Estates of the realm

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/estates-of-the-realm

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the french ancien régime structure?First Estate: Clergy; Second Estate: Nobility; Third Estate: Commoners (bourgeoisie, peasants)
2. What were the three main estates in France's Ancien Régime?The First Estate was the clergy, the Second Estate was the nobility, and the Third Estate included everyone else like merchants and peasants.
3. Why did the Third Estate have to pay more taxes?The Third Estate was the largest group and had to pay most taxes because they had the least formal political power.

Estates of the Realm: The principal social and political divisions of society in pre-modern European states, each with specific rights and duties.
Ancien Régime: The political and social system in France before the Revolution of 1789, characterized by its three-estate structure.
Bourgeoisie: The social class of merchants, industrialists, and professionals, typically forming a significant part of the Third Estate.
Fourth Estate: A modern term referring to the press or mass media, seen as a powerful, independent body influencing society.