Page "French Revolution" Paragraph 46

This resentment toward the Church weakened its power during the opening of the Estates General in May 1789.

The Church composed the First Estate with 130, 000 members of the clergy.

When the National Assembly was later created in June 1789 by the Third Estate, the clergy voted to join them, which perpetuated the destruction of the Estates General as a governing body.

The National Assembly began to enact social and economic reform.

Legislation sanctioned on 4 August 1789 abolished the Church's authority to impose the tithe.

In an attempt to address the financial crisis, the Assembly declared, on 2 November 1789, that the property of the Church was " at the disposal of the nation.

" They used this property to back a new currency, the assignats.

Thus, the nation had now also taken on the responsibility of the Church, which included paying the clergy and caring for the poor, the sick and the orphaned.

In December, the Assembly began to sell the lands to the highest bidder to raise revenue, effectively decreasing the value of the assignats by 25 % in two years.

In autumn 1789, legislation abolished monastic vows and on 13 February 1790 all religious orders were dissolved.

Monks and nuns were encouraged to return to private life and a small percentage did eventually marry.