Directions: Read the following information about the Three Estates of France. Find important information about each
estate, and include it on your Three Estates foldable. Try to pick out the 5 most important things to remember for each
estate to include on your foldable. When you are finished answer the questions from the back of this sheet on the back of
your foldable.
First Estate
The First Estate (Fr. premier état) was the Roman Catholic clergy.
In principle, the responsibilities of the First Estate included "the registration of births, marriages and
deaths; they collected the tithe (usually 10%). The tithe money was used to support schools, aid the
poor, and maintain church property; it also paid for the grand lifestyles of the higher clergy. The First
Estate censored books; served as moral police; operated schools and hospitals; and distributed relief
to the poor. They also owned 10-15% of all the land in France. This land, of course, was all held taxfree. The clergy made up about 1% of the population.
The First Estate comprised the entire clergy, traditionally divided into "higher" and "lower" clergy. Although there was no
formal demarcation between the two categories, the upper clergy had more in common with the nobility, and were usually
from the families of the Second Estate. At the other extreme, parish priests and many monks had more in common with the
Third Estate, specifically the peasants and wage-earners.
In 1789, the First Estate numbered somewhat over 100,000, with about 10% of these being "higher clergy." The lower
clergy would have been about equally divided between parish priests on the one hand and monks and nuns on the other.
Almost all of the 139 dioceses were controlled by the great nobles in France.
In general the members of the First Estate were often chosen by the king, and were expected to enforce Catholicism. They
did not pay any taxes, and in general the Church was a very wealthy institution during this time. The upper Clergy was also
very influential in politics and policy making in France.
Second Estate
The Second Estate (Fr. second état) was the French nobility and (technically, though not in
common use) royalty, other than the monarch himself, who stood outside the estates.
The Second Estate is traditionally divided into "nobility of the sword" and "nobility of the
gown(robe)", the class that administered royal justice and civil government. They lived in manor
homes, large houses called chateaux, and at Versailles.
The French inheritance system of primogeniture meant that nearly all French fortunes would pass largely in a single line,
through the eldest son.
Under the ancien régime (Old Regime), the Second Estate were exempt from most forms of taxation. They owned about
25% of the land in France. Their main income came from dues and taxes they collected from the peasants that lived on
and worked their land.
The French nobility was not a closed class, and many means were available to rich land owners or state office holders for
gaining nobility for themselves or their descendants. Some people were able to buy noble titles, and pass them on through
their children.
The second estate made up about 2% of France's population and paid little or no taxes. Special privileges included the right
to carry a sword in public. Most of the nobility valued elaborate dinner parties, the finest clothing, wealth, and showing off.
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Third Estate
The Third Estate (Fr. tiers état) was the generality of people which were not part of the other estates.
The Third Estate comprised all those who were not members of the aristocracy or the clergy, including peasants, working
people and the bourgeoisie. In 1789, the Third Estate made up 98% of the population in France (around 25.5 million
people). They had very few political rights and privileges. Many members of the third estate are well-to-do doctors,
lawyers, guild members, and merchants who are educated and live in towns and cities. Poor artisans with low wages live in
the slums of cities. The Third Estate’s largest group included the peasants, who were very poor because of all the taxes and
dues they paid to the other 2 estates. They had no voice in government.
Often the lowest members of the Third Estate were forced to turn to crime in order to survive.
Most peasants rented their land from nobles. City workers received low wages and experienced
frequent bread shortages. Often the Third Estate was forced into military service.
The Third Estate paid almost all of the taxes in France. In addition to the tithe required to be paid
to the Church (10% of income), other fees and taxes of the Third Estate included:
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Champart: land rent; 1/8th of crop
Corvees: leave home to work on roads (36 days)
Excise tax: on soap & playing cards
Fees: for using lord’s land or grain mills
Gabelle: salt tax
Lods et Veutes: sales tax when lands changed
Poll tax: head tax
Taille: direct tax paid by peasants to nobles
Tolls: use of manorial roads
Traites et Douances: tax paid crossing borders
Twentieth Tax: 1/20th of income
Questions: (please answer on the back of your foldable!)
1. How was the First Estate divided?
2. How was the Second Estate divided?
3. What was primogeniture?
4. Who paid most of the taxes in France?
5. In your opinion, what was the most unfair tax/fee from the list above?
6. What was different about peasants & city workers in France? What did they have in common?
7. Did the Third Estate have justification to rebel during the late 1700s? Why or why not?
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