French Revolution – Q&A
☆ Very Short Answers
1. 1. The members of which society had to pay taxes?
The Third Estate.
2. 2. What was tithe?
A tax paid to the Church, usually one-tenth of agricultural produce.
3. 3. What led to rapid increase in the demand for food grains in 1789?
A growing population and poor harvests.
4. 4. Who wrote Two Treatises of Government? How did the author express himself in the
book?
John Locke; he opposed the divine right of kings and supported the idea of a government
based on the consent of the governed.
5. 5. Who wrote The Spirit of the Laws? What did the author propose in this book?
Montesquieu; he proposed the separation of powers among the legislature, executive, and
judiciary.
6. 6. What was Estates General?
A political body representing the three estates of French society.
7. 7. Who were denied entry to the assembly of the Estates General, called by Louis XVI on
5 May 1789?
Members of the Third Estate were denied equal representation and voice.
8. 8. Who were entitled to vote under the Constitution of 1791?
Men who paid a certain amount of taxes (active citizens).
9. 9. Who was the leader of the Jacobins club? What happened in France on 21 September
1792?
Maximilien Robespierre; monarchy was abolished and France was declared a republic.
10. 10. What is a guillotine?
A device used for beheading people during the Revolution.
11. 11. When was slavery finally abolished in French colonies?
In 1848.
12. 12. When was censorship abolished in France? What was its immediate effect?
In 1789; it led to the free flow of ideas and revolutionary pamphlets.
13. 13. Who introduced 'Reign of Terror' and where?
Robespierre in France.
14. 14. What did Robespierre's government do to bring equality in France? Mention any 2
points.
- Fixed prices for essential goods.
- Imposed maximum wage laws and rationing.
15. 15. Why were the members of Jacobins club known as sans-culottes?
They wore long trousers instead of the knee breeches worn by aristocrats.
16. 16. What was Marseillaise?
A patriotic war song that later became the national anthem of France.
17. 17. Name the famous ports of France.
Bordeaux, Nantes, Marseille.
☆ Short Answers
18. 1. Describe all the three estates into which French Society was divided in the 18th
century.
- First Estate: Clergy (no taxes)
- Second Estate: Nobility (no taxes)
- Third Estate: Common people (paid all taxes)
19. 2. What drastic changes were brought about by the National Assembly in 1789?
- Abolished feudal privileges
- Declared all men equal before the law
- Drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man
20. 3. What was the Reign of Terror?
Period from 1793–1794 when Robespierre led a violent purge of enemies of the revolution.
21. 4. What happened after the fall of Robespierre’s government?
A more moderate government called the Directory took power.
22. 5. What was the subsistence crisis? Mention two factors responsible for it.
Extreme shortage of food.
- Poor harvests
- Rising population
23. 6. What was the importance of the 'Tennis Court Oath' in the French Revolution?
It marked the formation of the National Assembly and the first step towards revolution.
24. 7. Three chief characteristics of the Constitution of 1791:
- Limited monarchy
- Separation of powers
- Voting rights only for active citizens
25. 8. Effects of the abolition of censorship:
- Free press
- Spread of revolutionary ideas and literature
26. 9. Napoleon’s rise and downfall:
- Rose through military ranks and became Emperor
- Defeated at Waterloo in 1815 and exiled
27. 10. Condition of women before the Revolution:
- Had no political rights
- Limited access to education
28. 11. Steps to improve condition of women by revolutionary government:
- State schooling for girls
- Laws to improve family life and divorce rights
29. 12. What was the Jacobins Club? Who were its members?
A radical political club led by Robespierre, supported by workers, artisans, and small
shopkeepers.
30. 13. Policies of Maximilien Robespierre:
- Price controls
- De-Christianization
- Heavy use of the guillotine
31. 14. Impact of the French Revolution on the world:
- Spread of democratic ideals
- Inspired revolutions in other countries
☆ Long Answers
32. 1. Why did Louis XVI call together the Estates General on 5 May 1789? What was its
outcome?
- France was in financial crisis; Louis XVI wanted to increase taxes.
- The Third Estate protested and formed the National Assembly, sparking the revolution.
33. 2. How did France abolish monarchy and become a republic?
- 1789: Revolution begins
- 1791: Constitutional monarchy
- 1792: Monarchy abolished; France becomes a republic
34. 3. Role of French philosophers in the French Revolution:
- Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu promoted ideas of liberty, equality, and democracy
- Their works inspired revolutionaries to question monarchy and inequality
35. 4. How was taxation policy responsible for the French Revolution?
- Nobles and clergy paid no taxes
- Third Estate bore the entire tax burden
- This unfair system led to anger and revolt
