Author: Tom Richey
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http://www.tomrichey.net/euro In the second part of my lecture series on the French Revolution, I discuss the meeting of the Estates General in 1789. If you missed part one, check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2hWP3q5nXA After the Assembly of Notables failed to come to an agreement about a solution to solve the French monarchy's financial crisis, Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General in 1789. The Estates General was an advisory body for the king that had not met in nearly two hundred years. The delegates elected from the Third Estate (primarily from the bourgeoisie, or French professional class) were unsatisfied with the method of counting votes, in which each of the three estates voted as a group. The Third Estate delegates suggested "doubling the third" and voting by head to create a single assembly more representative of the French people. Louis agreed to allow the Third Estate twice as many delegates, but he did not allow voting by head, which essentially kept the status quo. I also discuss Abbe Sieyes' famous pamphlet, "What is the Third Estate?" Sieyes explains how the Third Estate is almost exclusively responsible for driving the French economy. In the beginning of his pamphlet, he asks, "What is the Third Estate? EVERYTHING. What has it been until now in the political order? NOTHING. What does it wish to become? SOMETHING." After an awkward beginning of the Estates General (the "Hat Fiasco" set the tone), the Third Estate delegates left to form the National Assembly. The next segment of this lecture will discuss the National Assembly, its struggles, and its legislation. This lecture is intended primarily for AP European History students, but is suitable for high school and college courses in Western Civilization and World History, as well.