Chapter-1

                                         FRENCH REVOLUTION                                           Page-1

Q.1) Explain the following terms:-

a) Guillotine

Ans) The guillotine is a device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person

is beheaded. It was named after Dr .Guillotine who invented it.

b) Subsistence crisis

Ans) the population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 2 8million in

1789.This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains. 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. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops

whose owners fixed their wages. But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices so

the gap between poor and rich widened .Things became worse whenever drought or

hail reduced the harvest. This led to subsistence crisis:- an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood is endangered.

c) Declaration of the rights of man and citizen

Ans) The Constitution of 1791 began with the declaration of the rights of man and

citizen. Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality

before the law, were established as 'natural and inalienable' rights, that is, they

belonged to each human being by birth and couldn’t be taken away. it was the duty of

the state to protect each citizen's natural rights.

d) Directory

Ans) The fall of Jacobin govt. allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize power. A

new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non prosperous sections of

thesociety.it provided for two elected legislative councils. These then appointed a

directory an executive made up of five members. This was meant as a safeguard

against the concentration of power in a one man executive as under the Jacobins.

Q.2) Explain the ideas put forward by the following philosophers in their books?

Ans) (a) Jean Jacques Rousseau- Rousseau proposed a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives in his book 'The Social Contract'.

(b) Montesquieu-in the 'Spirit of the laws, Montesquieu proposed a division of power

within the govt between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. This model of

government was put into force in the USA after the thirteen colonies declared their

independence from Britain.

(C) John Locke- In his 'Two Treatises of government', Locke sought to refute the

doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.

Q-3) What were the taxes that the middle class had to pay during the Old Regime?

Ans) The two types of taxes were:-

1. Tithes: - A tax levied by the church, comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce.

2. Taille: - All the members of third estate 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 tobacco or salt.

Q.4) Write a short note on 'Reign of Terror'?

Ans) The period from 1793-94 is referred to as the Reign of Terror. Robespierre

followed a policy of severe control and punishment.

All those whom he saw being the 'enemies' of the republic-ex nobles and clergy,

members of his own party who did not agree with his methods-were arrested,

imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal. If the court found them guilty they were guillotined.

The govt. 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 the prices fixed

by the government. The use of more expensive white flour was forbidden ,all citizens had to eat plain d'egalite (equality bread). Instead of Monsieur(sir) and Madame(madam)all French men

and women were henceforth citoyen and citoyenne. Churches were shut down and their buildings were converted into barracks or offices.

Q.5) Describe the legacy of French Revolution for the people of the world during 19th

and 20th century?

Ans) The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of French revolution. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the

nineteenth century, where feudal systems were abolished. Colonised people reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to create a sovereign nation state.                                                              

Q.6) Who were allowed to vote for the formation of the National Assembly?

Ans)Only men above 25years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a

labourers wage were given the status of active citizens, that is they were entitled to vote. The

remaining men and women were classified as passive citizens. The active citizens

voted for a group of electors ,who in turn choose the assembly.

To qualify as an elector and then as a member of the assembly, a man had to belong to

the highest bracket of tax payers.

Q.7) What was the immediate cause of French Revolution?

Ans) The population of France rose from about 23million in 1715 to 28million in

1789.This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains. Products of grains

could not keep pace with the demand, so the price of bread which was a staple diet of the

majority rose rapidly. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops whose

owner fixed their wages.

But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices .So the gap between rich and poor

widened. Things became poorer whenever drought or hail reduced the harvest. This led to subsistence crisis.

Q. 8) What were the main objectives of the constitution of 1791 of France?

Ans) The main objectives of the constitution of 1791 were:-

1.It vested the powers to make laws in the National Assembly which was indirectly

elected. That is, citizens voted for a group of electors who chose the assembly, only

ACTIVE CITIZENS:-Men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days

of a labourers wage could vote. The others PASSIVE CITIZENS-Remaining men and all

women couldn’t vote.

2. The constitution began with a Declaration of rights Man and Citizens. Rights such as

right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before the law, were

established as natural and inalienable right, that is , they belonged to each human being

by birth and couldn't be taken away. It was the duty of state to protect each citizen's

natural rights.

Q.9) Describe the causes leading to the French Revolution?                                                                                Ans) POLITICAL CAUSE:- =>In 1774,Louis XVI of the Bourbourn family of kings

ascended the throne of France. Upon his accession he 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.                                                                                                                                                  =)Under Louis XVI ,France helped the 13 American colonies to gain independence from

Britain. The war added more than a billion livers to a debt that had already risen to

2billion lives.

=) To meet its regular expenses-cost of maintaining an army, the court, running

government offices, universities, the state was forced to increase the taxes.

SOCIAL CAUSES:-

=) French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates, and only the

members of the third estate had to pay taxes.

=)In France about 60%of land was owned by nobles, the church and other rich of the

members third estate while very little land was owned by peasants who made up about

90%of the population.

=) The members of the first two estates i.e.: the clergy and nobility, enjoyed certain

privileges by birth like exemption from paying taxes to the state.

ECONOMIC CAUSES:-

=)Only the members of the third estate paid taxes. The church extracted its share of

taxes called Tithes from the peasants comprising one-tenth of the agriculture produced. Also,

all members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state. These included a direct tax

called Taille, a number of indirect taxes levied on articles of everyday consumption like

salt or tobacco.

=)The members of the 1st two estates i.e.-the clergy and nobility enjoyed certain

privileges by birth. The most important of these was exemption from paying tax to the

state. The nobles further enjoyed feudal privileges including feudal dues, which they

extracted from peasants. Peasants were obliged to render services to the lord-work in

his house, fields-serve in army.

GROWING MIDDLE CLASS AND PHILOSOPHERS:-

=)The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups termed middle class, who

earned their wealth by expanding their overseas trade and manufacturing goods.

=) The third estate included professionals-lawyers, or administrative officials .All of

these were educated and believed that no group in the society should be privileged by

birth.

=)There were ideas put forward by philosophers .In his' Two Treaties of Government'

John Locke sought to refute the doctrine of divine and absolute right of monarch.

=) Jean Jacques Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of govt. based on

social contract between people and their representatives.

=) In 'The Spirit of the Laws' Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the

government between legislative, executive and judiciary.

IMMEDIATE CAUSE:-

=)The population of France rose from 23million in 1715 to 28million in 1789.This led to

a rapid increase in demand for food grains .Production of grains couldn't keep pace with

demand. So the price of bread, the staple diet of majority rose rapidly.

=) Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops whose owners fixed their

wages. But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices. =) So the gap between the poor and rich widened. Things became worse whenever a drought or hail occurred which reduce the harvest. This led to subsistence crisis.

Q.10) Describe the role of middle class in the French Revolution?

Ans) The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social group termed the middle

class,who earned their wealth by expanding overseas trade and from manufacture of

goods like woolen and silk textiles that were either imported or brought by the richer

members of the society.

The third estate also included professionals such as lawyers, administrative officials,

merchants and manufacturers. They were educated and believed that no group in

society should be privileged by birth. Rather, a person's social position must depend upon high merit.

Q.11) Who were Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes?

Ans)=)The representatives of the third estate declared themselves a National Assembly

and swore not to disperse till they have drafted a constitution for France that would limit

the powers of the monarch. They were led by Mirabeau and Abbe' Sieyes.

=) Mirabeau was born in a noble family but was convinced of the need to do away with a

society of feudal privilege. He bought out a journal and delivered powerful speeches to

the crowd assembled Versailles.

=)Abbe Sieyes, originally a priest, wrote an influential pamphlet called' What is the Third

Estate'.

Q.12) What is Marseillaise?

Ans)=) The National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war against Prussia and

Austria. Thousands of volunteers thronged from the provinces to join the army.

They saw this as a war of the people against kings and aristocrats all over Europe.

=) Among the patriotic songs the song was the Marseillaise composed by Roget de

L'Isle. It was sung for the first time by volunteers from Marseilles as they marched into

Paris.

=)Marseillaise is now the national anthem of France.

Q.13) Desribe the role of women in the French Revolution?

Ans)=)In order to discuss and voice their interests women started their own clubs and

newspapers.

=) About sixty women's clubs came up in different French cities. The society of

Revolutionary and republican women was the most famous of them.

=) One of their main demands was that women enjoy the some political rights as men.

Women were disappointed that the constitution of 1791 reduced them to passive citizens.

=) They demanded the right to vote, to be elected to Assembly and to hold political

office. Only then, they felt, would their interests be represented in ,the new govt.

=) Women's movements for voting rights and equal wages continued through the next

200 years. It was finally in 1946 that women in France won the right to vote.

Q.14) What did the third estate women do for their living? Briefly describe the     laws introduced to improve their lives?

Ans) =)Most women of the third estate had to work for living. They worked as

seamstresses, old flowers, fruits &vegetables in market or were employed as domestic

servants in the houses of prosperous servants.

=) Most women didn't have access to education, job training. Only wealthier members

sent their daughters to convent after which they were married.

=) Working women also had to care for their families, cook, fetch water, queue up for

bread. Their wages were lower that of men.

=) With the creation of state schools. Schooling was , made compulsory for all the girls.

=) Their fathers could no longer force them into marriage which was made a contract

entered into freely and registered under civil laws.

=) Divorce was legal. Women could be trained for jobs, become artists or run small business.

Q.15) Name one important law that came into effect soon after the storming of Bastille in the summer of 1789?

Ans ) The Abolition of censorship.

Q.16 ) How would you explain the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte?

Ans) In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself as an emperor of France. He set

out to conquer the neighbouring European countries, dispossessing dynasties & creating

kingdoms where he placed members of his family.

=) He saw his role as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the

protection of private property & a uniform system of weights and measures provided by

decimal system.

=) Initially many saw him as a liberator but soon his armies came to be viewed as an

invading force.

=) He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.Many of his measures had an impact on

people long after Napoleon had left