Page 57 - Key to Social Studies 5
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France before and after the Revolution
France before the Revolution
Poverty and inequality were spread all over France. The country was divided into social classes with a
huge gap between every level: the clergy were people from the church who controlled everything and
owned most of the country’s properties; the noblemen were businessmen and rich families who owned
the rest; and the commoners had nothing at all and lived in the worst and poorest areas in France.
No one but the clergy and some of the noblemen had rights in the country, which made the poor steal
and kill and nally revolt against the monarchy.
France after the Revolution
France worked its way up after the revolution to reach a high level of democracy and equality, where
corrupted monarchs and church members were removed and some of them were executed, plus
forcing the church to sell and nationalize its properties.
Today, France is a developed country with an economy ranked the sixth in the world, and it is known for
its equality and high quality of life.
The storming of the Bastille, Paris
55
