Question Bank Answers{History}

Q-1 ‘While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles

drafting a constitution, the rest of France seethed with
turmoil.’ Justify the statement
The statement is true as when the national assembly was busy at
the Versailles drafting constitution the rest of France was seething
with turmoil because of a shortage of bread and high price level of
the bread. The bad harvest in winter caused bread shortages which
resulted in the rise of the price level of bread.

Q-2 What are the provisions made by the Constitution in

1791 drafted by the National Assembly?
The nobles and the clergy were stripped – off of their privileges.
Taxes collected by the church were abolished, and the lands owned
by the church were confiscated. Power to make laws was vested in
the hands of the national assembly. Powers were distributed among
– the judiciary, the executive, and the legislature.

Q-3 What were the different types of taxes existing in

France?
All members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state.
These included a direct tax, called taille, a tax to the churches
called tithes and a number of indirect taxes which were levied
on articles of everyday consumption like salt or tobacco.

Q-4 What led to the emergence of the middle class in the

18th century?
The eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of social groups,
termed the middle class, who earned their wealth through an
expanding overseas trade and from the manufacture of goods such
as woollen and silk textiles that were either exported or bought by
the richer members of society.
Q-5 What was the subsistence crisis? Why did it occur in
France?
Subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic
means of livelihood are endangered. Due to the increase in
population, the demand for food grains also increased. The
price of all the commodities also increased. The wages of
workers did not match with the rise in prices. The gap between
the poor and rich widened and led to a subsistence crisis.

Q-6 Why were the Jacobins known as ‘sans-culottes’?

The members of this club were known as San Culottes
because they wore long striped pants worn by dock workers as
the symbol of equality. The word "San Culottes" means those
without knee breeches, and members of jacobin club refused to
wear the knee breeches worn by the upper class to signify the
end of their rule.
Q-7 Discuss the impact of French revolution on people’s
everyday life.
The everyday life of the French people was deeply affected by
the revolution. With the abolition of Censorship and the
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, Freedom of
Speech became a natural right. The Freedom of the Press was
also granted.
Q-8 Describe the circumstances that led to King Louis XVI
to increase taxes
Maintenance of and extravagant Court: France under various
kings had an extravagant court at the Palace of Versailles.
Wars and Economic Crisis: Long drawn wars already put a lot
of pressure on the royal coffers. Which was followed by helping
the thirteen American colonies to gain independence.
Q-9 Explain how did the revolutionary government improve
the condition of women in France ?
The Constitution of 1791 was unsupportive of women in
France. It considered them as 'passive' citizens. But the
revolutionary government gave women the freedom to
pursue education, and divorce was made legal. Women were
able to enjoy better opportunities and had better job prospects.