Page 64 - Key to Social Studies 5

King Louis XVI started to look after

the French people’s problems by

1789. He called for a meeting with

the Estates-General to discuss the

unfair treatment towards the poor

French people. The meeting

consisted of three Estates,

according to social class: the clergy,

the nobility, and the peasants.

Feeling that it was unfairly represented, the Third Estate, which represented the poor, broke out of the

meeting and established what they called the National Assembly to address their problems.

The King recognized the National Assembly and ordered the nobles and the clergy to join the assembly

as well. However, he tried to keep the French people under control by sending troops around France and

dismissing Jacques Necker, the general director of nances, who had high popularity.

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