Which estate owned the largest share of land before the Revolution?

• A. 3rd Estate
• B. 1st Estate
• C. 2nd Estate
• D. Sans Culottes

Answer: (A)

Land ownership in prerevolutionary France was highly unequal, and the way power flowed from who controlled land was a big factor in the social structure. The Third Estate, while containing many peasants who farmed land and a rising class of landowning merchants and professionals, made up the largest portion of the population. When you look at land held across all members of each estate, the Third Estate collectively controlled more land than the First Estate (the clergy) or the Second Estate (the nobles). The urban workers known as the Sans Culottes are part of the Third Estate, not a separate estate, so they don’t represent a distinct landholding group. So, the estate with the largest share of land before the Revolution was the Third Estate.