CHAPTER 1 FRENCH REVOLUTION

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is subsistence crisis?

Subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are
endangered.
2. What does it mean by anonymous?
Anonymous means one whose name remains unknown.
3. What is Chateau?
Chateau means castle or stately residence belonging to a king or a nobleman.
4. What is manor?
Manor is an estate consisting of the lord’s lands and his mansion.
5. What is a convent?
A convent is a building belonging to a community devoted to a religious life.
6. Who are Negroes?
Negroes is a term used for the indigenous people of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a
derogatory term not in common use any longer.
7. What is emancipation?
Emancipation is the act of freeing.

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. Describe the legacy of the French revolution for the people of the world during the 19th and
the 20th century? (T.B)
Ans. 1.The ideas of liberty and democratic lights were the most important legacy of the
French revolution.
2. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the nineteenth century, where
feudal system was abolished.
3. Colonised people reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to
create a sovereign nation state.
4. Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of individuals who responded to the
ideas coming from revolutionary France.
5. These ideas became an inspiring force for the political movements in the world in the 19th
and 20th century.
2. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon? (T.B)
Ans. 1) In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France.
2) He set out to conquer neighbouring European countries, dispossessing dynasties and
creating kingdoms where he placed members of his family.
3) Napoleon saw his role as moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the
protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by
the decimal system.
 4) Initially, many saw Napoleon as a liberator who would bring freedom for the people. But
soon the Napoleonic armies came to be viewed everywhere as an invading force.
5) He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
3. Would you agree with view that the message of universal rights was beset with
contradictions? Explain (T.B)
Ans.1) The message of universal rights was definitely beset with contradictions. Many ideals
in the ‘declaration of rights of Man and citizen’ were not at all clear and had double
meaning.
2) The French revolution could not bring economic equality. The right to vote and elect their
representatives did not solve the poor man’s problem.
3) Women were still regarded as passive citizens. They did not have any political rights such
as right to vote and hold political offices like men. Hence, their struggle for equal political
rights continued.
4) France continued to hold and expand colonies.
5) Slavery existed in France till the 1st half of the 19th century.
4. Which groups of French society benefited from the revolution? Which groups were forced to
relinquish power? Which sections of the society would have been disappointed with the
outcome of the revolution? (T.B)
Ans. 1) The wealthy class of the 3rd estate benefited the most from the revolution. This
group comprised of big businessmen, lawyers, merchants, court officials, teachers, doctors
and traders. Previously these people had to pay all taxes and they did not enjoy equal rights.
But after the revolution they began to be treated equally with the upper sections of the
society.
2) With the abolition of Feudal system of obligations and taxes, the clergy and the nobility
came on the same level with the middle class. They were forced to give up their privileges.
Their executive powers were also taken away from them.
3) The poorer sections of the society i.e., small peasants, landless labourers, servants, daily
wage earners would have been disappointed with the outcome of the revolution. Women
also would have been highly discontented.
5. How was the French Society divided in the 18th century?
Ans. 1) The French Society in the 18th Century was divided into three estates.
2) The first estate comprised of the Clergy.
3) The second estate comprised of Nobles.
4) The third estate was further divided into three parts.
5) At the top were the businessmen, merchants, court officials, lawyers, teachers etc., the
second group was of peasants and artisans, the third group was of small peasants, landless
labours, and servants.
6) The French Society was divided in the following ways as given in the diagram. (draw the
diagram from the book)
6. What was the Economic Crisis that King Louis XVI of the Bourbon family faced?
OR
Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France?
Ans. 1) Upon Louis XVI’s accession the new King found an empty treasury. Long years of war
had drained the financial resources of France. Added to this was the cost of maintaining an
extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles.
 2)Under Louis XVI, France helped 13 American colonies to gain their Independence from the
common enemy, Britain.
3)The war added more than a billion livers to a debt that had already risen to more than 2
billion livers.
4)To meet the regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running
govt. offices or universities, the state was forced to increase taxes.
5)French society in the 18th century was divided into 3 estates, and only members of the 3rd
estate paid taxes.
These were the Economic crisis. These things caused dissatisfaction among the 3rd estate.
And these circumstances paved the way for the revolutionary protest in France.
7. What were the privileges enjoyed by the upper class in the French Society?
Ans. 1)The members of the 1st two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed
certain privileges by birth. The most important of these was exemption from paying taxes to
the estate.
2)The nobles further enjoyed feudal privileges. These included feudal dues, which they
extracted from the peasants.
3)Peasants were obliged to render services to the lord, to work in his house and fields, to
serve in the army or to participate in building roads.
4)The church too extracted its share of taxes called tithes from the peasants, and finally, all
members of the 3rd estates had to pay taxes to the state. These included a direct tax, called
taille, and a number of indirect taxes which were levied on articles of everyday consumption
like salt or tobacco.
5)The burden of the financing activities of the state through taxes was borne by the 3rd
estate alone.

8. How did the revolution affect the everyday life of the people?
Ans.1) Censorship was abolished in the summer of 1789.
2) The declaration of the rights of man and citizens proclaimed freedom of speech and
expression to be a natural right.
3) Newspapers, pamphlets, books and printed pictures flooded the towns of France from
where they travelled rapidly into the countryside.
4) Freedom of press also meant that opposing views of events could be expressed.
5) Each side sought to convince others of its position through the medium print.
6) Plays, songs and festive processions attracted large nos. of people.
9. Why was slave trade started? Write a short note on the triangular slave trade between
Europe, America and Africa?
Ans. 1) The colonies in Caribbean were important suppliers of commodities such as tobacco,
indigo, sugar and coffee.
2) The reluctance of Europeans to go and work in distant and unfamiliar lands meant a
shortage of labour on the plantations.
3) So this was met by a triangular slave trade between Europe, Africa and the Americas.
4) The slave trade began in the 17th century. French merchants sailed from the ports of
Bordeaux or Nantes to the African coast, where they bought slaves from the local chieftains.
5) Branded and shackled, the slaves were packed tightly into ships for a three month long
voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean.
 6) There, they were sold to plantation owners.
7) The exploitation of slave labour made it possible to meet the growing demand in
European markets for sugar, coffee and Indigo.
10. How was slave trade finally abolished?
Ans. Throughout the 18th century there was little criticism of slavery in France.
1) The National Assembly held long debates about whether the rights of man should be
extended to all French subjects including those in the colonies.
2) But it did not pass any laws, fearing opposition from businessmen, whose income
depended on the slave trade.
3) It was finally the convention which in 1794 legislated to free all slaves in the French
overseas possessions.
4) Napoleon reintroduced slavery; plantation owners understood their freedom as including
the right to enslave African Negros in pursuit of their economic interests.
5) Slavery was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.
11. Discuss the conditions of women in France?
Ans. 1) Most of the 3rd estate had to work for a living.
2) They worked as seamstresses or laundresses, sold flowers, fruits and vegetables at the
market or were employed as domestic servants in the houses of prosperous people.
3) Most women did not have access to education or job training.
4) Only daughters of nobles or wealthier members of the 3rd estate could at a convent, after
which their families arranges a marriage for them.
5) Working women had also to care for their families, like cooking, fetching water, queuing
up for bread and looking after their children.
6) Their wages were lower than those of men.
12. Mention the laws introduced by the revolutionary govt. to improve the lives of women?
Ans.1) In the early years, the revolutionary govt. did introduce laws that helped to improve
the lives of women.
2) Together with the creation of state schools, schooling was made compulsory for all girls.
3) Their fathers could no longer force them into marriage against their will.
4) Marriage was made into a contract entered into freely and registered under civil law.
5) Divorce was made legal, and could be applied for by both women and men.
6) Women could now train for jobs, could become artists or run small business.
13. Briefly explain the rule of the directory?
Ans. 1) The fall of the Jacobin government allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize
power.
2) A new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of
the society.
3) It provided for two elected legislative councils. These then appointed a Directory, an
executive made up of 5 members.
4) This was meant as a safeguard against the concentration of power in a one-man executive
as under the Jacobins.
5) The directors often clashed with the legislative councils, who then sought to dismiss them.
6) The political instability of the directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator,
Napoleon Bonaparte.
14. Discuss the reign of terror?
 Ans. 1) The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the reign of terror.
2) Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment.
3) All those whom he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the republic – ex nobles and clergy,
members of other political parties, even members of his own party who did not agree with
his methods – were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal.
4) If the court found them guilty, they were guillotined.
15. Mention the changes Robespierre govt. brought about?
Ans. 1) Robespierre’s govt. issued laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices.
2) Meat and bread were rationed.
3) Peasants were forced to transport their grain to the cities and sell it at prices fixed by the
govt.
4) The use of more expensive white flour was forbidden; all citizens were required to eat the
equality bread, a loaf made of whole wheat.
5) Equality was also sought to be practised through the form of speech and address.
6) Instead of the traditional Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam) all French men and
women were henceforth citoyen and citoyenne (citizen).
7) Churches were shut down and their buildings converted into barracks or offices.
16. What brought Robespierre’s death?
Ans. Robespierre pursued his policies so relentlessly that even his supporters began to
demand moderation. Finally, he was convicted by a court in July 1794, arrested and on the
next day sent to the guillotine.
17. What happened after the formation of the convention?
Ans. 1) The newly elected assembly was called the convention.
2) On 21 September, 1792 the Convention abolished Monarchy and declared France a
Republic.
3) Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on the charge of treason.
4) On 21 January 1793, he was executed publicly at the place de la concords.
5) The Queen, Marie Antoinette met with the same fate shortly after.
18. Explain the significances of Jacobins costumes?
Ans. 1) The members of the Jacobin club belonged mainly to the less prosperous sections of
the society. They included small shopkeepers, artisans such as shoe makers, pastry cooks,
watch-makers, printers, as well as servants and daily wage workers. Their leader was
Maximilian Robespierre.
2) A large group among the Jacobins decided to start wearing long striped trousers similar to
those worn by Dock workers.
3) This was to set themselves apart from the fashionable sections of society, especially
nobles, who wore knee breeches.
4) It was a way of proclaiming the end of power wielded by the wearers of knee breeches.
These Jacobins came to be known as the wearers of knee breeches.
5) These Jacobins came to be known as the sans-culottes, literally meaning ‘those without
knee breeches’.
6) Sans-culottes men wore in addition the red cap that symbolised liberty. Women however
were not allowed to do so.
19. Mention the Salient features of declaration of rights of Man and Citizen?
Ans. 1) Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
 2) Liberty consists of the power to do whatever is not injurious to others.
3) The law has the right to forbid only actions that are injurious to society.
4) No man maybe accused, arrested or detained, except in cases determined by the law.
5) Every citizen may speak, write and print freely; he must take responsibility for the abuse
of such liberty in cases determined by the law.
20. How did France become a constitutional Monarchy?
Ans. 1) The National assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791.
2) Its main objective was to limit the powers of the Monarch.
3) These powers, instead of being concentrated in the hands of one person, were now
separated and assigned to different institutions, the legislatives, executives and judiciary.
4) This made France a constitutional monarchy.
21. How did the new political system work under the constitution of 1791?
Ans. 1) The constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly,
which was indirectly elected. That is, citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose
the assembly.
2) Not all citizens, however, had the right to vote. Only men above 25 years of age who paid
taxes equal to 3 days of a labour’s wage were given the status of active citizens, i.e., they
were entitled to vote.
3) The remaining men and all women were classes as passive citizens.
4) To qualify as an elector and then as the member of the assembly, a man had to belong to
the highest bracket of taxpayers.
5) The constitution began with a declaration of the Rights of Man and citizens. Rights such as
the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before law, were
established as ‘natural and inalienable rights.’
22. Why did the members of the 3rd estate walk out of the assembly of estate General?
Ans. 1) Louis XVI had to increase taxes, as the government treasury was empty.
2) In France of the old Regime, the Monarch did not have the power to impose taxes
according to his will alone. Rather, he had to call a meeting of the Estates General which
would then pass his proposals for new taxes.
3) The Estates General was a political body to which the 3 estates sent their representatives.
4) On 5 May, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of the Estates General to pass
proposals for new taxes.
5) The 1st and 2nd estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing
each other on 2 sides, while the 600 members of the 3rd estate had to stand at the back.
6) The 3rd estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members.
Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.
7) 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 3rd estate demanded that voting now be
conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote.
8) When the King rejected this proposal, members of the 3rd estate walked out of the
assembly in protest.
23. Explain the role of the Philosophers?
Ans. 1) The ideas of envisaging a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities
for all, were put forward by philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau.
 2) In THE SPIRIT OF THE LAWS, Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the govt.
between the legislative, the executive and the Judiciary.
3) The American constitution and its guarantee of individual rights was an important
example for political thinkers in France.
4) Ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee-houses and
spread among people through books and newspapers. These were frequently read aloud in
groups for the benefit of those who could not read and write.
24. Why did the Subsistence crisis occur frequently during the old regime?
Ans. 1) The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789.
This led to a rapid increase in the demand of food grains.
2) Production of grains could not keep pace with the demand. So the price of bread which
was the staple diet of the majority rose rapidly.
3) Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops whose owner fixed their wages.
But wages did not keep pace with the rise in price. So the gap between the poor and the rich
widened.
4) Things became worse whenever drought or hail reduced the harvest. This led to
Subsistence crisis.