1. Which group/s of French society benefited from the revolution?

Which
section/s of society were forced to relinquish power?
Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 3 parts:

1. Mention the structure of French society. (1 mark)
2. Who benefited? Brief explanation. (1 mark)
3. Who had to relinquish power? (1 mark)
Solution:

French society was divided into 3 estates. The third estate consisted of
Peasants, artisans, small peasants, landless labour, servants, big
businessmen, merchants, court officials, lawyers etc. benefitted the most
from the revolution. The groups that were forced to relinquish power were
the people belonging to the 1st and 2nd estates. These people had enjoyed
certain privileges by birth. With the revolution, the people in the 1st and 2nd
estates lost their privileges. Since inequality was one of the root causes of
the revolution, the revolution tried to bring equality to society.

2. Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world
during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 3 parts:

1. Liberty and democratic rights (1 mark)
2. Influence on colonised people (1 mark)
3. Influence on Indians (1 mark)
Solution:

The ideas of liberty and democratic rights are the most important legacies of
the French revolution. These spread from France to different parts of
Europe during the nineteenth century, where feudal systems were
abolished.
Colonised people reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their
freedom movements to create a sovereign nation-state.
The Revolution and the ideologies also inspired people in India back then.
Tipu Sultan and Ram Mohan Roy are two examples of individuals who
responded to the ideas originating from Revolutionary France.

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 3. Explain the rise, rule and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 3 parts:

1. How the Directory paved the way to his rise (1 mark)
2. How his rule changed Europe and the people (1 mark)
3. How he was defeated at Waterloo (1 mark)
Solution:

The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a
military dictator - Napoleon Bonaparte. He crowned himself Emperor of
France. He started conquering neighbouring countries by waging wars
against them and saw himself as a 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. Many of his
measures carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to the
other parts of Europe. This had a positive impact on people long after he
was dethroned as an emperor when he was finally defeated in the Battle of
Waterloo.

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 4. Write a note on the Reign of Terror in France.
Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 4 parts:

1. Introduction and period (1 mark)
2. Why it is called the Reign of Terror (1 mark)
3. Policies followed (2 mark)
4. Fall of Robespierre (1 mark)
Solution:

Maximilian Robespierre, the Jacobin leader became the President of the

National Convention. Robespierre’s reign between 1793 and 1794 is called
the Reign of Terror, owing to the policy of severe control and punishment
that he followed.

All those whom he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the republic e.g. ex-nobles,
clergy etc were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary
tribunal. And if the court found them ‘guilty’, they were guillotined.

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 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. Equality was also sought to
be practised through forms of speech and address - Instead of the
traditional Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam), all French men and
women were henceforth Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen). Churches were
shut down and their buildings converted into barracks or offices.

Robespierre pursued his policies so relentlessly that even his supporters

began to demand moderation. Finally, he was convicted by a court and sent
to the guillotine.

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 5. Write a note on the Constitution of 1791 and the National Assembly.
Instructions:

The answer to this question can be broken into 4 parts:

1. Louis XVI recognised National Assembly (1 mark)
2. Separation of powers and Constitutional Monarchy (1.5 mark)
3. Election of the National Assembly (1.5 mark)
4. Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1 mark)
Solution:

Louis XVI had accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted
that his powers would from now on be checked by a Constitution. The
National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791.

Its main objective was to limit the powers of the monarch. The powers were
now separated and assigned to different institutions – the legislature,
executive and judiciary. This made France a constitutional monarchy.

The Constitution vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly,
which was indirectly elected. That is, citizens voted for a group of electors,
who then chose the Assembly members. However, not all citizens had the
right to vote. Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at
least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were entitled to vote. They were called
active citizens, and the remaining men and all women were classed as
passive citizens.

The Constitution began with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and
Citizen, which guaranteed certain rights such as the right to life, freedom of
speech, freedom of opinion, equality before the law - as ‘natural and
inalienable’ rights to its citizens.

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