Whatwerethesocial,economic,andpoliticalproblemsinprerevolutionary

France?
Objective:Describethesocial,economic,andpoliticalproblemsinpre-revolutionaryFrance.

ProblemsinPrerevolutionaryFrance

Directions:AsyouexaminethedocumentsaboutprerevolutionaryFrance,takedownnotes,writedowndirectquotesfromthe
documents,orparaphrasewhatyoureadinthechartbelow.Grouptheinformationintosocial,economic,andpolitical
categories.

Social

Economic

Political

DocumentSet1:TheEstatesSystem

TheestatessystemwastheclassstructureinFrancebeforetheFrenchRevolution.Thoughfeudalismwasnolongertheorganizingforcein
mostofEuropeinthe1700s,thesamegroupsthatheldpowerduringtheMiddleAgesstillhadcontrol.

Vocabulary
clergy

peoplewhoworkforthechurchlikethePope,bishops,and
priests

commoners peopleinalowsocialand/oreconomicclass

nobility

wealthylandownersandpeoplewithhighstatusinsociety

caricature

apicture,description,orimitationofapersonorthinkthat
exaggeratescertainfeaturestobefunny

bourgeoisie

themiddleclass;duringtheFrenchRevolutionthiswasa
groupintheThirdEstatemadeupofeducated
professionalslikelawyersanddoctors


Document1a

1a.Basedonthechart,identifywhichgroupsofpeoplemakeup
eachestate.

TheThreeEstatesInPrerevolutionaryFrance

FirstEstate

SecondEstate

ThirdEstate

1b.WhatpercentageofthepopulationofFrancemadeuptheThird
Estate?

1c.Whencombined,whatpercentageofFrancespopulationwere
theFirstandSecondEstates?HowmuchofthelandinFrancedid
theyown?

1d.IfyouwereamemberoftheThirdEstate,howwouldyoufeel
abouttheestatessystem?Whywouldyoufeelthatway?
Chartshowingtheestates,classesinFrancebeforetheFrenchRevolution.

Source:SchwartzandOConnor,DemocracyandNationalism,GlobeBookCompany(adapted)fromtheNYSGlobalHistoryandGeography

RegentsExam,August2007

Document1b

1e.Whatdoestheamountoflandthatagroupofpeopleowns
suggestabouthowwealthytheyare?

1f.Basedonthegraphstotheleftidentifythepercentageofthe
taxescollectedbytheFrenchgovernmentthateachoftheestates
paidinthetablebelow.

TheThreeEstatesinPre-RevolutionaryFrance

FirstEstate

Source:JacksonJ.Spielvogel,WorldHistory,Glencoe/McGraw-Hill,2003(adapted)fromthe

SecondEstate

ThirdEstate


NYSGlobalHistoryandGeographyRegentsExam,January2007.

1g.IfyouwereamemberoftheThirdEstate,howwouldyoufeel
abouttaxationintheestatessystem?Whywouldyoufeelthat
way?

Document1c
Unknownartist,politicalcartoonaboutTheThreeEstates,YouShouldHopethisGame
WillBeOverSoon,1788

1.Identifyeachofthefiguresfromthiscartoonbelowandprovide
yourreasonswhy.

Who/whatdoesthis Who/whatdoesthis Who/whatdoesthis

figurerepresent?
figurerepresent?
figurerepresent?

Howdoyouknow?

Howdoyouknow?

Howdoyouknow?

2.ThetitleofthiscartoonisYouShouldHopethisGameWillBe
OverSoon.Whodoyouthinkyoureferstointhetitle?Why?

3.Whyistheoldmancarryingthetwoothermenonhisback?
Whatdoesthisrepresent?

4.HowmightsomeonefromtheFirstEstate,SecondEstate,and
ThirdEstatehavereactedtothisimagein1788?Wouldtheir
reactionsbedifferent?Ifso,inwhatways?

Source:ReproducedwithpermissionfromtheNationalMuseumofFrancefromthe
NYSSocialStudiesToolKit.http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/frenchrev/

DocumentSet2:AbsoluteMonarchyandLifeatthePalaceofVersailles
10


Document2a

2a.Whatwasthedivinerighttheory?

...Powersoftheking.The
King,LouisXVI,wasabsolute.He
ruledbythedivinerighttheory
whichheldthathehadreceived
hispowertogovernfromGodand
wasthereforeresponsibletoGod
alone.Heappointedallcivil
officialsandmilitaryofficers.He
madeandenforcedthelaws.He
coulddeclarewarandmake
peace.Heleviedtaxesandspent
thepeoplesmoneyashesawfit.
Hecontrolledtheexpressionof
thoughtbyastrictcensorshipof
speechandpress.Bymeansof
lettresdecachet(sealedletters
whichwerereallyblankwarrants
forarrest)hecouldarbitrarily
[withoutreason]imprisonanyone
withouttrialforanindefiniteperiod.Helivedinhismagnificentpalaceat
Versailles,completelyoblivioustotherisingtideofpopulardiscontent
[frustration]....
Imagesource
Textsource:Friedman&Foner,AGeneticApproachtoModernEuropeanHistory,College
EntranceBookCo.,1938fromtheNYSGlobalHistoryandGeographyRegentsExam,
January2007.

2b.ListfiveofLouisXVIspowersastheKingofFranceandplace
acheckmarkintheappropriatecolumnforthepowersthat
EnlightenmentThinkerswouldnotsupportandthosethatmight
worrymembersoftheThirdEstate.
Not
supported
bythe
Enlightenme
nt

Worrisome
forthe
ThirdEstate

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Powers

2c.IfyouwereamemberoftheThirdEstatewhoreadandagreed
withtheEnlightenmentThinkers,howwouldyoufeelaboutLouis
XVI?

11


Document2b
ThePalaceofVersailleswasaroyalchteau[castle]inVersaillesandwas
thecenterofpoliticalpowerinFrancefrom1682until1789.LouisXVIand
hiswifeMarieAntoinettelivedinthepalacebeforetheFrenchRevolution.
Theywereknownforthrowinglavishparties.

2d.BasedontheimagesofthePalaceofVersailles,describethe
livesoftheroyalfamily(LouisXVI,MarieAntoinette,andtheir
children).

TheQueensChamber.
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Versailles_Queen%27s_Chamber.jpg

TheHallofMirrorsatthePalaceofVersailles

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chateau_Versailles_Galerie_des_Glaces.jpg

12

DocumentSet3:TheLivesoftheThirdEstate
Document3:TravelsinFrance(1792)byArthurYoung
ArthurYoungwasanEnglishgentlemanfarmerwhovisitedFranceatthestartof
theFrenchRevolution.Hisgoalwastodetermine"thecultivation,wealth,
resources,andnationalprosperity"ofFrancebydescribingwhathewitnessed.

July12,1789

3a.ThepoorwomanthatArthurYoungmeetsontheroadsays
thatFrance,oratleasttheregionshelivesinisasadcountry.
Identifytworeasonswhyshesaysthat.

...The12th.Walkingupalonghill,toeasemymare[femalehorse],Iwas

joinedbyapoorwoman,whocomplainedofthetimes,andthatitwasasad

country;demandingherreasons,shesaidherhusbandhadbutamorselof
andthreechickens,topayasaquit-rent[apaymentthatallowedthehusband

3b.ArthurYoungstatesthatthereisagreatdifferencebetween
thelowerpeopleinEnglandandFrance.Whodoesheblamefor
thatdifference?Why?

andwifetocontinuetousetheirland]tooneSeigneur[noble];andfourfranchar

land,onecow,andapoorlittlehorse,yettheyhadafranchar(42lb.)ofwheat,

ofoats,onechickenand1sou[smallunitofmoney]topaytoanother,besides
veryheavytailles[taxesonthelandanditsproduce]andothertaxes[]Itwas

said,atpresent,thatsomethingwastobedonebysomegreatfolksforsuch

poorones,butshedidnotknowwhonorhow,butGodsendusbetter,carles

3c.ComparethelifeofthewomanArthurYoungmettothelivesof
LouisXVI,MarieAntoinette,andothermembersoftheFirstand
SecondEstates.

tailles&lesdroitsnousecrasent[becausethetaxesandlawsarecrushingus].
Thiswoman,atnogreatdistance,mighthavebeentakenforsixtyorseventy,
herfigurewassobent,andherfacesofurrowed[wrinkled]andhardenedby
labour,butshesaidshewasonlytwenty-eight.AnEnglishmanwhohasnot
travelled,cannotimaginethefiguremadebyinfinitelythegreaterpartofthe
countrywomeninFrance;itspeaks,atthefirstsight,hardandseverelabour[]
Towhatarewetoattributethisdifferenceinthemannersofthelowerpeoplein
thetwokingdoms[EnglandandFrance]?ToGovernment....
Source:MissBetham-Edwards,ed.,ArthurYoungsTravelsinFranceDuringtheYears
1787,1788,1789,G.BellandSons(adapted)fromtheNYSGlobalHistoryandGeography
RegentsExam,January2007.

13

DocumentSet4:BadHarvests,NationalDebt,andthecallingofTheEstatesGeneral
Vocabulary
grievance

acauseforcomplaintorprotestespeciallyforunfairtreatment

Document4a
OntheeveoftheFrenchRevolution,Francesgovernmentwasin
enormousdebt.KingLouisXIV(1638-1715),LouisXV(1710-1774),and
LouisXVI(1754-1793)addedtothedebt,borrowingmoneytofinancethe
following:
Date

EventthatIncreasedtheFrenchDebt

1678-1789

Buildingof,additionsto,andupkeepofthePalaceof
Versailles

1756-1763

SevenYearsWar
Foughtagainsttheirrivalsatthetime,GreatBritain,andseveral
otherEuropeanpowersinEuropeandNorthAmerica.

1775-1783

AmericanRevolution
Francelended1.3billionlivres,soldiers,andshipstothe
AmericancolonistsintheirfightagainsttheBritish.

1678-1789

ExtravagantlifestylesofLouisXVIandMarie-Antoinette

4a.WhatdidthekingsofFrancespendmoneyonthatputthe
countryintodebt?

4b.Oftentopaybackdebt,agovernmentwilldotwothings.One,
theywillcutbackontheamountofmoneytheyspend.Two,they
willraisetaxes.BasedonDocument1b,ifthekingraisedtaxesin
1789,whowouldhavetopaythem?

4c.IfyouwereamemberoftheThirdEstate,howwouldyoufeel
aboutthecountrysdebtproblem?Whowouldyoublame?

14


Document4b
WatchTheFrenchRevolutionDocumentaryfromtheHistory
Channel(20:02-23:00)andreadthetranscriptbelowthenanswer
thequestionstotheright.

(20:02)Narrator:Versaillesinthelateseventeenhundredsisanoasisof
extravagance[wealth].Surroundedbyalandindespairandwithanuncertainking
atthehelm,Franceischartingacoursefordisaster.

(20:16)AfternineteenyearsofmarriageLouishassiredfourchildren,yetasa
kingheremainsimpotent[unabletoact].Asthefinancialcrisisescalatesallthe
kingcandoishireandfireasuccessionofadministrators,noneofwhomhave

4a.HowdidKingLouisXVItrytosolvethecountrysfinancial
crisis?

4b.Whathappenedinthesummerof1788andspringof1789to
makethefinancialsituationworse?Whatweretheeffectsofthese
events?

theanswers.Byancientprivilege,thenobilityandclergyareexemptfrom

taxationandsoastaxesrisetocoverthegovernment'smountingdebt

repaymentstheburdenfallsheavilyuponthepoorest.

20:49Toaddtotheirmisery,freakishweatherarrivestodecimatetheharvest.

4c.WhywasbreadsoimportantinFrance?

WilliamBoyle:IfeverGodtointervenedtomakeasituationworsethesummers
or1788andspringof1789isamomentwhenthathappens.Bythesummerof

1788,youalreadyhaveaburgeoningpoliticalcrisisandit'sdevelopingagainstthe

backgroundofveryseriousfoodshortage.

(21:13)Narrator:ForthepeopleofFrancein1788,breadistheessenceoflife

4d.Whatwastheresultoftheriseinbreadpricesin1788-1789?

itself.
LynnHunt: MostordinarypeopleinFranceateatleasttwopoundsadayof
bread.Breadwasall-important.Itspricewasimmediatelyfeltbyeveryone,ifthe
pricedoubledyou'reinbigtrouble.UnderthefinancialmismanagementofLouis
government,thecostofbreadskyrockets.Foodsuppliesarehoardedby
profiteersandthecostofaloafofbreadcansoonequalamonth'swages.
(21:51)Hungerturnstorage.BreadriotsbreakoutacrossFrance.Bakeriesare
raidedandshopkeeperssuspectedofhoardingbreadarelynchedonthespot.

15


Document4c:LouisCallstheEstatesGeneral

4e.WhatdidKingLouisXVIproposetosolvethecountrysdebt
problem?

4f.WhydidtheParlementrejectLouisidea?

4g.WhatwastheEstatesGeneral?Whowasapartofit?

TheopeningoftheEstatesGeneralMay5,1789intheSalledesMenusPlaisirsin
Versailles.
Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Estatesgeneral.jpg

Estates-Generalof1789

4h.IfyouwereadelegateattheEstatesGeneralfromtheThird

Inthelate1700sinFrance,thekingneededapprovalfromagroupofnoble
Estate,whatwouldyouthinkofthevotingsystem?Why?
judgescalledtheParlementofParistopassnewtaxes.Inanattempttosolvethe
country'sdebtproblemsandlargerfinancialcrisis,LouisXVIproposedtotaxthe
FirstandSecondEstatesforthefirsttime.TheParlementwasnotinfavorofthe
taxbecauseitsmemberswerefromthoseestates.
SincetheKingandParlementcouldnotcometoanagreement,theydecidedto
convenetheEstatesGeneral,anoldinstitutionthathadnotbeenassembledsince
1614,175yearsbeforehand,tosettletheissue.
TheEstatesGeneralwasanassemblyofrepresentativesfromeachofthethree
estatesfromareasalloverFrance.WhentheEstatesGeneralmetonMay5,1789,
onequarteroftherepresentativeswerefromtheFirstEstate,onequarterwere
fromtheSecondEstate,andhalfwerefromtheThirdEstates,buteachestate
receivedonlyonevote.So,eventhoughtheThirdEstatehadhalfofthe
delegates,theywerealwaysoutvotedbytheFirstandSecondEstates,2to1.
Source:AdaptedfromFrenchRevolution.NewWorldEncyclopedia.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/French_Revolution#Estates-General_of_1789

16

Document4c

1.WhataretheCahiersdeDolances?Whoweretheywrittenby?Whyweretheywritten?

TheCahiersdeDolances,betterknownsimplyasCahiers,werelists
ofgrievanceswrittenbythethreeEstatesinFrancein1789forthe
conveningoftheEstatesGeneral.KingLouisXVIaskedeachofthe
Estatestocompilecahiers.Belowisanexcerptofoneofthecahiers
fromthedistrictofCarcassonne.

2.Whydoyouthinktheauthorsofthiscahierintroducethedocumentwithphraseslikevery
humblypetitions,weightheminhiswisdom,andfreshproofsofthatbenevolence[goodwill;
kindness]?

ThethirdestateoftheelectoraldistrictofCarcassonneveryhumbly
petitionshisMajestytotakeintoconsiderationtheseseveralmatters,
weightheminhiswisdom,andpermithispeopletoenjoy,assoonas
maybe,freshproofsofthatbenevolence[goodwill;kindness]which
hehasneverceasedtoexhibittowardthemandwhichisdictatedby
hisaffectionforthem...:

3.Ingrievance10theauthorswritethatitsvotesintheassemblyshouldbetakenandcounted
byhead.Whatdoyouthinkbyheadmeansinthiscontext?WhywouldmembersoftheThird
Estatewhatthis?

8....thenationshouldhereafterbesubjectonlytosuchlawsand
taxesasitshallitselffreelyratify[approve].

4.Paraphraseeachofthegrievanceslistedbelow,thenexplainwhymembersoftheThird
Estatewouldincludethatgrievanceinthecahiers.

9.ThemeetingsoftheEstatesGeneralofthekingdomshouldbe
fixedfordefiniteperiods...
10.Inordertoassuretothethirdestatetheinfluencetowhichitis
entitledinviewofthenumberofitsmembers,theamountofits
contributionstothepublictreasury,andthemanifold[many]interests
whichithastodefendorpromoteinthenationalassemblies,its
votesintheassemblyshouldbetakenandcountedbyhead.
11.Noorder,corporation,orindividualcitizenmaylayclaimtoany
pecuniary[financial]exemptions.Alltaxesshouldbeassessedon
thesamesystemthroughoutthenation.
12.Thedue[tax]exactedfromcommonersholdingfiefs[land]should
beabolished,andalsothegeneralorparticularregulationswhich
excludemembersofthethirdestatefromcertainpositions,offices,
andrankswhichhavehitherto[untilnow]beenbestowedon[given
to]nobleseitherforlifeorhereditarily[basedonfamilyrelations].A
lawshouldbepasseddeclaringmembersofthethirdestatequalified
tofillallsuchofficesforwhichtheyarejudgedtobepersonallyfitted.
14.Freedomshouldbegrantedalsotothepress,whichshould
howeverbesubjected,bymeansofstrictregulationstothe
principlesofreligion,morality,andpublicdecency.
Source:CopyrightHanoverHistoricalTextsCollection.Usedby
permissionofHanoverCollege,Hanover,INfromtheNYSSocialStudies
ToolKit.http://www.c3teachers.org/inquiries/frenchrev/

WhywouldtheThirdEstatemakethis
request?

ParaphraseofGrievance
8.

9.

10.

11.

14.

17