Final answer:
The bourgeoisie, professionals, peasants, and urban populace belonged to the Third Estate in France before the French Revolution. This estate, representing about 95% of the population, carried the tax burden and was excluded from privileges held by the clergy and nobility. Their frustrations contributed to the revolutionary movement seeking equality and political reforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The commoners, or the bourgeoisie along with professionals, peasants, and urban populace made up the Third Estate in France during the period leading up to the French Revolution. This Third Estate represented the vast majority of the French population, comprising approximately 95% of the people. They carried the burden of taxes and were excluded from the political and social privileges that were enjoyed by the other two estates: the clergy (First Estate) and the nobility (Second Estate).
The bourgeoisie, or middle class, were especially significant within the Third Estate because they included merchants, bankers, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. Although they were sometimes wealthier than members of the nobility, they lacked noble titles and the privileges that came with them, such as exemption from certain taxes. Over time, the term "bourgeoisie" came to represent the idea of the "self-made" individual, distinct from the nobility, whose wealth and status were based on family lineage. The rise of bourgeois ideals, alongside political and economic frustrations, fueled demands for change, ultimately leading to the French Revolution.
Ultimately, the Third Estate's frustrations with inequality, taxation without representation, and lack of political power culminated in their decisive role in commencing the French Revolution and dismantling the estates system, which led to far-reaching social and political transformations in France.