7. Problems!
• France was spending
more money than it
received in income
– Took out loans to pay for
wars- debt!!
• 1788 France spent have
of its annual budget on
interest payments
• 25% on military
• 6% on the extravagant
lifestyle of the king and
queen

8. • Sharp rise in taxes
• Largely paid by the
peasants
– Most nobles and clergy were
exempt
• Poor harvest
• Increased price of bread
• 

9. The Estates General
• King Louis XVI called for the Estates General to
meet in order to solve the financial crisis
• France’s representative body- not met since
1614
• Divided France into 3 orders:
– 1st Estate: The clergy
– 2nd Estate: Nobility
– 3rd Estate: Commoners

10. 1st Estate: The Clergy
• Exempt from taxes
• Divided
– Higher clergy from
aristocratic families shared
the interests of the nobility
– Parish Priests were often
poor and and shared the
interests of the commoners

11. 2nd Estate: Nobility
• Leading positions in
government, military,
law courts, and
higher church offices
• Exempt from taxes
• Wanted to expand
their own power and
limit the power of the
monarchy

12. 3rd Estate: Commoners
• Peasants
• Skilled craftspeople and shopkeepers
• The bourgeoisie (middle class)
– Merchants
– Bankers
– Industrialists
– Lawyers
– Doctors
– writers

13. Revolution?
• Aristocrats and Bourgeoisie were drawn to the
ideas of the Enlightenment
• Both were upset with the monarchy
• This opposition led them to take action!