French revolution

Question 91.
Describe the events that took place on 14th July 1789 in France. [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
The following events took place on 14th July 1789.
(a) The king had ordered the troops to move into the city. There were rumours that he
would soon order the troops to open fire upon citizens.
(b) Around 7,000 men and women formed a militia and broke into a number of
government buildings in search of arms.
(c) Then the fortress-prison of Bastille was stormed by hundreds of people with the
hope to find hoarded ammunition. Bastille was destroyed completely as it was hated by
all.

Question 92.
On ascending the throne of France, Louis XVI found the treasury empty. Why was the
treasury empty?
Answer:
The causes for empty treasury at the time of his accession were as follows.
(a) The financial resources of France had drained due to the long years of war.
(b) The high cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of
Versailles also added to the financial drain.
(c) France had helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from
Britain. This increased the debt to more than 2 billion livres.

Question 93.
Describe the divisions of the French society before the French Revolution.
Answer:
Before the French Revolution, the French society was divided into three estates.
(a) The 1st estate was comprised of the Church and the clergy. They enjoyed certain
privileges by birth. The most important of these privileges was exemption from paying
taxes.
(b) The 2nd estate was comprised of the nobles and other rich people of the society.
These were also exempted from paying taxes. They also enjoyed feudal privileges
which included collection of feudal dues by the peasants.
(c) The 3rd estate was comprised of big businessmen, merchants, court officials,
lawyers, peasants, artisans, landless labourers and servants. Within the third estate,
some were rich and others were poor. The peasants obliged the landlords by working on
their fields, in their houses, to serve in the army or to participate in the building of roads.
They were paying all direct taxes like taille and a number of indirect taxes on salt or
tobacco, but had no rights.
Question 94.
Which three causes led to the ‘subsistence crisis’ in France during the Old Regime?
[CBSE 2014]
Answer:
The following points show how the subsistence crisis occurred in France during the Old
Regime.
(a) The population of France increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789.
This led to the increase in demand for foodgrains.
(b) When the production of foodgrains could not keep pace with the growing demand,
the price of bread which was the staple food increased rapidly.
(c) On the other hand, the wages could not keep pace with the rise in prices. At the time
of drought or hail, harvest reduced and things got worsed. Thus, the gap between the
poor and the rich widened and this led to the subsistence crisis.

Question 95.
Describe the middle class in three points. [CBSE 2013]
Answer:
The following points describe the middle class in French society.
(a) The middle class was a social group that emerged in France in the 18th century.
This class made money through an expanding overseas trade and by manufacturing
goods like woollen and silk textiles.
(b) The middle class, along with merchants and manufacturers, included professionals
like lawyers and administrative officials.
(c) All these people were educated believed that no group in society should be
privileged by birth and a person’s position in society should be based on his merit.

Question 96.
What was the tennis court oath? [HOTS]
Answer:
The third estate representatives viewed themselves as spokesmen for the whole French
nation. They
assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in the grounds of Versailles on 20 June
1789. There
they declared themselves as a National Assembly.

Question 97.
Explain the turmoil in France while the National Assembly was busy at Versailles.
Answer:
While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting the constitution, the rest of
France seethed with turmoil in the following ways.
(a) A severe winter had meant a bad harvest, resulting in rising price of bread thus, the
situation was exploited by bakers and hoarded supplies. Angry women stormed into the
shops after standing for long hours in bakery queues.
(b) The army was ordered by the king to more into the city. There were rumours that
army would be ordered to open fire upon the citizens. Thousands of agitated people
gathered and decided to form a militia.
(c) They broke into a number of government buildings in search of arms. They distroyed
the prison of Bastille on 14 July 1789.

Question 98.
How did peasants protest against the feudal lords or nobles of France?
Answer:
Peasants protested against the feudal lords or nobles in the following ways.
(a) In the countryside there were rumours spread from village to village that the lords of
the manor had hired hands of brigands who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops.
Caught in frenzy of fear, peasants in several districts seized hoes and pitchforks and
attacked Chateaux.
(b) They looted hoarded grain and burnt down documents containing records of
manorial dues.
(c) A large number of nobles fled from their homes, many of them migrating to the
neighouring countries.

Question 99.
How was the National Assembly recognised and how did it start exercising its powers?
[CBSE 2010]
Answer:
Faced with revolting people, Louis XVI recognised the National Assembly and accepted
that his
powers would from now on be checked by the constitution.
National Assembly started exercising its power in the following ways.
(a) On the night of 4 August, 1789, the Assembly passed the law for abolishing feudal
system of obligations and taxes, the clergy members were also forced to give up their
privileges.
(b) Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were seized and all this
resulted in acquiring assets worth at least 2 billion livres.

Question 100.
Describe how the new political system of constitutional monarchy worked practice in
France. [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
The new political system of constitutional monarchy in France worked in the following
manner:
The constitution of 1791 had given the power to make laws to the National Assembly,
that was indirectly elected by a group of electors voted by the citizens who had chosen
the assembly.
The right to vote was given to men above 25 years of age, who paid taxes equal to at
least 3 days of a labourer’s wage, were given the status of active citizens, i.e., they were
entitled to vote.
The remaining men and all women were classed as passive citizens. To qualify as an
elector and as a member of the assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket of
taxpayers.

Question 101.
Write a short note on national and inalienable rights.
Answer:
The constitution of France began with a Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.
Rights ‘ such as right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before law
were established as natural and inalienable rights i.e., they belong to each human being
by birth and could not be taken away. It is the duty of the state to protect each citizen’s
natural rights.

Question 102.
List and explain the successful achievements of the National Assembly from 1789-
1791. [HOTS]
Answer:
The successful achievements of the National Assembly from 1789-1791 were as
follows:
(a) One of the most successful achievements of the National Assembly was the
adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen which upheld the equality
of all before law, eligibility of all for public offices, freedom from arrest or punishment
without a proven cause and right to freedom of speech and expression.
(b) It also laid emphasis that the burden of taxation must be borne by all without any
distinction and so nobles and clergy were denied special privileges.
(c) A new constitution was formed providing a constitutional monarchy where the
powers of the monarch are limited and the legislative powers are given to the National
Assembly.

Question 103.
Write a short note on Marseillaise.
Answer:
Marseillaise is the national anthem of France. It was written by Roget de L ‘Isle during
the French Revolution. It aroused such enthusiasm that large number of people joined
the company. It was first sung in Paris when the Marseilles battalion sang it as they
marched into Paris and thus it was named so.

Question 104.
Who were Jacobins? What was their role in emergence of France as a Republic?
Or
Who were the Jacobins? Write about it in three points. [CBSE 2013]
Answer:
Jacobins were the most radical and ruthless of the political groups formed in the wake
of the French Revolution. They were the members of a democratic club established in
1789. Jacobins were led by Maximilian Robespierre. Angered by the short supplies and
high prices of foodgrains Jacobins stormed the Palace of the Tuileries.
The king’s guards were killed and the king was held hostage for several hours. The
assembly later, voted to imprison the royal family. Elections were held in which every
man of 21 years and above got the right to vote. The Convention was known as newly
elected assembly, which abolished monarchy and declared France a republic.

Question 105.
What do you mean by Directory? Why was it removed from France?
Answer:
The Directory was a five-member committee which governed France when the political
power
was passed into the hands of the wealthier middle class. It was meant as a safeguard
against the
concentration of power in the hands of one-man executive as under the Jacobins.
The Directors often clashed with the legislative councils who in turn sought to dismiss
them. This led to political instability of Directory in France. It paved the way for the rise
of a military dictator called Napoleon Bonaparte.

Question 106.
Evaluate the role of women in France before the revolution.
Answer:
Women played a very significant role in France before the French Revolution. They
played an active role and brought about important changes. They worked for their living
like dress makers, laundry workers, flower vendors, fruit and vegetable vendors.
Sometimes they also worked as maid servants for rich people. They cooked food,
fetched water and stood in queues for bread. In order to discuss – and voice their
interests women started their own political clubs and newspapers. One of the major
demand was right to vote. The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women was
one such club formed by women.

Question 107.
How did the women suffer in France during the Old Regime?
Answer:
During the Old Regime, most women worked to earn a living. They worked as
seamstresses or laundresses or domestic servants in the houses of rich people. Many
sold fruits, flowers and vegetables at the market to earn money.
(b) Most of them were not educated or trained to do any job. Only the daughters of rich
people could study.
(c) Working women had to take care of their families too. They had to fetch water,
queue up for bread, cook and look after the children.
Therefore, it can be said that women suffered a lot during the Old Regime.

Question 108.
What was the condition of slave trade in the seventeenth century?
Answer:
The conditions of slaves during salve labour was as follows:
(a) As the slave trade began in seventeenth century, the slaves were bought from local
chieftians.
(b) After branding and shackling, the slaves were packed tightly into ships for the three-
month long voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.
(c) At the African coast, they were sold to plantation owners.

Question 109.
How did storming of Bastille became the main cause of the French Revolution? [CBSE
2014]
Answer:
Storming of Bastille became the main cause of the French Revolution because of the
following
reasons.
(a) While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution, the rest
of France faced turmoil. Due to bad harvest, price of bread increased.
(b) This situation worsened when the bakers started hoarding supplies.
(c) Women who stood in queues at the bakery stormed the shops. At the same time the
king had ordered troops to move into Paris.
As a result on 14 July the angry crowd stormed and destroyed Bastille. It was hated by
all as it stood for the despotic powers of the king.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 110.
Discuss the main causes of the French Revolution. [HOTS]
Answer:
The following are the main causes of French Revolution:
(a) Despotic rule of Louis XVI. Long years of wars and extravagance of the king led to
financial crises in France. This forced king to increase taxes mostly paid by the.third
estate. It created chaos in the society.
(b ) Privileges and Burdens of the French Society. First and the second estate had
certain privileges by birth. The first two estates were comprised of the clergy and
nobility which was 10% of the total population. Rest of the 90% population made up the
third estate that paid all the various direct and indirect taxes. This discrimination led to
the revolution by the 3rd estate.
(c) Rising prices. The population of France had increased. This resulted into more
demand of foodgrains. So, the price of bread rose rapidly, the poor were not able to buy
the high-priced bread. So, the gap between the rich and poor widened.
(d) Inspiration by the Philosophers. The philosophers like Locke, Rousseau and
Montesquieu spread the ideas of having a society where the people enjoy freedom,
equal laws and equal opportunities. They inspired the people of France to realise their
dreams.
(e) Role of Middle class. Another major cause was the role of the middle class who
earned their wealth through expanding trade of manufactured goods, being exported.
(f) Storming of Bastille prison. During the political turmoil, France experienced severe
winters leading to bad harvest. The price of bread increased, as the stocks were
hoarded in the market. Angry women attacked the shops. At the same time troops were
ordered into Paris. Agitated crowd stormed and destroyed Bastille prison administrative
officials, i.e., those who were educated. They believed that no person in the society
should be privileged by birth.

Question 111.
Explain the events/incidents which led to the outbreak of French Revolution. [CBSE
2014]
Answer:
The following events/incidents led to the outbreak of the French Revolution:
(a) Meeting of the Estate General. On 5 May 1789, Louis XVI had called a meeting of
Estate General to increase the taxes. Representatives of all the three estates came. But
the members of the 3rd estate were made to stand while women, peasants, artisans
and women were not allowed entry to the assembly.
(h) Demand for one vote one person. The third estate at the meeting of the Estate
General demanded one vote for each member. This demand was rejected by the king
and the members of the third estate walked out in protest.
(c) Meeting of the newly-formed National Assembly. Since the members of the third
estate were more, they considered themselves the voice of the people/whole nation.
They assembled in the indoor tennis court of Versailles and declared themselves as the
‘National Assembly’. They believed in removing the feudal privileges of the nobles and
clergy.
(d) Winters created worse situation. Harvest declined, prices rose and bakers exploited
poor by hoarding supplies. Angry crowd stormed the shops.
(e) Revolt in the countryside by the peasants. There were rumours that their ripe crops
would be destroyed by the lords hired bands. The peasants in several districts seized
hoes and pitchforks and attacked manors of the lords. They looted the hoarded grains
and burnt the documents containing the records of manorial dues.

Question 112.
How did philosophers influence the thinking of the people of France? [CBSE 2012,
2014]
Answer:
The philosophers influenced the thinking of the people of France in the following ways:
(a) Philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau put forward ideas
envisaging a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all.
(b) In Two Treatises of Government, John Locke sought to refute the doctrine of the
divine and absolute rights of the monarch.
(c) His ideas were carried forward by Rousseau as he was proposing a form of
government based on social contract between the people and their representatives.
(d) In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the
government between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
(e) The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee-
houses and were spread among people through books and newspapers.

Question 113.
Explain the features of the constitution of France drafted in 1791. [CBSE 2015]
Answer:
(a) The constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, created after
the collapse
of the absolute rule.
(b) Its main aim was to limit the powers of the monarch.
(c) Powers were then divided/separated and assigned to different institutions like
legislative, executive and judiciary.
(d) According to this, active citizens of France elected electors who inturn voted to elect
the National Assembly.
(e) Not all citizens had the right to vote. Only men of 25 years of age who paid taxes
equal to atleast three days of a labourer’s wage. They were called active citizens.
(f) The remaining men and all women were called the passive citizens.
(g) The National Assembly controlled the king. France became constitutional monarchy.
(any five points)

Question 114.
List down the political symbols of France.
Answer:
Most of the people (i.e. men and women) in the 18th century. France could not read and
write. So
images and symbols instead of printed books were used to communicate ideas. These
symbols were
used to convey the content of declaration of rights. The important symbols were:
(a) Broken Chains: Chains were used to restrain the slaves from running away. Broken
chains signify the act of becoming free.
(b) A bundle of rods: It was used to convey the message that strength lies in unity.
(c) The eye within or triangle radiating light: The all-seeing eye stands for knowledge.
The rays of the sun will drive away the dark clouds of ignorance.
(d) Sceptre: It symbolises royal power.
(e) Snake bitting its tail to form a ring: A symbol of eternity. The ring has neither
beginning nor end.
(f) Red phrygian cap: It was worn by slaves when they were freed.
(g) Blue-white-red: These are the national colours of France.
(h) The winged woman: Personification of the law.
(i) The law tablet: The law is same for all and all are equal before it. (any five points)

Question 115.
Explain the “Reign of Terror” in brief. [CBSE 2015]
Answer:
The following points explain the Reign of Terror:
(a) The period from 1793 to 1794 is called the Reign of Terror because Robespierre
followed a policy of severe control and punishment. Ex-nobles, clergy, members of other
political parties and even the members of his own party, who did not agree with his
methods, were arrested, imprisoned and guillotined.
(b) Laws were issued by Robespierre’s government lows were issued by placing a
maximum ceiling of wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed.
(c) Peasants were forced to transport their grain to the cities and sell it at prices fixed
by the government. The use of more expensive white flour was forbidden; all citizens
were required to eat the equality bread.
(d) Equality was also sought to be practised through forms of speech and address.
Instead of the traditional Sir and Madam, French men and women were addressed as
citizen.
(e) Churches were shut down and their buildings converted into barracks or offices.
Finally, Robespierre was convicted by a court in July 1794, arrested and the next day,
sent to the guillotine.

Question 116.
How did the Revolution affect the everyday life of the French people? Discuss. [HOTS]
Answer:
(a) Revolutionary ideas of equality and liberty transformed the clothes people wore, the
language they spoke and books they read.
(b) With the abolition of censorship in 1789 and the Declaration of the Rights of Man
and Citizen in 1791, freedom of speech became a natural right. This led to the growth of
newspapers, books, pamphlets and printed pictures.
(c) Freedom of the press enabled voicing of opinions and counter options.
(d) Art flourished in the form of paintings, plays, songs and festive processions.
(e) Visual and oral art form enabled even the common man who could not read and
write to relate with the ideas of liberty, equality and justice.

Question 117.
Write a short note on Napoleon Bonaparte.
Answer:
(a) Napoleon came to power as a result of unstable directory that ruled France. Due to
weak directory Napoleon got on opportunity to rise to political power. In 1804, he
crowned himself as the Emperor of France.
(b) He set out to conquer the neighbouring countries defeating the dynasties and
putting his own relatives/members of his family.
(c) He was seen as a moderniser of Europe. He brought out many laws such as
protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided
by the decimal system.
(d) He was also seen by many as a liberator who will bring freedom to the people.
(e) Very soon his army came to be viewed everywhere as invading force. He carried out
military campaigns and invasion of Russia and Spain. He soon became a threat for the
kings in Europe who decided to come together and defeat him. Finally, he was defeated
at Waterloo in 1815.

Question 118.
What was the impact of French Revolution on France?
Answer:
(a) French Revolution marked the end of absolute monarchy and paved the way for the
republican government.
(b) It also helped to uphold the theory of popular sovereignty and laid the foundations of
democratic principles, i.e., to say that the government should be based on the consent
of the governed.
(c) The slogans of equality, liberty and fraternity became the watchwords of freedom
loving people all over the world.
(d) Feudalism and serfdom were abolished and the power of clergy curbed.
(e) People were given the right to vote during the Jacobins.
(f) New reforms were introduced in education of girls during Jacobins time.