What was the significance of the Estates-General in pre-revolutionary France?

The Estates-General was an assembly of representatives from France's three estates or classes, namely the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners. It was called by King Louis XVI in 1789 to address the country's financial crisis and social unrest.

The significance of the Estates-General lies in the fact that it marked the beginning of the French Revolution. It was the first time in 175 years that the assembly was called, and the first time that the third estate was granted equal representation with the other two estates. The third estate, consisting of the commoners, saw the Estates-General as an opportunity to gain more political power and representation, and to address the country's grievances. However, the other two estates, representing the clergy and nobility, were resistant to change and unwilling to relinquish their power and privileges.

As the Estates-General convened, the third estate demanded that voting be conducted by head and not by estate, which would give them a majority. When the demand was rejected, they declared themselves the National Assembly and vowed to create a new constitution for France. This sparked the storming of the Bastille and the beginning of the French Revolution.