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The French Revolution: Facts That Matter
The French Revolution: Facts That Matter
The French Revolution: Facts That Matter
Syllabus
French Revolution:
(a) The Ancient Regime and its crises
(b) The social forces that led to the revolution
(c) The different revolutionary groups and ideas of the time
(d) The legacy
14
12. Their agitation proved to be fruitful. Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the
National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would from now on
be checked by constitution.
13. On August 14, 1789 the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of
obligations and taxes. Members of the clergy too were forced to give up their privileges.
14. The National Assembly completed the draft of the Constitution in 1791. Its main object
was to limit the powers of the monarch.
15. The Constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly, which
was indirectly elected.
16. The Constitution began with a declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Rights
such as the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before law, were
established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights.
17. Louis XVI, no doubt had signed the Constitution, but he entered into secret negotiations
with the King of Prussia.
18. The National Assembly acted swiftly. It declared war against Prussia and Austria.
Thousands of volunteers thronged from the provinces to join the army.
19. The revolutionary wars brought losses and economic difficulties to the people of France.
In spite of that large sections of population wanted to carry the revolution further.
20. Political clubs came into limelight. The most successful of these clubs was that of the
Jacobins. The members of the Jacobin club belonged mainly to the less prosperous
sections of society.
21. Maximillian Robespierre was the leader of the Jacobin club.
22. On August 10, 1792 the Jacobins stormed the palace of the Tuileries, massacred the
king’s guards and held the king himself as hostage for several hours. Later the Assembly
voted to imprison the royal family. Elections were held.
23. The newly elected assembly was called the Convention. On September 21, 1792 it
abolished the monarchy and declared France, a republic.
24. Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on the charge of treason. On January 21,
1793 he was executed publicly at the Place de la Concorde. The queen Marie Antoinette
met the same fate shortly after.
25. Robespierre remained the centre image from 1793 to 1794. This period is referred to
as the Reign of Terror. During this period, he followed a policy of severe control and
punishment.
26. Soon he became unpopular. Even his supporters began to demand moderation. Finally,
he was arrested and executed in July 1794.
27. After the fall of the Jacobin government, the wealthier middle classes seized power. A new
constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of society.
It provided for two elected legislative councils.
28. These legislative councils appointed a Directory, an executive made up of five members.
29. However, the directors often clashed with the legislative councils. As a result, political
instability took place which paved the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was
a military dictator.
30. In 1804, he crowned himself the emperor of France. In the beginning, people saw him
as a liberator who would bring freedom for them. But soon the Napoleonic armies came
Dateline
1. 1774 –
Louis XVI becomes king of France, faces empty treasury and growing
discontent within society of the Old Regime.
2. 1789 – Convocation of Estates General, Third Estate forms National Assembly,
the Bastille is stormed, peasants revolts in the countryside.
3. 1791 – A Constitution is framed to limit the powers of the king and to guarantee
basic rights to all human beings.
4. 1792-93 – France becomes a republic, the king is beheaded. Overthrow of the
Jacobin republic, a Directory rules France.
5. 1804 – Napoleon becomes emperor of France, annexes large parts of Europe.
6. 1815 – Napoleon defeated at Waterloo.
16 Social Science—IX
NCERT IN-TEXT QUESTIONS SOLVED
Q1. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 5. The peasants had to pay feudal dues
See fig. 3. Textbook page 5. Then to these nobles. They also rendered
explain why the artist has portrayed all kinds of services to them.
the nobleman as the spider and the Q2. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 6.
peasant as the fly. Fill in the blank boxes in fig. 4.
Ans. The figure clearly depicts the vicious given on textbook page 6 with
social set up that existed in France appropriate terms from among the
during the 18th century. A spider following: Food riots, scarcity of
feeds on the fly. Just like the spider, grain, increased number of deaths,
the nobles in the 18th century France rising food prices, weaker bodies.
lived on the labour of the peasants.
18 Social Science—IX
are carrying. Look carefully to see indicates proclamation of war. The
whether all of them come from the balanced scale on top signifies that
same social group. What symbols has both men and women are equal. No,
the artist included in the image? What the activities of the women do not
do they stand for? Do the actions of reflect traditional ideas about them.
the women reflect traditional ideas of The artist, so far I think, sympathises
how women were effected to behave in with the women and their cause.
public? What do you think: does the Q9. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 20.
artist sympathise with the women’s Compare the manifesto drafted by
activities or is he critical of them? Olympia de Gouges (Source F, page
Ans. The persons represented in the figure 20) with the Declaration of Rights of
are Parisian women. Their actions and Man and Citizen (Source C, page 11).
the objects they are carrying all show Ans. The manifesto drafted by Olympic de
that they are in violent and aggressive Gouges talks about women and their
mood. All of them come from the same rights to be treated equally with men.
social group with the same objective.
On the other hand, the Declaration of
The artist has used the symbols like
Rights of Man and Citizen talks about
pitchforks as weapons. The drum
men only.
20 Social Science—IX
Ans. The French Revolution proved to Q5. Would you agree with the view that
be the most important event in the the message of universal rights was
history of the world. beset with contradictions? Explain.
(i) The ideas of liberty and democratic Ans.
rights were the most important legacy (i) The message of universal rights was
of the French Revolution. These definitely beset with contradictions.
ideas became an inspiring force for Many ideals in the ‘Declaration of
the political movements in the world Rights of Man and Citizen’ were
in the nineteenth and twentieth not at all clear. They had dubious
centuries. meanings.
(ii) The French Revolutionary ideas of (ii) The French Revolution could not bring
liberty, equality and fraternity spread economic equality and it is a fact that
from France to the rest of Europe, unless there is economic equality,
real equality cannot be received at
where feudal systems were finally
any sphere. The Declaration of Rights
abolished.
of Man and Citizen laid stress on
(iii) Colonised peoples reworked the idea
equality but a large section of the
of freedom from bondage into their
society was denied to it. The right to
movements to create a sovereign
vote and elect their representatives
nation state. did not solve the poor man’s problem.
(iv) The idea of nationalism that emerged (iii) Women were still regarded as
after the French Revolution started passive citizens. They did not have
mass movements all over the world. any political rights such as right to
Now, people began to question the vote and hold political offices like
absolute power. men. Hence, their struggle for equal
(v) The impact of the French Revolution political rights continued.
could be seen on India too. Tipu (iv) France continued to hold and
Sultan and Raja Ram Mohan Roy expand colonies. Thus, its image as
got deeply influenced by the ideas a liberator could not last for a long
of the revolution. time.
In nutshell, we can say that for the (v) Slavery existed in France till the first
first time after the French Revolution, half of the nineteenth century.
people all over the world became Q6. How would you explain the rise of
aware of their rights. Napoleon?
Q4. Draw up a list of democratic rights Ans.
we enjoy today whose origins could (i) The political instability of the
be traced to the French Revolution. Directory paved the way for the rise
Ans. The list of democratic rights that we of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon had
enjoy today is given below: achieved glorious victories in wars.
This made France realize that only a
(i) Right to equality
military dictator like Napoleon would
(ii) Right to freedom of speech and
restore a stable government.
expression
(ii) In 1804, he crowned himself as
(iii) Right against exploitation
the emperor of France. He set out
(iv) Right to religious freedom
to conquer neighbouring European
(v) Cultural and educational rights countries, dispossessing dynasties
(vi) Right to vote and creating kingdoms where he
(vii) Right to live placed members of his family.
(viii) Right to get education Napoleon viewed himself as a
22 Social Science—IX
16. When was France declared a republic? Q3. The members of which estate had
(a) On 21 September 1792 to pay taxes?
(b) On 21 May 1792 Ans. The members of the third estate had
(c) On 21 September 1793 to pay taxes to the state.
(d) On 5 August 1793 Q4. What was tithe?
17. Whose name is associated with ‘the Ans. Tithe was a tax levied by the
reign of terror’? church, comprising one-tenth of the
(a) Robespierre (b) Mirabeau agricultural produce.
(c) Napoleon Bonaparte Q5. What led to a rapid increase in the
(d) Dr Guillotin demand for foodgrains in 1789?
18. Which right was given to the French Ans. The population of France rose
women in 1946? from about 23 million in 1715 to
(a) Right to hold political offices 28 million in 1789. This led to a
(b) Right to get education rapid increase in the demand for
(c) Right to divorce foodgrains.
(d) Right to vote Q6. Mention two characteristics of the
19. Which among the following was not middle class who emerged in the
introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte? eighteenth century.
(a) A uniform system of weight and Ans.
measures (i) They were educated.
(b) A law for the protection of private (ii) They believed that no group in society
property should be privileged by birth.
(c) Decimal system Q7. Who wrote Two Treatises of
(d) Slavery Government? How did the author
Ans. 1—(b) 2—(a) 3—(b) express himself in this book?
4—(d) 5—(a) 6—(c) Ans. John Locke wrote Two Treatises
7—(d) 8—(c) 9—(a)
of Government. In his book, Locke
10—(c) 11—(a) 12—(d)
sought to refute the doctrine of the
13—(c) 14—(b) 15—(c)
divine and absolute right of the
16—(a) 17—(a) 18—(d)
monarch.
19—(d) Q8. Who wrote The Spirit of the Laws?
II. V E RY S H O R T A N S W E R T Y P E What did the author propose in
QUESTIONS this book?
Ans. Montesquieu wrote The Spirit of the
Q1. Upon his accession in 1774, Louis
Laws. In his book, he proposed
XVI found an empty treasure.
a division of power within the
What were the reasons behind the
financial crisis in France? Mention government between the legislature,
one reason. the executive and the judiciary.
Ans. Long years of war had drained the Q9. What was the Estates General?
financial resources of France. Ans. The Estates General was a political
Q2. French society in the eighteenth body and was controlled by the
century was divided into three French monarch.
estates. Name them. Q10. Who were denied entry to the
Ans. assembly of the Estates General,
(i) First Estate (clergy). called by Louis XVI on 5 May
(ii) Second Estate (nobility) 1789?
(iii) Third Estate (big businessmen, Ans. Peasants, artisans and women were
merchants, peasants, artisans, denied entry to the assemly of the
landless labour etc.) Estates General.
24 Social Science—IX
Q26. What did the Declaration of (iii) His wife Marie Antoinette constantly
the Rights of Man and Citizen interferred in the administration
proclaim? but the king never objected her.
Ans. The Declaration of the Right of Man He lacked far-sightedness. This
and Citizen proclaimed freedom of drawback of his personality made
speech or expression to be a natural him a quite unpopular king.
right. (iv) He never took heed to the common
Q27. When was censorship abolished in man’s demands. As a result, the
France? What was its immediate French Revolution occurred and he
effect? and his wife were guillotined.
Ans. Censorship was abolished in 1789. Q2. Describe all the three estates into
Soon afterwards, the newspapers, which French society was divided
pamphlets, books and printed in the 18th century.
pictures flooded the towns of France Ans.
from where they travelled rapidly into
(i) The French society was divided into
the countryside.
three estates in the 18th century:
Q28. How did people initially view
the first estate was comprised of
Napoleon Bonaparte? Why did their
the clergy, the second estate was
opinion change soon afterwards?
Ans. I n i t i a l l y , m a n y p e o p l e v i e w e d comprised of the nobility and the
Napoleon as a liberator who would third estate was comprised of the
bring freedom for them. But soon common mass, i.e. big businessmen,
their opinion changed because his merchants, lawyers, peasants,
armies emerged into an invading artisans, landless labour, etc. The
force. members of the first two estates
Q29. What was the impact of the French enjoyed certain privileges by birth.
Revolution on the colonised people They were exempted from paying
in different countries of the world? taxes to the state. The nobles further
Ans. They reworked the idea of freedom enjoyed feudal privileges. These
from bondage into their movements included feudal dues, which they
to create a sovereign nation-state. extracted from the peasants. Then
came the third estate which was
I II. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
very far from any such privileges.
Q1. How can you hold Louis XVI The members of this estate had to
responsible for preparing pay taxes to the state. They also had
the background of the French no political rights and social status.
Revolution? Q3. Give a brief description of the third
Ans. estate.
(i) Louis XVI ascended the throne of
Ans.
France in 1774. He was just twenty
(i) The third estate was on the last rung
years old at that time and was quite
of the French society. This estate
unaware of the problems of the
was constituted of big businessmen,
common mass.
merchants, court officials, lawyers,
(ii) Upon his accession, the royal treasury
was empty. Instead of curtailing his peasants, artisans, landless labour
own extravaganza, he increased taxes. and servants.
This brought severe dissatisfaction (ii) However, peasants made up about
among the French people. Being 90 per cent of the population and
pleasure-loving, he misused money only a small number of them owned
on wasteful festivities. the land they cultivated.
26 Social Science—IX
(vi) The Constitution began with a which continued till 1794. Its leader
Declaration of the Rights of Man and was Maximillian Robespierre. He
Citizen. Rights such as the right to followed a policy of severe control
life, freedom of speech, freedom of and punishment. All those whom
opinion, equality before law could now he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the
be availed by each human being by republic — ex-nobles and clergy,
birth. members of other political parties,
Q7. Why were images and symbols used even members of his own party who
in the eighteenth century France? did not agree with his method were
What do the following symbols arrested, imprisoned and then tried
stand for? by a revolutionary tribunal. If the
(i) The broken chain court found them guilty, they were
(ii) The eye within a triangle radiating guillotined. Thus, in Robespierre’s
light policies there was no scope of
(iii) The Law Tablet moderation. Even his supporters got
(iv) The bundle of rods or fasces tired of them in due course. Finally,
Ans. Literacy was very low in the 18th he was convicted by a court in July
century France. Majority of men and 1794, arrested and on the next day
women could not read or write. So sent to the guillotine.
images and symbols were frequently Q9. What were the salient features of
used instead of printed words to Robespierre’s government?
communicate the content of the Ans. Robespierre tried his best to bring
Declaration of Rights. The following equality among French people by all
symbols conveyed different ideas: means. The salient features of his
(i) The broken chain: Chains were government are given below:
used to fetter slaves. A broken chain (i) Robespierre’s government issued
stands for the act of becoming free. laws placing a maximum ceiling on
(ii) The eye within a triangle radiating wages and prices. Meat and bread
light: The all-seeing eye stands for were rationed.
knowledge. The rays of the sun will (ii) Peasants were forced to transport
drive away the clouds of ignorance. their grain to the cities and sell it
(iii) The Law Tablet: The law is the same at prices fixed by the government.
for all and all are equal before it. (iii) The use of more expensive white
(iv) The bundle of rods or fasces: One flour was forbidden. All citizens were
rod can be easily broken, but not required to eat the pain d’ègalite
an entire bundle. This implies that (equality bread), a loaf made of whole
strength lies in unity.
wheat.
Q8. Give a brief description of the
(iv) Equality was also sought to be
reign of terror led by Maximillian
practised through forms of speech
Robespierre.
and address.
Or (v) Instead of the traditional Monsieur
Which period is known as the Reign (Sir) and Madame (Madam) all French
of Terror in the history of France? men and women were henceforth
Give reasons. HOTS Citoyen and Citoyenne (citizen).
Ans. After the execution of Louis XVI (vi) Churches were shut down and their
and his queen Marie Antoinette in buildings converted into barracks or
1793 started the reign of terror offices.
28 Social Science—IX
The factors responsible for this type of speech and expression to be a
of crises: natural right.
(i) The population of France rose from (ii) Newspapers, pamphlets, books and
about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million printed pictures flooded the towns
in 1789. This led to a rapid increase in of France from where they travelled
the demand for foodgrains. Production rapidly into the countryside. They all
of grains could not keep pace with the described and discussed the events
demand. So the price of bread which and changes taking place in France.
was the staple diet of the majority rose (iii) Freedom of press also meant that
rapidly. Most workers were employed opposing view of events could be
as labourers in workshops whose expressed. Each side sought to
owner fixed their wages. But wages convince the others of its position
did not keep pace with the rise in through the medium of print.
prices. So, the gap between the poor Q18. Write three chief characteristic
and the rich widened. features of the Constitution of
(ii) Things became worse whenever 1791.
drought or haul reduced the harvest. Ans.
This led to a subsistence crisis.
(i) The Constitution of 1791 vested the
Q15. Which laws were introduced
power to make laws in the National
by revolutionary government to
Assembly, which was indirectly
improve the condition of women
elected. That is, citizens voted for a
in France?
group of electors, who in turn chose
Ans. See Q.No. 12 (Short Answer Type
the Assembly.
Questions).
(ii) Not all citizens had the right to vote.
Q16. What was the importance of the
Only men above 25 years of age who
‘Tennis Court Swearing’ in the
French Revolution? paid taxes equal to at least 3 days
Ans. This was an important event in the of a labourer’s wage were given the
French Revolution— status of active citizens, that is, they
(i) On 20 June, the representatives of were entitled to vote. The remaining
the third estate assembled in the men and all women were classed as
hall of an indoor tennis court in the passive citizens.
grounds of Versailles. (iii) The Constitution began with a
(ii) These representatives declared Declaration of the Rights of Man
themselves a National Assembly and and Citizen. Rights such as the
swore not to disperse till they had right to life, freedom of speech,
drafted a constitution for France that freedom of opinion, equality before
limit the powers of the Monarch. law, were established as ‘natural
(iii) The National Assembly completed the and inalienable’ rights, that is they
draft of the Constitution in 1791 as a belonged to each human being by
result of which France finally became birth and could not be taken away.
a republic in 1792. Monarchy was Q19. Describe the importance of the
abolished for ever. declaration of the Rights of Man
Q17. Discuss the effects of the abolition and Citizen in France.
of censorship in France. or
Ans. Mention any five values which are
(i) The Declaration of the Rights of associated with Declaration of the
Man and Citizen proclaimed freedom Rights of Man and Citizen.
30 Social Science—IX
developments in France and made Q3. How was slavery finally abolished
plans to send troops to suppress the in France?
events that had been taking place or
since the summer of 1789. Describe the triangular slave
(ii) But before this could happen, the trade that was carried on in
National Assembly declared war the eighteenth and nineteenth
against Prussia and Austria in 1792.
centuries.
Thousands of volunteers came from
Ans.
the provinces to join the army. They
saw this as a war of the people (i) In order to overcome the shortage
against the king and aristocrats all of labour on the plantations, a
over Europe. triangular slave trade between
(iii) The revolutionary war brought losses Europe, Africa and the Americas
and economic difficulties to the began in the 17th century.
people. Despite that large sections (ii) French merchants sailed from the
of the population were convinced ports of Bordeaux or Nantes to the
that the revolution had to be carried African coast, where they bought
further, as the Constitution of 1791 slaves from local chieftains. Branded
gave political rights only to the richer and shackled, the slaves were packed
sections of society. tightly into ships for the three-month
(iv) As a result, political clubs emerged. long voyage across the Atlantic to the
The most successful of these clubs Caribbean. There they were sold to
was that of the Jacobins, who plantation owners. Thus, slave trade
belonged to the less prosperous was deeply rooted in France.
sections of society. Their leader was (iii) Throughout the 18th century there
Maximillian Robespierre. was little criticism of slavery in
(v) In the summer of 1792, the Jacobins France. The National Assembly held
planned an insurrection of a large long debates about whether the
number of Parisians who were angry rights of man should be extended
due to by the short supplies and
to all French subjects including
high prices of food.
those in the colonies. But it did not
(vi) On August 10, they stormed the
pass any laws, fearing opposition
palace of the Tuileries, killed the
from businessmen whose incomes
king’s guards and held the king
depended on the slave trade. It was
himself as a hostage for several
finally the Convention which in 1794
hours. Later the Assembly voted to
imprison the royal family. legislated to free all slaves in the
(vii) Elections were held. The newly elected French overseas possessions. This,
assembly, called the Convention, however, did not last for long. After
abolished the monarchy and declared a decade, Napoleon re-introduced
France a republic on 21 September slavery in 1804 which was finally
1792. abolished in French colonies in
(viii) Louis XVI was executed publicly at 1848.
Place de la Concorde. The queen Q4. How did the revolution affect
Marie Antoinette met with the same everyday life of the people of
fate shortly after it. France?HOTS
32 Social Science—IX
(c) She was of the opinion that the being was entitled to.
law should be the expression of the In 1791, she wrote a Declaration of
general will. All female and male the Rights of Woman and Citizen,
citizens should have a say either which she addressed to the Queen
personally or by their representatives and to the members of the National
in its formulation, it should be the Assembly, demanding that they act
same for all. upon it.
V I. PICTURE-BASED QUESTIONS V II. VALUE-BASED QUESTIONS
Q1. Try to recognise the picture Q1. I n T h e S p i r i t o f t h e L a w s ,
given below taken from NCERT Montesquieu proposed a division
Textbook, page 19 and answer the of power within the government
following questions: between the legislative, the
(i) Who has been shown in the given executive and the judiciary. Give
picture? any three values which can be
(ii) How did she contribute to the nation reflected from this proposal.
and woman’s rights? Ans. The three values which can be
reflected from this proposal are—
(i) Power sharing: This arrangement
would refute the doctrine of the
divine and absolute right of the
monarch.
(ii) Equality: The enforcement of equality
would bring all the people of France
on the same platform. There would
be no special privileges for the clergy
Ans. or the nobility. Everyone would enjoy
(i) The above picture is of Olympe de equal status.
Gouges, one of the most important (iii) Expansion of peace and prosperity:
of the politically active women in A good administration is always a
revolutionary France. harbinger of peace and prosperity.
(ii) She protested against the Constitution In France if the government valued
and the Declaration of Rights of Man Montesquien’s proposal, there would
and Citizen as women were excluded be peace everywhere. People would
from basic rights that each human prosper day by day.
Q2. Analyse the given table. Which values you think were disturbing the balance
of a country like France.
Ans. A large section of the people in France was not entitled to vote in elections.
Such an arrangement would definitely make the country weak and imbalanced.
When people are marginalised, there occur hopelessness and dissatisfaction on
a large scale. This is a highly negative point for a country.
34 Social Science—IX