The term "Ancien Régime" refers to the political and social system in France before the French Revolution of 1789. This system was characterized by absolute monarchy, where the king held significant power, and a rigid class structure divided into three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the common people. The Ancien Régime maintained privileges for the upper classes while the lower classes faced heavy taxation and limited rights. The Ancien Régime ended with the rise of revolutionary ideas that promoted equality and democracy. Key events, such as the Storming of the Bastille and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, challenged the existing order, leading to the establishment of a republic and significant social change in France.