much debt, and was therefore taxing too much, and that people resented the power of the Church. The third estate was overtaxed because the government was in debt.

37 Related Question Answers Found

Why is the Estates General important?

The Estates-General was a meeting of the three estates within French society which included the clergy, nobility and the peasant classes. The estate to which a person belonged was very important because it determined that person's rights, obligations and status.

What are the five estates?

Different systems for dividing society members into estates developed and evolved over time. Monarchy was for the king and the queen and this system was made up of clergy (the First Estate), nobles (the Second Estate), and peasants and bourgeoisie (the Third Estate).

What caused the Tennis Court Oath?

Finding themselves locked out of their usual meeting hall at Versailles on June 20 and thinking that the king was forcing them to disband, they moved to a nearby indoor tennis court (salle du jeu de paume). There they took an oath never to separate until a written constitution had been established for France.

What happened in the meeting of the Estates General?

The Estates-General was a key event in the French Revolution. This began as a meeting of the "three estates" of French society (the nobility, clergy, and peasantry) to try and solve the issues troubling the nation. At the Estates-General of 1789, conflict arose when the three estates could not decide how to vote.

How did the 3 estates cause the French Revolution?

Estates of the Realm and Taxation

France under the Ancien Régime (before the French Revolution) divided society into three estates: the First Estate (clergy); the Second Estate (nobility); and the Third Estate (commoners). The system was outrageously unjust in throwing a heavy tax burden on the poor and powerless.

How long did the Estates General last?

The Estates General met intermittently until 1614 and only once afterwards, in 1789, but was not definitively dissolved until after the French Revolution.

What was the difference between the Estates General and National Assembly?

The Estates General was made up of three groups the First Estate (the clergy or church leaders), the Second Estate (the nobles), and the Third Estate (the commoners). When the king refused to give them more power, the Third Estate created its own group called the National Assembly.

What did the Third Estate want?

The Estates-General had not been assembled since 1614, and its deputies drew up long lists of grievances and called for sweeping political and social reforms. The Third Estate, which had the most representatives, declared itself the National Assembly and took an oath to force a new constitution on the king.

Did the first and second estate pay taxes?

Actually, the First and Second Estates paid no taxes whatsoever. This meant that one hundred per cent of the tax burden fell on the Third Estate.

Why did the Third Estate want the Estates General to meet as a single body?

They payed no taxes. The majority of the Third Estate was extremely poor and struggled to live. They wanted the Estates-General to meet as a single body so they would all be on the same page and all at the same playing level. They wanted it to be more fair.

How did the purpose of the meeting of the Estates General in 1789?

How did the purpose of the meeting of the Estates-General in 1789 change? It changed from a debate on new taxes to an effort to reform the entire political system of France. Most people involved in government changes were members of the Jacobin radical political organization.

What was the purpose of the Estates General Meeting?

Meeting Purpose

In 1789, King Louis XVI called for the Estates General to meet and consider how to best handle the French debt. France had supported the United States against the British during The American Revolution, acquiring serious debt as a result. Those debts had to be paid, which meant an increase in taxes.

Which political faction was the most radical?

The Jacobins were left-wing revolutionaries who aimed to end the reign of King Louis XVI and establish a French republic. They were the most famous and radical political faction involved in the French Revolution.

What was the significance of the meeting of the Estates General in 1789 quizlet?

In May of 1789, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General to address France's financial crisis. The Estates General was made up of three groups the First Estate (the clergy or church leaders), the Second Estate (the nobles), and the Third Estate (the commoners).

What were the problems of the Third Estate?

What were the problems of the third estate. Answer: The members of the Third estate were unhappy with the prevailing conditions because they paid all the taxes to the government. Further, they were also not entitled to any privileges enjoyed by the clergy and nobles.

What were two effects of the lack of representation of the Third Estate in the Estates General?

What were two effects of the lack of representation of the third estate in the Estates-General? decreased power of the nobles in the Estates-General. seizing of lands of the members of the first estate. separation of the third estate from the Estates-General.

How did the king and first and second estates differ over calling the Estates General?

The king has not called the Estates General into session for 175 years. How did the King and the Estates General differ over calling the meeting? The king feared losing power to nobles, members of the third estate saw it as a chance to raise taxes on the 1st and 2nd estates.