CLASS - IX CBSE History Chapter 1 -The French Revolution
SHORT QUESTION AND ANSWER
1.In how many estates was the French society divided in the eighteenth country?
Ans. Three estates namely
(a) Clergy,(b) Nobility,c) Small businessmen, peasants, landler labour and artisans.
2. Name any two classes of people who belonged to the third estate in France.
Ans. Small businessmen and peasants.
3. ‘ln which dynasty was Louis XVI related?
Ans. Louis XVI was related to Bourbon dynasty.
4. Name the tax which was charged by the church from the peasants?
Ans. The tax which was charged by the church from the peasants was Tithe.
5. What were Tithes and Taille?
Ans. Tithe: It was a tax collected by the church from the French peasants.
Taille : Tax to be paid directly to the State.
6. Who refuted the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the Monarch?
Ans. John Locke refuted the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the Monarch.
7. To whom were the taxes called ‘tithes’ payable by the peasants in the eighteenth centuryFrance? Ans. The tithe was a tax levied by the church on the peasants, comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce.
8. Who wrote the book ‘Two Treatises of Government’?
Ans. John Locke wrote the book ‘Two Treatises of Government’.
9. Who enjoyed certain privileges by birth in the French society during the late eighteenth? Century?
Ans. The members of the first two estates that were clergy and the nobility enjoyed certain privileges by birth.
10. Name the tax which was paid directly to the State in France
Ans. ‘Taille’ is the name of the direct tax paid to the State.
11. Who wrote ‘The Spirit of the Laws’?
Ans. Montesquieu is the writer of ‘The Spirit of the Laws’.
12. The eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of which social groups in France.
Ans. Middle-class groups.
13. Which book has proposed a division of power within the government?
Ans. The Spirit of the Laws.
14. Why was the Bastille hated by all?
Ans. Because the Bastille stood for the despotic power of the king.
15. What form of government was in practice in France in 1789?
Ans. Monarchy
16. When did the French Revolution break?
Ans. In the morning on 14th July 1789.
17. Who stormed the Bastille, the fortress prison during the last years of the 18th century?
Ans. On the morning of 14 July 1789, the people of Paris stormed the fortress prison, the Bastille’.
18. When was the fortress prison, the Bastille demolished by the people?
Ans. On 14th July 1789
Question 1.Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France?
Answer:The following circumstances led to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France:
1.Louis XVI was an autocratic ruler who could not compromise with his luxurious life. He also lacked farsightedness.
2.When he ascended the throne the royal treasury was empty. Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France.
3.Added to this was the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles.
3.Added to this was the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles.
4.Under Louis XVI France helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from Britain the war added more than a billion livres to a dept credit, now began to charge 10% interest on loans. So the French government was obliged to spend an increasing percentage of its budget on interest payments alone.
5.The state finally increased taxes to meet its regular expenses such as the cost of maintaining an army, running government offices and universities.
6.The French society was divided into three estates but only members of the first two estates i.e,, the clergy and the nobles were exempted to pay taxes. They belonged to privileged class. Thus the burden of financing activities of the state through taxes was borne by the third estate only.
7.The middle class that emerged in the 18th century France was educated and enlightened. They refuted the theory of divine rights of the kings and absolute monarchy. They believed that a person’s social position must depend on his merit. They had access to the various ideas of equality and freedom proposed by the philosophers like John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu etc. Their ideas got popularised among the common mass as a result of intensive discussions and debates in saloons and coffee houses and through books and newspapers.
8.The French administration was extremely corrupt. It did not give weightage to the French Common man.
The state finally increased taxes to meet its regular expenses such as the cost of maintaining an army, running government offices and universities.
Question 2.Which groups of French society benefited from the revolution? Which groups were forced to relinquish power? Which sections of society would have been disappointed with the outcome of the revolution?
Answer:The wealthy class of the third estate which came to be known as the new middle class of France benefited the most from the revolution. This group comprised of big businessmen, petty officers, lawyers, teachers, doctors and traders. Previously, these people had to pay state taxes and they did not enjoy equal status. But after the revolution they began to be treated equally with the upper sections of the society.
With the abolition of feudal system of obligation 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.
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.
Question 3.Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world during the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries.
Answer:The French Revolution proved to be the most important event in the history of the world.
The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. These ideas became an umpiring force for the political movements in the world in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity spread from France to the rest of Europe, where feudal system was finally abolished.
Colonised people reworked on the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to Create a sovereign nation state.
The idea of Nationalism that emerged after the French Revolution started becoming mass movements all over the world. Now people began to question the absolute power.
The impact of the French Revolution would be seen in India too. Tipu Sultan and Raja Rammohan Roy got deeply influenced by the ideas of the revolution.
In the end, we can say that after the French Revolution people all over the world became aware of their rights.
Question 4.Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution.
Answer:Some of the democratic rights which we enjoy today can be traced to the French Revolution are as follows:
Right to equality including equality before law, prohibition of discrimination and equality of opportunity in matters of employment.
Right to freedom of speech and expression including right to practice any profession or occupation.
Right against exploitation.
Right to life.
Right to vote.
Question 5.Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions? Explain.
Answer:The message of universal rights was definitely beset with contradictions. Many ideals of the “Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen” were not at all clear. They had dubious meanings.
The French Revolution could not bring economic equality and it is the fact that unless there is economic equality, real equality cannot be received at any sphere. The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen laid stress on equality but large section of the society was denied to it. The right to vote and elect their representatives did not solve the poor man’s problem.
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.
France continued to hold and expand colonies. Thus, its image as a liberator could not last for a long time.
Slavery existed in France till the first half of the 19th century.
Question 6.How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?
Answer:The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon had achieved glorious victories in wars. This made France realise that only a military dictator like Napoleon would restore a stable government.
In 1804, he crowned himself the emperor of France. He set out to conquer neighbouring European countries, dispossessing dynasties and creating kingdoms where he placed members of his family. Napoleon viewed himself as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weight and measures provided by the decimal system.
But his rise to power did not last for a long time. He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
Question7 What role did the middle class play in bringing about social and economic changes France? Explain.
Answer: (1) In the eighteenth century, middle class brought many changes the social-economic life of France.
(2) This class believed that no group in society should be privileged by birth.
(3) A person’s social position must depend on his merit.
(4) The society should be based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all.5) The government should be based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
Question8.Explain any five economic conditions of France that led to a revolution
Answer:The economic conditions which led to the revolution were as follows:
(1) Long years of war and cost of maintaining an extravagant court had drained the financial resources of France.
(2) The French government was forced to increase taxes.
(3) Moreover, the French society was divided into three estates and only the members of the third estate paid taxes.
(4) The population of France grew rapidly which led to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains which was not fulfilled.
(5) The prices of essential things rose more than the wages which led to a subsistence crisis.
Question9 ‘A growing middle class in France during the 18th century envisaged an end to privileges.’ Analyze the statement.
Answer: (1) In the 18th century, the growing middle class had envisaged an end to the privileges of higher classes in France.
(2) This era witnessed the emergence of social groups termed as the middle class which consisted of small businessmen, professionals such as lawyers or administrative officials.
(3) All of these were educated and believed that no group in society should be privileged by birth. Rather a person’s social position must depend on his merit.
(4) These ideas were envisaging a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunity for all without any distinction based on caste and creed.
Question10. How was the taxation policy responsible for the French Revolution?
Answer:(1) The taxation policy played an important role in the French Revolution which was based on the system of estates.
(2) The members of the first two estates that were clergy and the nobility enjoyed the exemption from paying taxes to the State.
(3) On the other hand, peasants had to pay double tax. One ‘Tithe’, a tax levied by the Church, comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce, second `Taille’, a tax to be paid directly to the State.
(4) This disparity in paying the taxes added fuel to the French Revolution.
Question11. List any five reasons that led to the subsistence crisis in France during the Old Regime.
Answer: (1) Subsistence crisis was an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood were endangered.
The subsistence crisis frequently occurred in France during the Old Regime due to the:
(1) King Louis XVI and his predecessors of the Old Regime in France did nothing to raise the following reasons: the subsistence level of the Third Estate that paid all the taxes. Instead, they spent huge sums of money on maintaining an extravagant court and a large army.
(2) With the rapid increase in the population of France (23 million to 28 million), the demand for food grains also increased rapidly. The price of bread rose rapidly due to the scarcity of grains. Bread was the staple diet of the majority of the population.
(3) Most workers were employed as labourers on fixed wages. They suffered the most during the periods of bad harvests which occurred frequently. Their wages could not keep pace with the rise in prices.
(4) Things became worse whenever drought or hail hit and reduced the harvest while demand for grains continued to rise. Bakers and hoarders often exploited such a situation.
(5) In addition to bad harvests, scarcity of grain and food riots due to rising food prices, people also suffered and died due to the epidemics occurring frequently during the Old Regime.
Question12.
Describe the ‘middle class’ in three points.
Answer:
(1) The middle class was a social group that had earned their wealth through overseas trade and manufacture of goods. It also included professionals like lawyers or administrative officials.
(2) They were educated and believed that:
(i) No group in the society should be privileged by birth.
(ii) person’s social position must depend on his merit.
(3) They believed that a society should be based on freedom and have equal law and opportunities for all.
Question13.
Describe the contribution of the French philosophers in the outbreak of the Revolution of 1789.
Answer:
Role of philosophers in the French Revolution:
(1) John Locke wrote ‘Two Treatises of Government’ and criticized the divine and absolute rights of the ruler.
(2) Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote ‘The Social Contract’. He gave the idea of formation of a government based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
(3) Montesquieu wrote ‘The Spirit of the Laws’. He believed in the division of power between three organs of the government.
(4) Philosophers wanted a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all.
(5) Ideas of philosophers were discussed in salons and coffee houses and inspired them to fight for their rights.
Question 7.
What was the role of philosophers and thinkers in the French Revolution? Explain by giving three examples.
Answer:
The philosophers and thinkers believed that,no group in a society should be privileged by birth. They supported a society based on freedom and equal laws.
In his Two Treatises.of government, John Locke sought to refute the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.
Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives. In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
Question 2.
How was the French society organised before the revolution of 1789 ?
Answer:
The French society was divided into sections called ‘estates’ namely first estate consisting of the clergy, second estate comprising the nobility and the third estate comprising all commoners including big businessmen, traders, merchants, court officials, lawyers, peasants, artisans, labourers and servants.
The members of the first two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed certain privileges by birth. They were exempted from paying taxes to the state. The members of this estate had no political rights and social status.
The entire burden of taxation fell on the third estate. All economic functions were performed by them.
Question14.
Napoleon is known for bringing about reforms in France.,” In the light of the above statement answers the following questions :
(1) Name any two reforms introduced by Napoleon.
(2) Why was he foreseen as the liberator?
Answer:
(1) Reforms introduced by Napoleon : (i) He made laws to protect private property.
(ii) He devised a uniform system of weights and measures based on the decimal system.
(2) He was initially seen as a liberator because his reform measures carried revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to other parts of Europe.
Question 15. State any three points of significance of storming the Bastille.
Or
What is the significance of the storming of the Bastille? What is meant by people’s militia?
Answer:
(1) The significance of the storming of the Bastille is as follows:
(i)Bastille was the symbol of autocracy.
ii) The Bastille was hated by all because it stood for the despotic power of the king.
(iii) The demolition of this fortress-prison symbolized the end of the era of despotism.
(2) People’s militia means an army of common men.
Question 16. Describe the events of 14th July 1789.
Answer:
(1) The city of Paris was alarmed in the morning of 14th July 1789.
(2) The king had commanded troops to move into the city.3) Rumours spread all around that the king would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens.
(4) About 7,000 men and women gathered in front of the town hall and formed a people’s militia. They broke into a number of government buildings in search of arms.
(5) Finally, a group of several hundred people marched towards the eastern part of the city and stormed the fortress-prison, the Bastille..
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