french revolution extra questions - class 9 history

(a) To free thousands of prisoners
(b) To attack the king directly
(c) To search for hoarded ammunition
(d) To demand more bread

Answer: (c) To search for hoarded ammunition

(a) It was the king’s palace
(b) It symbolized religious freedom
(c) It stood for the king’s despotic power
(d) It protected the poor

Answer: (c) It stood for the king’s despotic power

(a) Construction of new cities
(b) Support to American colonies against Britain
(c) Religious wars
(d) Decline in agriculture

Answer: (b) Support to American colonies against Britain

(a) Nobles and clergy
(b) Only the clergy
(c) The third estate
(d) All three estates equally

Answer: (c) The third estate

(a) Tithes
(b) Taille
(c) Salt duty
(d) Road tax

Answer: (b) Taille

(a) High taxes
(b) Rise in population and slow grain production
(c) War with Britain
(d) Rise in wages

Answer: (b) Rise in population and slow grain production

(a) A war-like situation
(b) A political emergency
(c) A situation where basic survival needs cannot be met due to scarcity
(d) An economic boom

Answer: (c) A situation where basic survival needs cannot be met due to scarcity

(a) Soldiers and Clergy
(b) Lawyers, merchants, and manufacturers
(c) Priests and nobles
(d) Peasants and artisans

Answer: (b) Lawyers, merchants, and manufacturers

(a) Rousseau
(b) Voltaire
(c) Montesquieu
(d) John Locke

Answer: (d) John Locke

(a) Absolute monarchy should be restored
(b) People must obey their king blindly
(c) A form of government based on social contract between people and their representatives
(d) The Church should make laws

Answer: (c) A form of government based on social contract between people and their representatives

(a) The Leviathan
(b) Two Treatises of Government
(c) The Social Contract
(d) The Spirit of the Laws

Answer: (d) The Spirit of the Laws

(a) Church sermons
(b) Royal declarations
(c) Books and newspapers read aloud in groups
(d) Paintings and drawings

Answer: (c) Books and newspapers read aloud in groups

(a) 300
(b) 600
(c) 400
(d) 500

Answer: (b) 600

(a) Educated members of the Third Estate
(b) Women
(c) Artisans
(d) Both (b) and (c)

Answer: (d) Both (b) and (c)

(a) Locke
(b) Montesquieu
(c) Rousseau
(d) Voltaire

Answer: (c) Rousseau

(a) Bastille
(b) Town Hall
(c) Indoor Tennis Court
(d) Palace of Versailles

Answer: (c) Indoor Tennis Court

(a) Women’s March to Versailles
(b) Execution of the king
(c) Abolition of feudal system
(d) Formation of the National Assembly

Answer: (c) Abolition of feudal system

(a) The clergy
(b) The monarchy
(c) The judiciary
(d) The legislature

Answer: (b) The monarchy

(a) The king
(b) The judiciary
(c) The National Assembly
(d) The Church

Answer: (c) The National Assembly

(a) Own land
(b) Be educated
(c) Pay taxes equal to 3 days of a labourer's wage
(d) Be a noble

Answer: (c) Pay taxes equal to 3 days of a labourer's wage

(a) Given by kings
(b) Based on wealth
(c) Natural and inalienable
(d) Decided by the clergy

Answer: (c) Natural and inalienable

(a) French royal anthem
(b) French military code
(c) French revolutionary song
(d) Treaty with Austria

Answer: (c) French revolutionary song

(a) Louis XVI
(b) Marie Antoinette
(c) Maximilian Robespierre
(d) Napoleon Bonaparte

Answer: (c) Maximilian Robespierre

(a) 21 January 1793
(b) 4 August 1789
(c) 21 September 1792
(d) 5 May 1789

Answer: (c) 21 September 1792

(a) Black hat
(b) Red cap
(c) White gloves
(d) Blue scarf

Answer: (b) Red cap

(a) 1789 to 1790
(b) 1791 to 1792
(c) 1793 to 1794
(d) 1795 to 1796

Answer: (c) 1793 to 1794

(a) White bread
(b) Bread made with maize
(c) Bread made with wholewheat
(d) Bread served only to nobles

Answer: (c) Bread made with wholewheat

(a) A French king
(b) A general
(c) A doctor
(d) A baker

Answer: (c) A doctor

(a) Seigneur and Dame
(b) Monsieur and Madame
(c) Master and Miss
(d) Citoyen and Citoyenne

Answer: (d) Citoyen and Citoyenne

(a) National Women’s Assembly
(b) Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women
(c) Women’s Rights League
(d) Parisian Women’s Union

Answer: (b) Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women

(a) 1791
(b) 1848
(c) 1946
(d) 1965

Answer: (c) 1946

(a) Citizens
(b) Equal citizens
(c) Passive citizens
(d) Free citizens

Answer: (c) Passive citizens

(a) Marriage was abolished
(b) Marriage became a civil contract entered into freely
(c) Only religious marriages allowed
(d) Marriages arranged by state

Answer: (b) Marriage became a civil contract entered into freely

(a) 1789
(b) 1794
(c) 1804
(d) 1848

Answer: (b) 1794

(a) Paris
(b) Bordeaux
(c) Lyon
(d) Marseille

Answer: (b) Bordeaux

(a) Robespierre
(b) Louis XVI
(c) Napoleon Bonaparte
(d) Lafayette

Answer: (c) Napoleon Bonaparte

(a) 1794
(b) 1804
(c) 1815
(d) 1848

Answer: (d) 1848

(A) 1776
(B) 1789
(C) 1799
(D) 1804

Answer: (B) 1789

(a) Set of military rules
(b) A code of conduct for the clergy
(c) A system of taxation
(d) A comprehensive legal code

Answer: (d) A comprehensive legal code

(a) The Constitution of 1791
(b) The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
(c) The Napoleonic Code
(d) The Tennis Court Oath

Answer: (b) The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

(a) No Taxation without Representation
(b) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
(c) Give me liberty or give me death
(d) E Pluribus Unum

Answer: (b) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

Answer: ✅ (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ C. A is true, but R is false

Answer: ✅ a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ D) A is false, but R is true

Answer: ✅ B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

Answer: ✅ B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

Answer: On the morning of 14 July 1789, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm as the king had ordered troops to move into the city, causing fear and unrest among the people.

Answer: The people stormed the Bastille in the hope of finding hoarded ammunition, which they believed was stored inside the fortress-prison.

Answer: Only seven prisoners were released from the Bastille after it was stormed by the citizens of Paris.

Answer: The Bastille symbolized the despotic power of the French king and was therefore hated by the people.

Answer: Louis XVI became the king of France in 1774.

Answer: Louis XVI married the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette.

Answer: The French treasury was empty when Louis XVI ascended the throne.

Answer: The palace was called Versailles.

Answer: France's involvement in helping the thirteen American colonies against Britain increased the debt by over a billion livres.

Answer: The term Old Regime is used to describe French society and institutions before 1789.

Answer: The population of France in 1715 was about 23 million.

Answer: The population increased to 28 million by 1789.

Answer: Bread was the staple diet of the majority of people.

Answer: Such a situation is called a subsistence crisis.

Answer: Two professions that emerged as part of the middle class were lawyers and administrative officials.

Answer: John Locke refuted the doctrine of divine and absolute rights of monarchs and believed that a ruler's power must be based on the consent of the governed.

Answer: The main aim of the Constitution of 1791 was to limit the powers of the monarch.

Answer: Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the right to vote.

Answer: The Marseillaise was composed by the poet Roget de L’Isle.

Answer: Sans-culottes means ‘those without knee breeches’.

Answer: They wore a red cap that symbolised liberty.

Answer: On 21 September 1792.

Answer: On 21 January 1793, at the Place de la Concorde.

Answer: The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the Reign of Terror.

Answer: The Reign of Terror was led by Robespierre.

Answer: The guillotine was a device with two poles and a blade used to behead people.

Answer: The use of white flour was forbidden.

Answer: All citizens were required to eat the pain d’égalité (equality bread), made of wholewheat.

Answer: The wealthier middle classes seized power after the fall of the Jacobins.

Answer: A five-member executive body called the Directory replaced the Jacobin government.

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power due to the instability of the Directory.

Answer: The ideals of freedom, equality before law, and fraternity continued to inspire movements.

Answer: The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women.

Answer: 1946.

Answer: Passive citizens.

Answer: Seamstresses and laundresses.

Answer: Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Answer: 1848.

Answer: The trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas involving the buying and selling of enslaved Africans for plantation labour.

Answer: Abolition of censorship.

Answer: It declared freedom of speech and expression as a natural right.

Answer: 1804.

Answer: At Waterloo in 1815.

Answer: On 14 July 1789, rumours spread throughout Paris that the king would order the army to open fire on the citizens. In response to this fear, around 7,000 men and women gathered in front of the town hall. To protect themselves and maintain order, they decided to form a people's militia. They broke into government buildings to search for weapons and ammunition.

Answer: After forming the people's militia, the citizens of Paris broke into several government buildings in search of arms. Later, a group of several hundred people marched towards the eastern part of the city and stormed the Bastille. Their goal was to obtain ammunition. During the armed conflict, the commander of the Bastille was killed, and the prisoners were released.

Answer: When Louis XVI ascended the throne in 1774, the French treasury was empty due to several reasons:

• Long years of war had drained the financial resources of the state.
• The extravagant court at the palace of Versailles added to the expenses.
• France’s involvement in the American War of Independence against Britain added over a billion livres to the already rising debt.

Answer: The taxation system in France was unjust because only the third estate paid taxes. The first and second estates — the clergy and nobility — were exempted.

• The third estate bore the burden of financing the state.
• They paid both direct tax (taille) and several indirect taxes on daily use items like salt and tobacco.
• This made the system highly unequal and oppressive for common people.

Answer: About 60% of the land in France was owned by the nobles, the Church, and other richer members of the third estate. Most peasants, who made up around 90% of the population, did not own the land they cultivated.

Answer: The nobility enjoyed feudal privileges such as:

• Exemption from paying taxes to the state.
• Right to extract feudal dues from peasants.
• Demanding forced services from peasants, such as working in their homes, on their fields, serving in the army, or constructing roads.

Answer: Between 1715 and 1789, the population of France increased rapidly from 23 million to 28 million. This created a sharp rise in the demand for foodgrains, especially bread, which was the staple diet of most people. However, grain production could not keep up with this rising demand, causing a rapid increase in the price of bread.

Answer: Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops where the owners decided their wages. As the price of food and other essentials rose rapidly, wages did not increase at the same rate. This caused the poor to suffer more, while the rich remained unaffected, thus widening the gap between them.

Answer: A subsistence crisis refers to an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood, such as food, are insufficient for survival. In France, such crises occurred frequently during the Old Regime due to factors like rising population, low grain production, rising bread prices, stagnant wages, and poor harvests caused by droughts or hail.

Answer: In the 18th century, the middle class in France gained wealth through:

• Expanding overseas trade.
• Manufacture of goods such as woollen and silk textiles, which were exported or purchased by the wealthy.

Additionally, their access to education and Enlightenment ideas allowed them to influence public opinion and political thinking.

Answer:

• Jean Jacques Rousseau believed in a government based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
• Montesquieu, in The Spirit of the Laws, proposed a division of powers within the government — into the legislative, executive, and judiciary, to prevent misuse of power.

These ideas became powerful tools in opposing absolute monarchy and promoting democratic governance.

Answer: In the Estates General, Louis XVI wanted to continue the old voting practice where each estate had one vote. However, the Third Estate demanded voting by head, where each member would have one vote. When the king rejected this demand, the Third Estate members walked out in protest as they saw themselves as representatives of the whole nation.

Answer: The representatives of the Third Estate assembled in the Tennis Court on 20 June 1789. They declared themselves the National Assembly and took an oath not to disperse until they had drafted a constitution for France. They were led by Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès.

Answer: A severe winter had led to a bad harvest, and the price of bread rose sharply. Bakers started hoarding grain, and people had to wait in long queues. The king also ordered troops to enter Paris, increasing public fear. This caused the angry crowd to storm the Bastille on 14 July 1789.

Answer:

• The Constitution of 1791 created a constitutional monarchy in France.
• The powers were no longer concentrated in the hands of the king.
• Instead, they were divided among three institutions — the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.

Answer:

• Active citizens were men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least three days of a labourer’s wage. They had the right to vote.
• The remaining men and all women were considered passive citizens and did not have the right to vote.

Answer: Although Louis XVI had signed the Constitution of 1791, he entered into secret negotiations with the King of Prussia. Rulers of neighbouring countries were alarmed by the revolution in France and planned to intervene. To prevent this and defend the revolution, the National Assembly voted to declare war on Prussia and Austria in April 1792.

Answer: The Jacobin Club became a major political force during the French Revolution. It included small shopkeepers, artisans, servants, and daily wage workers. Under the leadership of Maximilian Robespierre, they demanded that the revolution be taken further to benefit the poorer sections. They organised protests, planned insurrections, and eventually played a key role in abolishing the monarchy and establishing the French Republic.

Answer: The Jacobins led an insurrection that overthrew the monarchy. On 10 August 1792, they stormed the Palace of Tuileries, imprisoned the royal family, and led to the election of a new assembly called the Convention. On 21 September 1792, the monarchy was abolished and France was declared a Republic, giving all men above 21 the right to vote.

Answer: During the Reign of Terror, Robespierre considered ex-nobles, clergy, members of other political parties, and even members of his own party who did not agree with him as ‘enemies’ of the republic. These people were arrested, tried by a revolutionary tribunal, and if found guilty, were guillotined.

Answer: Robespierre's government issued laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed. Peasants were forced to transport their grain to cities and sell it at government-fixed prices. The use of white flour was forbidden, and all citizens had to eat equality bread.

Answer: The new constitution, framed by the wealthier middle classes, denied voting rights to non-propertied sections of society. It set up two elected legislative councils which, in turn, appointed a five-member executive called the Directory.

Answer: The Directory was introduced to prevent the concentration of power in a single executive, as had happened under Robespierre and the Jacobins. It was meant as a safeguard to maintain a balance between the legislature and the executive.

Answer: Revolutionary women demanded equal political rights as men, including the right to vote, to be elected to the Assembly, and to hold political office. They believed only then would their interests be represented in the government.

Answer:

• Schooling made compulsory for all girls through state schools.
• Marriage became a civil contract entered into freely; fathers could no longer force daughters into marriage.
• Divorce legalised and could be applied for by both men and women.

Answer:

• European settlers were unwilling to work in distant, unfamiliar, and tropical lands.
• To meet the labour shortage, plantation owners relied on African slaves bought through the triangular slave trade.
• Slaves worked on plantations producing sugar, coffee, indigo, and tobacco for European markets.

Answer:

• French merchants sailed from Bordeaux or Nantes to Africa to buy slaves from local chiefs.
• Slaves were branded, shackled, and transported in inhuman conditions across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.
• They were sold to plantation owners to work on sugar, coffee, and indigo plantations.
• The produce was shipped back to Europe, completing the trade triangle.

Answer:

• Abolition of censorship allowed free publication of books, newspapers, plays, and pamphlets.
• Freedom of the press enabled people to express different opinions openly.
• Revolutionary ideas like liberty and justice reached the masses through newspapers, songs, plays, and processions.
• Political ideals began influencing clothing, speech, and cultural activities.

Answer:

• Under the Old Regime, all publications needed approval from royal censors.
• After 1789, censorship was abolished, recognising freedom of speech as a natural right.
• This allowed rapid spread of revolutionary ideas through print media to both towns and rural areas.
• Opposing political views could now be expressed freely.

Answer: Laws enforced by Napoleon to modernise France were:

• He codified French laws known as the Napoleon Code.
• He established uniform systems of weights and measures provided by the decimal system.
• He passed laws for the protection of private property.

Answer: A revolution was brought about in everyday life of the French people in the following ways:

• One important law — The abolition of censorship came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in 1789.
• Freedom of Speech and Expression of man were considered as the natural rights.
• Newspapers, pamphlets, books and printed pictures flooded the towns of France from where it reached the countryside.
• They all described and discussed the events and changes taking place in France.
• Freedom of Press also meant that opposing views could be expressed.
• Plays, songs and festive processions attracted common people through which they could identify with ideas such as Liberty and Justice.

Answer:

• On 5th May 1789, Louis XVI called an assembly of the Estates General to pass proposal for new taxes.
• The First and Second Estates sent 300 representatives each to the assembly while 600 members of the Third Estate were present there.
• Voting in the Estates General in the past had been conducted according to the principle that each Estate had one vote.
• But members of the Third Estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote.
• As the king rejected the proposal, members of the Third Estate walked out of the assembly in protest.
• On 20th June, in the tennis court of Versailles, they declared themselves a National Assembly and swore to draft the constitution and limit the powers of the Estate.

Answer: Jacobin Club:
It was a political club formed to discuss government policies and plan their own forms of action.
Its members mainly belonged to the less prosperous section of society.

Their contribution:

• In 1792, they planned an insurrection of the people of Paris.
• They stormed the Palace of the Tuileries, massacred the king’s guards and held the king hostage for several hours.
• Elections were held, and men of 21 years or above, regardless of wealth, got the Right to Vote.
• The Convention was formed.

Answer:

• The clergy and the nobles led a life of luxury and enjoyed numerous privileges.
• The middle class comprising lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc., also suffered humiliation at the hands of the clergy and the nobles.
• The nobles further enjoyed feudal privileges.
• Nobles were exempted from paying taxes.

Answer:

• The 18th century witnessed the emergence of the Middle Class.
• It earned wealth from manufacturing and trade.
• It included professionals like lawyers and administrative officers.
• People were educated and believed that no group of society should be privileged.
• All these ideas were put forward by philosophers like John Locke, Rousseau and Montesquieu.

Answer: The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 was a major event in the French Revolution. The events unfolded as follows:

1. On the morning of 14 July, the city of Paris was tense and filled with panic because the king had ordered his troops to enter the city.
2. Rumours circulated that the king would use the army to suppress the people by force.
3. In response, around 7,000 men and women gathered at the town hall and decided to form a people’s militia to protect themselves.
4. They broke into government buildings looking for arms and ammunition.
5. A large group then marched to the Bastille, a fortress-prison that was believed to store ammunition.
6. In the violent encounter that followed, the commander of the Bastille was killed and only seven prisoners were released.
7. Though it held few prisoners, the Bastille was hated because it stood as a symbol of the king's absolute power.
8. The fortress was destroyed, and its stones were sold in the market as souvenirs of victory.
9. The fall of the Bastille became a symbol of the people's victory over tyranny and marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

Answer: The economic condition of France under Louis XVI was very poor due to multiple reasons:

1. When Louis XVI ascended the throne in 1774, the treasury was empty.
2. Long wars, including the costly support to American colonies against Britain, added over 1 billion livres to an already large debt.
3. Lenders started charging 10% interest on loans, making interest payments a huge part of the state budget.
4. The French government needed money for regular expenses like the army, court, and administration.
5. To meet these, the state increased taxes, but only the third estate paid them.
6. The clergy (First Estate) and nobles (Second Estate) were exempt from taxation.
7. The third estate, which included peasants, workers, and middle class, bore the entire tax burden.
8. They paid direct taxes like the taille and indirect taxes on salt, tobacco, and daily items.
9. This unfair taxation system caused resentment and was one of the causes of the French Revolution.

Answer: Several economic and natural factors led to repeated subsistence crises in France:

1. The population of France rose from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789, increasing the demand for food.
2. Grain production did not grow fast enough to meet this rising demand.
3. As a result, the price of bread — the staple food — rose sharply.
4. Most workers earned fixed wages in workshops, which did not rise with the prices.
5. This led to widespread poverty, as people could not afford basic food.
6. Natural disasters like drought and hail further reduced the harvest.
7. All these factors combined created extreme food shortages, known as subsistence crises, which were common under the Old Regime.

Answer: The French Revolution was largely inspired by the rising influence of the middle class and the spread of Enlightenment ideas by philosophers:

1. The middle class emerged in the 18th century through overseas trade and manufacturing. They included merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, and officials, many of whom were educated and prosperous.
2. This class rejected the feudal system and privileges by birth, believing in a society where status was based on individual merit.
3. John Locke rejected divine monarchy, Rousseau promoted a social contract-based government, and Montesquieu advocated for separation of powers within government.
4. These ideas were widely discussed in salons and coffee houses, and spread through books and newspapers, making them accessible even to the illiterate population.
5. When Louis XVI planned to impose new taxes, it triggered widespread protests against the existing privileges of the nobility and clergy, setting the stage for revolution.

Thus, the ideological awakening of the middle class and the powerful writings of Enlightenment thinkers were crucial in building momentum for the French Revolution.

Answer: The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 was the result of a series of political, social, and economic developments that culminated in a popular uprising. The key events are as follows:

1. Need to Raise Taxes: Louis XVI faced a severe financial crisis and needed to raise taxes. However, he could not impose them on his own under the Old Regime. He had to call the Estates General, a political body representing the three estates, to approve any new tax proposals.
2. Meeting of the Estates General (5 May 1789): The king called the Estates General after 175 years. The first two estates (clergy and nobility) sent 300 representatives each, while the third estate sent 600. The third estate had to stand at the back and was denied equal status. Peasants, artisans, and women were not allowed, although their grievances were sent through 40,000 letters.
3. Voting Dispute and Walkout: Voting followed the old rule of "one estate, one vote", which benefited the privileged classes. The third estate demanded voting by head, where each representative had one vote, inspired by Rousseau’s idea of democracy. When the king rejected it, the third estate representatives walked out in protest.
4. Formation of the National Assembly (20 June 1789): The third estate declared themselves as the National Assembly. They met at an indoor tennis court and took an oath not to disperse until a constitution was drafted that would limit the monarch's powers. Key leaders included Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès.
5. Widespread Turmoil in France: A harsh winter caused food shortages, leading to bread riots. Angry women stormed shops. The king’s decision to send troops into Paris increased tensions. On 14 July 1789, an armed crowd stormed the Bastille, a symbol of royal tyranny.
6. Rural Revolts and Panic: In the countryside, rumours spread that nobles had hired brigands to destroy crops. Terrified peasants attacked chateaux, looted grain, and burnt records of manorial dues. Many nobles fled France.
7. Recognition of the National Assembly & End of Feudalism: Faced with unrest, Louis XVI recognized the National Assembly and accepted a constitutional monarchy. On the night of 4 August 1789, the Assembly abolished feudal obligations, privileges of the clergy, tithes, and confiscated Church lands, adding wealth worth 2 billion livres to the government.

Answer:

1. The main objective of the Constitution of 1791 was to limit the powers of the monarch.
2. France became a constitutional monarchy where powers were separated and assigned to different institutions — the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
3. The power to make laws was given to the National Assembly.
4. The National Assembly was indirectly elected:
   • Citizens voted for a group of electors.
   • The electors then chose the members of the Assembly.
5. Only active citizens had the right to vote:
   • Men above 25 years of age.
   • Paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage.
6. Passive citizens included the rest of the men and all women — they could not vote.
7. To become an elector or a member of the Assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket of taxpayers.
8. The Constitution began with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
9. Rights such as:
   • Right to life
   • Freedom of speech and opinion
   • Equality before law
10. These rights were declared ‘natural and inalienable’ — they belonged to each person by birth and could not be taken away.
11. It was the duty of the state to protect these natural rights of citizens.

Answer:

1. Although Louis XVI had accepted the Constitution of 1791, he secretly negotiated with the King of Prussia to suppress the revolution.
2. Alarmed by possible intervention from neighbouring monarchs, the National Assembly declared war on Prussia and Austria in April 1792.
3. This war was seen as a struggle between the people and European monarchies, and thousands volunteered to join the army.
4. The patriotic song Marseillaise, composed by Roget de L’Isle, became a symbol of revolutionary spirit and is now the national anthem of France.
5. Economic hardships due to war and rising food prices led to growing unrest among the poor. The Jacobins, led by Robespierre, mobilised the less privileged sections.
6. They planned a massive uprising on 10 August 1792, stormed the Palace of Tuileries, massacred the king’s guards, and imprisoned the royal family.
7. A new assembly called the Convention was elected, where all men above 21, regardless of wealth, were given voting rights.
8. On 21 September 1792, the monarchy was abolished, and France was declared a Republic.
9. The king was tried for treason, and on 21 January 1793, Louis XVI was executed publicly. Soon after, Marie Antoinette also met the same fate.

Answer: The Reign of Terror, which lasted from 1793 to 1794, was marked by extreme control and harsh punishments under the leadership of Robespierre. Its key features included:

1. Severe punishment and executions: Anyone seen as an ‘enemy’ of the republic—ex-nobles, clergy, other political opponents, or even Robespierre's own party members—were arrested, tried by revolutionary tribunals, and guillotined if found guilty.
2. Economic control: Laws were passed fixing maximum wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed, and peasants were forced to sell grain in cities at fixed rates.
3. Food restrictions: The use of expensive white flour was banned. All citizens had to consume pain d’égalité, or equality bread, made from wholewheat.
4. Cultural changes: Traditional forms of address like Monsieur and Madame were replaced with Citoyen and Citoyenne, meaning ‘Citizen’.
5. Religious control: Churches were closed down, and their buildings were used as barracks or offices.
6. End of Robespierre: His extreme measures caused unrest even among his supporters. In July 1794, Robespierre was arrested, convicted, and executed by the guillotine the very next day.

Answer:

1. After the fall of the Jacobin government, the wealthier middle classes took control.
2. A new constitution denied the vote to non-propertied citizens.
3. It provided for two elected legislative councils that appointed a five-member Directory as the executive.
4. This system aimed to avoid excessive power in the hands of one man, unlike the Jacobin rule.
5. However, the Directors often clashed with the legislative councils, causing frequent political deadlocks.
6. The constant political instability weakened the government.
7. This instability eventually paved the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who took control as a military dictator.
8. Despite these changes, the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity continued to inspire political movements in France and Europe.

Answer:

1. Active participation: From the beginning, women actively took part in revolutionary events to improve their lives.
2. Social and economic conditions: Most women of the third estate worked as seamstresses, laundresses, street vendors, or domestic servants. They had no access to proper education or training, and wages were lower than men’s.
3. Political clubs and demands: About 60 women’s clubs were formed, with the Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women being most famous. They demanded equal political rights, including voting, holding office, and being elected to the Assembly.
4. Government reforms: The revolutionary government introduced reforms — compulsory schooling for girls, civil marriage contracts, divorce rights, and training for professions.
5. Suppression during Reign of Terror: Women’s clubs were closed, political activities banned, and many women were arrested or executed.
6. Legacy: Women’s struggle for equality continued for the next two centuries through the suffrage movement, finally gaining voting rights in France in 1946.

Answer:

1. Importance of colonies: French Caribbean colonies like Martinique, Guadeloupe, and San Domingo supplied valuable commodities such as sugar, coffee, and indigo.
2. Labour shortage: Europeans refused to work on plantations; labour was met through the triangular slave trade from Africa.
3. Slave trade process: Merchants purchased African slaves, branded and shackled them, and transported them in overcrowded ships to the Caribbean.
4. Economic benefits: Port cities like Bordeaux and Nantes prospered due to the slave trade.
5. Revolutionary debates: Although the National Assembly discussed extending rights to all subjects, it avoided action due to opposition from businessmen.
6. Abolition by the Jacobins: In 1794, the Convention passed a law abolishing slavery in all French colonies.
7. Napoleon’s reversal: In 1804, Napoleon reintroduced slavery to benefit plantation owners.
8. Final abolition: Slavery was permanently abolished in 1848 in French colonies.

Answer:

Napoleon Bonaparte played a significant role in shaping 19th-century Europe. His reforms carried forward the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and modern governance.

1. Rise to Power (1804): In 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France, symbolising his authority independent of the Pope.
2. Military Conquests: He expanded French control over neighbouring European countries. Old dynasties were removed and replaced with members of Napoleon’s family.
3. Key Reforms Introduced:
   • Protection of Private Property – Ensured the security of ownership rights.
   • Uniform System of Weights and Measures – Introduced the decimal system to promote trade and fairness.
   • Modern Administrative and Legal Reforms – Established efficient governance and codified laws based on revolutionary principles.
4. Initial Perception: Many viewed Napoleon as a liberator who would bring freedom, equality, and modern reforms to Europe.
5. Change in Perception: Gradually, his expansionist policies turned him into an invader in the eyes of many European nations. French occupation often meant heavy taxation and military domination.
6. Defeat: Napoleon faced multiple defeats, culminating in his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
7. Legacy: Even after his fall, Napoleon’s reforms continued to influence European societies. His policies spread modern laws, secular governance, and the spirit of liberty across much of Europe.

Answer:

The French Revolution left a powerful and lasting legacy in France and across the world.

1. Spread of Revolutionary Ideals:
   • The ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity inspired political movements across Europe.
   • Democratic rights were recognised as the natural rights of individuals.
2. Abolition of Feudalism:
   • Feudal systems were abolished in France and later in many European countries.
3. Impact on Colonised Nations:
   • Revolutionary ideals inspired freedom movements in colonised countries.
   • The concept of freedom from bondage was adapted into struggles for independence.
4. Influence on Indian Leaders:
   • Leaders like Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy drew inspiration from revolutionary France in their own political and social work.
5. Global Inspiration:
   • The revolution encouraged people across the world to fight oppression and work towards establishing sovereign nation-states.

Answer:

Indeed, one of the most revolutionary social reforms of the Jacobin regime was the abolition of slavery in the French colonies. This is how it happened:

1. Colonies in the Caribbean — Martinique, Guadeloupe and San-Domingo were important suppliers of tobacco, indigo, sugar and coffee.
2. Reluctance of Europeans to go to and work in distant lands meant a shortage of labour on the plantations.
3. The triangular slave trade started between Europe, Africa and America in the 17th century.
4. French merchants sailed from the ports of Bordeaux or Nantes to the African coast. Slaves were brought, branded and shackled and packed into ships. After a three-month voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, slaves were sold to plantation owners.
5. Exploitation of slave labour made it possible to meet the growing demand in European markets for sugar, coffee and indigo.
6. The National Assembly held long debates about the rights of man to be extended to all subjects, including those in the colonies.
7. Finally, in 1794, the Convention passed a law to free all slaves in the French overseas possessions.
8. Napoleon later reintroduced slavery.
9. Finally, in 1848, slavery was completely abolished.

Answer:

The importance of the following years in relation to the French Revolution is as follows:

1. 1774:
   • Louis XVI ascended the throne of France.
   • He believed in the Divine Right Theory of Kings and had no respect for freedom of liberty.
   • The French treasury was empty, so he began to impose heavy taxes, which was disliked by his own people.
2. 1789:
   • On 5th May 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes.
   • The French Revolution began.
   • On 14th July 1789, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille.
   • Louis XVI accepted the principle that his powers would, from now on, be checked by the Constitution.
   • On the night of 4th August 1789, the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes. Members of the clergy were also forced to give up their privileges.
3. 1791:
   • The French Legislative elections were held in September 1791 to elect the Legislative Assembly.
   • The first written French Constitution was drafted by the National Assembly after the fall of the absolute monarchy.
   • The rights of the privileged classes were abolished.
   • The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was passed by France’s National Constituent Assembly.
4. 1804:
   • Napoleon became the Emperor of France.
   • He set out to conquer neighbouring European countries.
   • He saw his role as a "Moderniser of Europe", spreading revolutionary ideals and reforms.
5. 1815:
   • Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.
   • Many of his measures carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to other parts of Europe.
   • His influence continued to impact people long after his departure from power.

On 14 July 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille in search of ammunition. The Bastille was a fortress-prison that stood as a symbol of the king’s despotic power. Though it only held seven prisoners, its fall became a turning point in French history.

Questions & Answers:
1. Why did the people of Paris storm the Bastille?
Answer: The people stormed the Bastille because they believed it held hoarded ammunition. There was widespread fear that the king would order the army to attack the citizens, so people needed weapons and ammunition to defend themselves.

2. What happened to the commander of the Bastille during the storming?
Answer: During the storming of the Bastille, there was an armed confrontation. The commander of the fortress was killed by the angry crowd.

3. Why did the fall of the Bastille become a symbol of the French Revolution?
Answer: The Bastille was a hated symbol of the king’s despotic power. Its fall represented the people's revolt against absolute monarchy and the beginning of a revolution. The fortress was destroyed, and people even collected and sold its stone fragments as tokens of victory. This event became a powerful symbol of the people's fight for freedom and justice.

In 1774, Louis XVI became king of France and inherited an empty treasury. Years of war, royal extravagance, and involvement in the American War of Independence had increased France’s debt. Only the third estate paid taxes, while the clergy and nobility enjoyed privileges by birth. Peasants had to pay taxes to the state, the Church, and also render services to nobles.

Questions & Answers:
1. Why was the French treasury empty when Louis XVI became king?
Answer: The treasury was empty due to long years of war, the maintenance of an extravagant royal court, and France’s costly involvement in the American War of Independence. These factors had drained the financial resources of the state.

2. How did the taxation system reflect inequality in French society?
Answer: The taxation system was highly unequal. The first and second estates — clergy and nobility — were exempted from taxes. Only the third estate, which included peasants, artisans, and the middle class, had to pay both direct and indirect taxes, making them financially overburdened.

3. What feudal privileges did nobles enjoy over peasants?
Answer: The nobles enjoyed privileges such as exemption from taxes, the right to collect feudal dues from peasants, and the ability to demand free labour in their homes, fields, or for military and road services.

During the French Revolution, women actively took part in political activities, forming clubs like the Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women. They demanded equal rights such as voting, holding office, and being elected to the Assembly. The revolutionary government introduced reforms like compulsory education for girls, civil marriage contracts, and divorce rights. However, during the Reign of Terror, women’s clubs were shut down and their political activities banned. It took until 1946 for women in France to finally win the right to vote.

Questions & Answers:
1. Name the most famous women’s club of the French Revolution?
Answer: Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women.

2. What political status were women given in the Constitution of 1791?
Answer: Passive citizens.

3. Mention one reform that improved women’s lives during the revolution.
Answer: Compulsory schooling for girls.

4. In which year did women in France gain voting rights?
Answer: 1946.

By the late 18th century, French society was divided into three estates. The First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) enjoyed privileges such as exemption from paying taxes. The Third Estate — peasants, artisans, workers, and the middle class — bore the entire tax burden. France’s treasury was empty due to years of war, royal extravagance, and costly help given to the American War of Independence. Poor harvests increased the price of bread, creating widespread hunger. Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau inspired the people to demand liberty and equality. On 14 July 1789, the people of Paris stormed the Bastille, a fortress-prison and a hated symbol of royal tyranny. The event marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The National Assembly soon abolished feudal privileges, confiscated Church property, and declared that “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.” These events gave rise to the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, which inspired democratic movements across the world, including India’s struggle for independence.

Questions & Answers:
1. Which social groups formed the Third Estate in France before the Revolution?
Answer: Peasants, artisans, workers, small traders, and the middle class such as lawyers, merchants, and officials.

2. Give any two causes of the French Revolution.
Answer:
• Social Inequality: The First and Second Estates enjoyed privileges, while the Third Estate bore the tax burden.
• Economic Crisis: Empty treasury due to costly wars and extravagant royal spending.

3. Why was the Bastille hated by the people of France?
Answer: The Bastille was a symbol of the king’s absolute power and tyranny. It held political prisoners and represented oppression under the monarchy.

4. Mention any two reforms introduced by the National Assembly in 1789.
Answer:
• Abolition of feudal privileges and manorial dues.
• Confiscation of Church lands to raise state revenue.

5. How did the French Revolution inspire later democratic movements in other countries?
Answer:
• Spread the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity to other nations.
• Inspired anti-colonial and democratic movements, such as India’s struggle for independence and reforms by leaders like Raja Rammohan Roy.

On 5 May 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. A resplendent hall in Versailles was prepared to host the delegates. The First and Second Estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the 600 members of the Third estate had to stand at the back. The Third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly. However, their grievances and demand were listed in some 40,000 letters which the representatives had brought with them. Voting in the Estates General in the past had been conducted according to the principle that each estate had one vote. This time too Louis XVI was determined to continue the same practice. But members of the Third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote. This was one of the democratic principles put forward by philosophers like Rousseau in his book "The Social Contract". When the king rejected this proposal, members of the Third estate walked out of the assembly in protest.

Questions & Answers:
1. Why was an assembly of the Estates General called by Louis XVI?
Answer: The political and financial situation in France had grown very weak, forcing Louis XVI to summon the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes.

2. What was the proportion of the representatives of First, Second and Third Estates in the resplendent hall in Versailles?
Answer: The First and Second Estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the 600 members of the Third Estate had to stand at the back.

3. On what principle was the voting in the Estates General done in the past?
Answer: The principle on which voting was conducted in the Estates General was that each estate had one vote.

The revolutionary wars brought losses and economic difficulties to the people. While the men were away fighting at the front, women were left to cope with the tasks of earning a living and looking after their families. Large sections of the population were convinced that the revolution had to be carried further, as the Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of society. Political clubs became an important rallying point for people who wished to discuss government policies and plan their own forms of action. The most successful of these clubs was that of the Jacobins, which got its name from the former convent of St Jacob in Paris. Women too, who had been active throughout this period, formed their own clubs.

The members of the Jacobin club belonged mainly to the less prosperous sections of society. They included small shopkeepers, artisans such as shoemakers, pastry cooks, watch-makers, printers, as well as servants and daily-wage workers. Their leader was Maximilian Robespierre. A large group among the Jacobins decided to start wearing long striped trousers similar to those worn by dock workers. This was to set themselves apart from the fashionable sections of society, especially nobles, who wore knee breeches.

Questions & Answers:
1. When the men were away fighting at the front, who became the bread earner?
Answer: When the men were away fighting at the front, the women of the family became the bread earners.

2. Which constitution gave political rights only to the richer section of the society?
Answer: The Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of society.

3. Why did the Jacobins decide to start wearing long striped trousers and knee breeches?
Answer: The Jacobins decided to start wearing long striped trousers similar to those worn by dock workers to set themselves apart from the nobles who wore knee breeches, and as a symbol of equality.