The Third Estate Facts & Worksheets

The Third Estate was the social class in France that consisted of all non-clergy and non-nobility. It was the largest and most diverse estate but had few rights and privileges. The Third Estate comprised peasants, artisans, merchants, professionals, and the bourgeoisie.

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Key Facts & Information

COMPOSITION OF THE THIRD ESTATE

• As one could expect from such a large group, the Third Estate was diverse. There were various classes and levels of wealth, varied professions and ideologies, and residents from rural, provincial, and metropolitan areas.
• Members of the Third Estate varied from beggars and poor peasants to urban artisans and laborers, from shopkeepers and the commercial middle classes to the nation’s wealthiest merchants and business people.
• Some of the titles used to refer to members of the Third Estate included:
  • Bourgeoisie (middle class)
  • Peasantry (farmers)
  • Working class (artisans, laborers, etc.)
  • Professionals (lawyers, doctors, etc.)
  • Merchants and traders
• Despite its great size and economic importance, the Third Estate had little involvement in the Ancien Régime’s government or decision-making. 
• The Third Estate’s disappointments, grievances, and sufferings became essential reasons for the French Revolution (1789–1799).

PEASANTRY

• Peasants dominated the Third Estate’s social order. Peasant farmers were the nation’s poorest social stratum, accounting for between 82% and 88% of the population.
• While wealth and income levels fluctuate, it is plausible to assume that most French peasants were impoverished. Only a tiny proportion of peasants owned land in their own right and could live independently as yeoman farmers. 
• However, the vast majority were:
  • Feudal tenants.
  • Métayers (tenant sharecroppers who worked on someone else’s land).
  • Journaliers (day laborers who looked for employment wherever they could find it).
• The state harshly taxed all peasants, regardless of their personal circumstances. Peasants were compelled to pay their local seigneur or lord dues if they were feudal tenants. 
• They were supposed to pay an annual tithe to the church if they belonged to a parish, which the majority did.
• Even during tough times, such as low harvests, when many peasants faced famine, these commitments were rarely waived.

URBAN COMMONERS

• In the 18th century, most French towns and cities were small, with only nine cities having populations over 50,000. 
• Paris was the largest city, with a population of around 650,000.
• Most commoners in towns and cities made a living as merchants, skilled artisans, or unskilled laborers. Skilled artisans worked in various trades, including textile and apparel manufacturing, upholstery and furniture making, clock making, locksmithing, leather goods, carriage making and repair, carpentry, and masonry.
• A few artists ran their businesses, while most worked for large corporations or employers. 
• An artisan had to be a guild member who administered and regulated his particular industry before doing business or finding work.
• Unskilled laborers worked as maids, cleaners, hauliers, water carriers, washerwomen, hawkers, and other jobs that did not need training or guild membership. 
• Many Parisians, potentially as many as 80,000, had no job and had to rely on begging, scavenging, minor criminality, or prostitution to live.

THE DIFFICULT 1780s

• In the 1780s, the lives of urban laborers became increasingly harsh. Parisians struggled for pitiful wages: between 30 and 60 sous per day for skilled laborers and 15-20 sou per day for unskilled. 
• Wages increased by about 20% in the 25 years before 1789, but prices and rents increased by 60% over the same period.
• By driving up bread costs, the disastrous harvests of 1788-89 drove Parisian laborers to the verge. 
• In early 1789, the price of a four-pound loaf of bread in Paris rose from nine to 14.5 sous, roughly a full day’s wage for most unskilled laborers.
• The miserable living conditions in Paris compounded low pay and high food prices. Accommodation in the capital was so scarce that workers and their families crammed into shared attics and dirty tenements, most rented from unscrupulous landlords.
• With rents running at several sous a day, most workers economized by sharing accommodation. Many rooms housed between six and ten people, though 12 to 15 per room was not unknown. 
• Conditions in these tenements were cramped, unhygienic, and uncomfortable. There was no heating, plumbing, or general ablutions. 
• The toilet facilities were usually an outside cesspit or open sewer, while water was fetched by hand from communal wells.

THE AFFLUENT BOURGEOISIE

• Only some members of the Third Estate were poor. The bourgeoisie, or capitalist middle classes, were at the top of the Third Estate’s social structure.
• The bourgeoisie were wealthy business owners and professionals who could live well. They, like the peasantry, were diverse in their ranks.
• The petit bourgeoisie (‘petty’ or ‘small bourgeoisie’) consisted of small-scale traders, landlords, shopkeepers, and managers. 
• The haute bourgeoisie were wealthy merchants and traders, colonial landowners, industrialists, bankers and financiers, tax farmers, and trained professionals like doctors and attorneys.
• During the 1700s, the bourgeoisie flourished, partly thanks to France’s economic prosperity, modernization, increasing production, imperial expansion, and foreign trade. 
• The haute bourgeoisie emerged from the middle classes as independently wealthy, well-educated, and ambitious individuals.

POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS

• Their demand for social prestige and political representation grew with their income. Many bourgeoisie yearned for admission to the Second Estate. 
• They had enough money to buy the noble classes’ clothing and splendid houses but needed their titles, privileges, and status. 
• By the 1780s, a system of venality had developed that permitted the wealthiest bourgeoisie to buy their way into the aristocracy, albeit this was growing more difficult and expensive.
• The bourgeoisie’s unrealized social and political ambitions caused tremendous frustration. Although the haute bourgeoisie had become the nation’s economic masters, administration and policy remained the domain of the royalty and their noble favorites.

THE REVOLUTIONARY BOURGEOISIE

• Many educated bourgeoisie sought refuge in Enlightenment writings that advocated that government should be representative, responsible, and based on public sovereignty.
• What is the Third Estate? was published by Emmanuel Sieyes. It struck a chord with the self-important bourgeoisie, many of whom believed they were entitled to a say in governance, in January 1789.
• What exactly was the Third Estate? was not the only manifestation of this thought; in early 1789, there was a rush of comparable pamphlets and essays across the country. 
• When these publications mentioned the Third Estate, they primarily referred to the bourgeoisie, not France’s 22 million rural peasants, landless laborers, or urban workers.
• When the bourgeoisie imagined representative government, they envisioned one that only represented the propertied classes. 
• Peasants and urban workers were politically invisible to the bourgeoisie, just as the Ancien Régime was politically invisible to the bourgeoisie.

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

• On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille was one of the most significant events of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a stronghold used by the French monarchs as a jail. 
• The Third Estate stormed the Bastille to show they were no longer willing to be oppressed by the monarchy.
• In the summer of 1789, peasant unrest swept through France. This event was known as the Great Fear. Peasants feared the nobility would attack them, so they armed themselves and formed militias. 
• The Great Fear helped to accelerate the French Revolution and led to the abolition of feudalism.
• In October 1789, a group of women marched from Paris to Versailles to demand that the king and queen return to Paris and address the food shortage. 
• The king and queen were forced to return to Paris, and the women’s march was a significant victory for the Third Estate.
• From 1793 to 1794, France was ruled by a radical Jacobin government called the Committee of Public Safety. 
• The Committee of Public Safety, led by Maximilien Robespierre, was determined to crush any opposition to the Revolution. Robespierre’s government executed thousands of people, including many members of the Third Estate.
• With the ascension of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799, the French Revolution came to an end. Napoleon had risen through the ranks of the French army to become a superb general. 
• He seized power and established a dictatorship. Napoleon’s dictatorship ended the French Revolution but also led to the spread of Revolutionary ideals throughout Europe.
• The Third Estate was the primary beneficiary of the French Revolution. They gained new rights and freedoms and could participate in the government for the first time. However, the Revolution also led to a period of instability and violence. 
• Many members of the Third Estate were killed during the Reign of Terror, and a dictator eventually ruled the country.
• Despite the challenges, the French Revolution was a significant victory for the Third Estate. It led to the abolition of feudalism and the establishment of a new social order based on equality and liberty.
• The Third Estate also gained a better voice in government, and they played a critical role in shaping the future of France.

THE THREE ESTATES

• The Catholic clergy comprised the First Estate, including priests, bishops, and other religious dignitaries. They were the most privileged estate, enjoying exemption from most taxes and owning a large portion of the land.
• First Estate: Clergy
  • Who am I? A member of the Catholic Church, including priests, bishops, and other religious figures.
  • What do I wear? Clerical robes, such as a cassock and surplice.
  • What do I want? To ensure the salvation of souls and to maintain the power and influence of the Catholic Church.
• The Second Estate comprised the nobility, including dukes, counts, barons, and other royal family members. They also enjoyed privileges like tax exemption and the right to hold certain government positions.
• Second Estate: Nobility
  • Who am I? A member of the aristocracy, including dukes, counts, barons, and other royal family members.
  • What do I wear? Elaborate clothing made of expensive fabrics, such as silk and velvet.
  • What do I want? To maintain my position of privilege and power in society.
• The Third Estate consisted of all other members of society, including peasants, artisans, merchants, and the bourgeoisie. They were the largest estate but had the fewest rights and privileges. They paid the most taxes and had little say in government.
• Third Estate: Commoners
  • Who am I? Everyone else, including peasants, artisans, merchants, and the bourgeoisie.
  • What do I wear? Simple, practical clothing made of inexpensive fabrics, such as wool and linen.
  • What do I want? Equality and opportunity for all.
• Growing tensions between the three estates sparked the French Revolution. The commoners were tired of being oppressed and exploited by the clergy and the nobility. They wanted to create a new society based on equality and liberty.

The Third Estate Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about The Third Estate across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about The Third Estate. The Third Estate comprised peasants, artisans, merchants, professionals, and the bourgeoisie.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. The Third Estate Facts
2. True or False?
3. Key Events
4. Third Estate Members
5. The Three Estates
6. How Would You Act?
7. Pamphlet Analysis
8. Freedom Declamation
9. The French Revolution
10. The Ancien Régime
11. Video Game Portrayal

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Third Estate in the context of the French Revolution?

The Third Estate was one of the three social classes in France before the French Revolution, encompassing the common people who were not part of the clergy or nobility. It included a diverse group of individuals, such as peasants, urban workers, and the bourgeoisie.

What role did the Third Estate play in the French Revolution?

The Third Estate played a pivotal role in the French Revolution. Frustrated by social inequality and economic hardships, members of the Third Estate, especially the bourgeoisie, led the revolutionary movement. The National Assembly, formed largely by representatives of the Third Estate, played a key role in drafting the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789.

What grievances did the Third Estate have that contributed to the French Revolution?

The Third Estate faced numerous grievances, including heavy taxation, unequal representation, and economic hardships. The burden of taxes fell disproportionately on the common people, while the nobility and clergy enjoyed exemptions. Additionally, the outdated feudal system perpetuated social inequality and hindered economic progress for the Third Estate.

What was the significance of the Tennis Court Oath for the Third Estate?

The Tennis Court Oath, which took place on June 20, 1789, symbolized the determination of the representatives of the Third Estate to bring about political change. Faced with resistance from the nobility and clergy, representatives of the Third Estate pledged not to disband until they had drafted a new constitution for France. This event marked a crucial step in the early stages of the French Revolution.

How did the French Revolution impact the status of the Third Estate?

The French Revolution significantly altered the status of the Third Estate. Feudal privileges were abolished, and the concept of equality was enshrined in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The revolutionary changes led to the rise of the bourgeoisie as a political and economic force. However, the revolution also underwent radical phases, and the struggle for power and ideals ultimately resulted in a complex and tumultuous period in French history.

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