THE THREE ESTATES
›1st Estate – The clergy - the bishops and priests of the Catholic Church – owned 10% of the land. Everybody paid a tithe to the Church – made it very wealthy.
›2nd Estate – The nobility – wealthy landowners, advisors to the king, judges, generals – power over the peasants who worked on their land, did not have to pay all of the taxes paid by the peasants.
3rd Estate – Over 90% of the population –mostly poor workers or peasants – some rich members called the Bourgeoisie e.g., lawyers and doctors – had to pay all of the old taxes as well as the new – eg. The Gabelle – a tax on salt (preserving food)
›2nd Estate – The nobility – wealthy landowners, advisors to the king, judges, generals – power over the peasants who worked on their land, did not have to pay all of the taxes paid by the peasants.
3rd Estate – Over 90% of the population –mostly poor workers or peasants – some rich members called the Bourgeoisie e.g., lawyers and doctors – had to pay all of the old taxes as well as the new – eg. The Gabelle – a tax on salt (preserving food)