InNo+RyanC2013+08.26.2010



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=Notes - France Before the Revolution=

Classified Citizens

 * Four Classes: P.M.N
 * 1) Peasantry
 * 2) Working Class
 * 3) Middle Class or //Bourgeorisie//
 * 4) Nobility
 * French society separated classes by **estates**.
 * 1) **Clergy** - Country's Educators and Religion Workers
 * 2) **Nobility** - Includes soldiers (**Middle Ages**)
 * 3) **Everyone Else**
 * Clergy and Nobility had privileges which gave them an advantage.
 * 1789, the system of estates became outdated and unfair.

Financial Challenges
Nobles and //Bourgeorisie// **rich;** Majority **poor** and had rely on charity to survive.

Taxes

 * Taxes were not exempted from the poor, while nobles ad clergies were exempted.
 * Taxes included two types:
 * 1) **Direct Taxes** - Paid Directly to the Government.
 * 2) **Indirect Taxes** - Paid for certain goods.
 * Average family paid 10%-15% of its yearly earnings to the government.
 * Peasants payed **dues** to nobles and clergies who were their landlords.
 * Poor farm laborers could only pay with handing in part of their crop.
 * (Include more about feudal rights and dues and taxes)

Heros to the Poor

 * //Philosophes//** - scholars and educated minds who shared a way of thinking called Reason.
 * From writings of //Philosophes// people decided they wanted Torture-Free Systems Of Laws, Religious Tolerance, and changes in The Ruling of France.

Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier

 * Discovered how things were burned and named the gas oxygen.
 * Helped political and social issues.
 * e.g:** He built experimental crops to help find a way to improve crops.

Voltaire

 * One of the most famous //Philosophes,// Voltaire was a writer.
 * Helped bring justice to the **Calas Affair**.
 * Calas affair involved the prosecution of Jean Calas under the false presumption of murdering his own son. He was tortured to death.
 * Voltaire believed the magistrate found him guilty because he was non-catholic.
 * In a campaign to clear the name of Calas, Voltaire succeeded in 1765 and found Calas not guilty.
 * Voltaire found that the wrongs of French society were **Religious Intolerance** and **Cruelty of Law**.

Summary
French society followed a unique castes system called **estates**. These estates divided people into clergies, nobles, and everyone else. People had special privileges and benefits if they were in the first two estates. This is because clergies were educators and rand religious life, while nobles were soldier who fought for their nation. After 1789 these two estates became outdated and their special privileges became unfair to the rest of France. Wealth was a major factor in France as the majority of people were poor. The poor tended to rely on charity to survive. Even though most people were poor they were not exempted from paying taxes, while nobles and clergies had the luxury of not paying taxes. The poor or middle classes paid taxes directly to the government or paid taxes for certain good they bought. A family usually ends up paying 10%-15% of their yearly earning to the government. Peasants who were tenants or lived in a parish also had to pay **dues** or **tithes** to their land lords, who were nobles and clergies. Poor farmers could only pay these by trading in part of their crops. //Philosophes,// helped the disadvantaged citizens of France by trying to make life easier for them. //Philosophe// Lavoiser helped improve crops while //Philosophe// Voltaire helped open minds to the wrongs of French society. Writings of //Philosophes// lead people to have a mutual feeling, that France need humane laws, religious tolerance, and changes in French governing.

Questions
What kind of taxes did nobles and clergies have to pay?