The French Revolution

Mary's School,
Class IX, Social Science, History, Lesson 1,
Ce

Medium to Long Answer Type

was divided before the revolut ion.
which the French society
Name the three estates into
Q1. divided in to 3 groups called Estates:
French society was
Ans: In the 17th century the and church fathers, no taxes, had all
i. The French estate: consisted of clergy-men
privileges, minority group.
was a
shared
and men ot noble birth most
The second estate -Landlords, aristocrats
ii.
minority group.
poverty and misery, paid all the taxes
a
privileges w a s lived in
. The third estate - common masses,

were a majority group of 90

the revolution?
most of the taxes before
Q2 Which section of the French society paid
Name these taxes. c o m m o n m a s s e s including
vast majority of the
Ans: i. The 3rd estate which consisted of the traders etc. had to
landless peasants, artisans, masons,
craftsmen, manufacturers,
o n e of misery,
starvation, and humiliation.
bear the burden of taxes. Their life w a s
direct tax, called taille, the
of taxes. These included a
i1 They were forced to pay ali kind The church
land tax, Troad tax, toll tax, church tax, salt tax
and tariff duties charged.
of the total
too extracted its share of taxes called tithes
from the peasants. Four/Fifths
of taxes.
income of a farmer would go towards the payment

and thinkers
03. Give the titles of the books written by French philosophers
Or
Mention some piilosephers & writers which influenced the masses or the common people OOr
inspired the French ple to revolt.
There were many French philosophers & thinkers who exposed the evils pre in th
Ans:
the idea of liberty equality and fraternity.
system. They infused in people
a) Charles Montesquien-(1689-1775):
and praised the democratic republic.
"The spirit of laws"-criticized autocracy
Francis Aronet Voltaire(1694-1778) the privileged class &
b) condemned the church which supported
A philosopher who
ignored the poor
Rousseau(1712-1778)
c) Jean Jacques French Revolution-he gave the slogan "Man born free yet he is
was

Architect of the social contract".

authored the famous book "The
everywhere in chains" .He
d) John Locke- doctrine of the
Two treaties of governmene
He sought to refute the
In his book monarch.
of the
right
divine and absolute

What was the " B a s t i l l e " ?

Paris known as "Bastile" represented
loyal
Q4 fortress and prison in
The medieval
Ans: center of Paris.
authority in the its fall w a s the
contained 7 prisoners at
the time of its storming,
While the prison only stormed the Bastille
on 14 July

French Revolution. Angry mobs

flashpoint of the to the ground.
razed the jail building
1789.They freed the prisoners and became an icon of
This subsequently
of Bastille marked the fall of monarchy.
The fall
the French Republic.

the revolution?
Who was the ruler of France during
Q5.
treasure. The nation had
revolution?
How was he responsible for the found an empty
throne in 1774, he from 1756-1763
L o u i s XVI ascended the "Seven Years War"
Ans: in the
debt because of the fighting
gone into deep 1P
 a a the revolutionary War in America under Louis XVI. These wars added mo

Oillion Livres to debt totaling up to 3 billion Livres

itself in a huge financial crisis. Therefore, Kinp
e onFrench government found "Estates General" to get their
isAVi 5th May1789 summoned a meeting of the
consent to impose new taxes.
the 3rd Estate as the
"National
e Estate were against this and declared
French Revolution
and this proved to be the beginning of the
.

ASsembly"
Q6. Whtch period of France is referred as Reign of terror? Give reasons.
Ans: in the French
vxiien Robespierre was of the most controversial figures
one
terror
he brought about the reign of
Oton. In the cause of fostering democracy,
in which 1000's were executed by the guillotie.
After the execution of Louis XVI & his queen, Maximilien Robespie rre came into
declared a
power. The new government set up a committee of public safety and
policy of terror against rebels.
All those the government saw as being enemies of the republic; ex-nobles &t clergy,
members of the government who did not agree with Maximilien Robespierre were

arrested and tried, if found guilty they were guillotined.

During a short span of period from 1793 to 1794 nearly 17,000 people were tried, and
executed.
Therefore this period was known as Reign of terror.

Q7. What was the impact of the revolution on the church?

Ans: i l he Catholic Church in France saw a downfall, figuratively, literally and
economically.
Church property was seized, churches were attacked by the mob. Monasteries &
convents were converted to secular uses and 1000s of clergymen were exiled. The
reign of terror brought a program of violence against the churches as they belonge
to the first estate.

Q8. Which is the national Anthem of France?

When was it sung for the first time?
Ans: . I n April 1792, the new govermment faced a foreign threat from Austria & Prussia.
These nations wished to restore the kings and noble which was not iked by the
people.
So 1000's of volunteers joined the army, they saw this as a war of the people against
kings& aristocracies all over Europe, they marched into Paris singing "La
Marseillaise " t h e n a t i o n a l a n t h e m c o m p o s e d b y p o e t Claude Joseph Rouget Roget de

Lisle.

09. Who were the Jacobins?

1792 led to the rise to the Jacobins.
The political instability & economic crisis April
Ans: in
less prosperous sections of the
the people "de Lisle" who belonged to the
They were
Maximilien Robespierre.
sOciety.They were led by against the constitution of
symbolizing liberty. They
were

The Jacobins wore red caps

to the richer sections
of the society.
1791 which gave political rights only in the French
revolutionary social reform of slavery
Jacobins brought about the
colonies.

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 School, Class IX, Social Science,
History Lesson 1, The
ticn groups of the French Society benefitted French Revoluti
ution
iich grouns iwere forced to from the
revolution?
relinquish power?
hich sections of society wouid hate been disapPponted uith the
revolution? outcome of the
Ans The common man
because they
belonging to the Third estate benefitted from the
gained equal socio-economic status and liberty. revolutio
The clergy and
nobility were forced to give up power. I heir
away. The moderates who wanted privileges were taken
because uitimately Constitutional Monarchy were disappointed
Napoleon
came to
power.
Very Long Answer Type:
Q1. Highlight the achievements of Napoleon
How did he become the
Ans: Soon
Emperor of France?
after the French
Revolution all eves were
turning rising
to a brilliantstar, a
young general Naproleon Bonaparte.
He was a
brilliant leader,
and using inspiring his troops with speeches; "leading irom the front"
innovative tactics. He modernized
warfare, using canons & large armies,
outwitting his opponents. His control of Europe
modern world. pushed many countries into the
France attacked by ferocious mobs;
was

directory. Thus, he became commissionerNapoleon defeated the mobs & saved the
in Chief of the French forces in
Napoleon returmed in 1804 & became Italy.
Achievements of Napoleon - Emperor of France.
i Modernized France by establishing new industries.
i. Promoted trade by building roads & canals.
iii. Introduced-
a) Many laws; like protection of private
property.
b) Uniform system of weights & measures provided by decimal
system.
iv. Conquered neighboring countries dispossessing dynasties & cTeating a kingdom.
v. Established friendly relationship with the Pope.
vi. A new constitution was framed, with four legisiative bodies and 3 executive beodies.

What were the effects of the French revolution?

Q2 The French Revolution was an event of great significance in world history-
Ans:
Ended arbitrary & despotic ruie of monarchy
1. Established and proved that people were the source of power.
111.
Established great ideals of liberty, equality &t fraternity inspiring revolutionary&
democratic ideas everywhere in the world.
iv. It gave the term "nation", its new & modern meaning.
A nation is not the territory ofa country but the people ofa country, with a feling of
oneness, a conmmon history with tiheir countrynen.
all over the world began to take care of people's welfare to
V. The monarchies & kings
avoid resentment.
selected their own occupation.
vi. Trade improved & people in the social, economic, political
1789 in France saw many changes
vii. The year following
& daily life of the people. was removed; written material
After the declarationof the rights of man, censorship
could be published easily.
& cultural activities
revolution.
the French
the condition of women before & after in the events which brought
about
3. Compare w e r e participants
in the French society. They
women
From the very beginning, about many changes
Ans: which brought
in the events
many changes 31Pag
 St. Mary's School, Class IX, Social Science, History, Lesson 1, The French Revolution

their lirestyie.
artipated in the revolutions hoping for a change in
A:Conditionof womern before the French Revoution: workea as
h e women of the 3rt estates had to work hard for a living they servants in the
or as
& fruit grocers
astreSses, laundresses, florists, vegetables
houses of prosperous people
of nobles or
Dhey had
to education
n o access
wealthier members of the 1
or job training. Only daughters
& 2nd Estate could studv at a convent, after whict llE

families arranged a marriage for her.

)Working women also took care of their families; i.e., cooking, fetching water, queulgb
up for bread and looked after their children.
d) Their wages were lower than those of men.
) i n order to voice their interest, women started their own political clubs and

ewspapers. About 60 women's clubs came up in different French cities.

B: Condition of women after the French Revolution:
a) 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.
b) Schooling was made compulsory for all girls.
)Marriage was made intoa contract entered into freely and registered under civil law.
d) Women's struggle for equal political rights continued, during the reign of terror, the
new
government issued laws ordering closure of women's club and banning political
activity.
C)Many prominent women were arrested &a number of them were executed.
f) It was finally in 1946 that women in France won the right to vote.

Q4. Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.
Ans: The following circumstances led to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.
a. Increased Taxes:-
When Louis XVI of the Bourbon family of
he found that his
kings came to the throne of France in 1774,
treasury was empty.
This was because of long wars with Britain, the cost of
court, cost of maintaining a regular army, and
maintaining an extravagant
running
.Louis XVI was forced to increase taxes, but this measuregovernment
offices.
was not sufficient as taxes
were paid only by the third estate in the
society.
b.
Unprivileged-peasants:
The Peasants made up 90% of the population &&
very few owned land.
About 60% of the land was owned by nobles, the church and the richer
members of
the third estate.
The members of the two estates enjoyed privileges and paid no taxes.
While the peasants had to pay taxes, render services, serve in the army and work in
the lord's house and fields
Great demand of food-grain
The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789
Food grains were in great demand. Price of bread which was the staple diet
increased.
T h e supply could not match with the demand and hence led to crisis.
. Ideas put forward by the philosophers:
The third estate including professionals such as lawyers or administrative officials
were educated and believed that no group in society should be given privileges by
birth.
S u c h ideas which spoke of freedom, equal laws and opportunities for all were1
forward by philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau.
41P age
 Class IX, Social Science, Histo.
s S c h o o l
Lesson 1, The French
F11 The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensivol Revolut on
in salons and co
houses spread among people through books and
and and
loud reading for people who could not read or write. spapers arnd evencoffee
thr
Democratic principles:
Voting in the Estates general had been conducted according to the
each estate had one vote. principles that
Members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted bu h
the
assembly as a whole, where each member has one vote.
This was according to the democratic principles put forward by philosophers,
The king rejected these proposals and the members of the third estate walked out
of
the Assembly.
f. Declaration of National Assembly:
O n 20th June, the members of the third estate assembly in the hall of an indoor tenis
court in the ground of Versailles.
They declared themselves as a National Assembly. They were led by Mirabeau &
Abbes Sieyes.
Storming of the Bastille:
At this time, France went through a severe winter and the price of bread increased.
Women were angry and annoyed. They stormed in to shops for bread.
At the same time, the king ordered troops to move in to Paris.
On 14July the agitated crowd stormed the Bastille. This is taken as the beginning of
the French Revolution and is known as the storming of the bastille

Q5 Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the people of the world during the
nineteenth& twentieth centuries
Ans: Revolutions inspired by the French revolution:
a. The French Revolution not only affected France and changed its entire social and political
system; it also had a lasting effect on the people of Europe in the 19th century.
It inspired the Germans, Italians, and Austrians to overthrow their oppressive regimes. It led
to a decade of political changes and Europe saw many revolutions inspired by the French
Revolution
New democratic and social order:-
.
The watch word (a word or phrase expressing a central aim or belief) of the French
Revolution such as liberty, equality and fraternity reflected the coming of a new democratic
and social order in Europe and across the world.

C. Inspired the struggling nations:

The French Revolution inspired the struggling nations of Asia and Africa who were
groaning under the oppression ofcolonialism. Manya nation aspiring for liberty sought
and fraternity.
inspiration from its ideas of liberty, equality
India's struggle for independence was inspired by the ideas of the great French philosophers
like Voltaire and Rousseau and fired by the ideas expressed in the Rights of Man 1789.
The French Revolution put into practice the idea that sovereignty comes from the people,
from below and not from above.

Q6. Draw up alist of demnocraticrights we enjoyed today uwhose origins could be traced to the
French revolution.
Ans: Right to Equality
Right to freedom
.Cultural& Educational right
Right to religious Freedom
Right Against exploitation.
SP age
 Revolution
Lesson 1, The French
St. Mary's School, Class IX, Social Science, History,

Right to constitutional Remedies.

Theses have an origin in the French Revolution.

&
1. Right to Equality- which led to special rights
of the French Revolution,
one of the main principles economic & social equality.
his was established political,
of the c o m m o n classes and
privileges
Right to Liberty or Freedom: the
2 laid emphasis on the personal liberty
and rights of
ration of rights of man

common peoples.
Inspiring the spirit of democracy: the that the
principle
which we enioy today. It stressed
on
esured all other rights
the people
vernment should not be only "for the people" but also "by
.

Encouraging the spirit of fraternity: the

in the growth ot
n of g all shackles of high and low, the French Revolution helped
spirit fraternity & social welfare.
Directly or
indirectly the origin of all fundamental Rights can be traced to the French
Revolution.
Q7. Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset
with

contradictions? Explain.
Ans: The message of universal
rights was beset with contradictions which m e a n s - unable
T h e Universal rights lay emphasis on the inalienable rights of marn,
no government c a n
to be taken o r given away, which mentions property as o n e right

ensure. Property will be owned by s o m e and not by all.

Even the ownership cannot be an

equal division for al.

to participate in the formation of
The declaration also says that all citizens have the right
All citizens a r e equal before it. But for
laws, personally o r through their representatives.
election which does not happen everywhere.
this a country must have a free and fair
citizen may speak, write & print freely. For this
.The universal rights also say that every
which in many governments is restricted.
there must be freedom of press

Q6. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?

allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize power.
Ans: The fall of the Jacobin government
w a s introduced which
denied the vote to non-propertied sections of
A new constitution
society. These then appointed a directory, an
elected legislative councils.
It provided for two meant as a safeguard against the
five members. This was
executive made up of under the Jacobins.
executive as
of power in a
one-man
concentration to dismiss
legislative councils, who then sought
clashed with the
The directors often
them. of the Directory in 1796.
The rise of Napoleon
came right after the fall rose to power as a
unstable; hence, Napoleon
The Directory was highly politically
XVI and established governance on
military dictator.
had overthrown King Louis
Earlier, the Jacobins a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w a s too
harsh and relentless
but Robespierre's
their o w n module; in 1804 and
abolished dynasties.
crowned himself the Emperor s e e n as a
liberator
Napoleon and w a s rightly
"modernizer of Europe" laws to protect
himself as a introduced
He viewed and m e a s u r e s ,
a uniform system
of weights
who introduced Waterloo
private property, etc. with his defeat at
his ultimate downfall
for power led to
However, his quest
in 1815.
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 taal, Class IX, Soctal Sclenee, uistory, Lesson 1, The Preneh
Revolutiou
F9
T'ime
Line: The French Revolution
0s-1780's
Fonomic decline l'renh
Govemment in derp debt
1788-1789 Bad
harvest, high prices, lond riots

1789, May 5 Fstates General

onvenedl, demands reforn
National Assembly formed
1789, July 14 Bastille stormed on July 14.
French revolution start
1789, August 4 Night of
August 4th ends the
rights of the aristocracy.

1789, August 26 Declaration of the rights of Man

1790 Civil Constitution of the clorgy nationalizes the Church

Constitution of 1791 converts absolute monarchy into
702 constitutional monarchy
with limited powers.

1792 Austria and Prussia attack revolutionary France

1793 Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are executed

The Reign of Terror starts: Austria, Britain, the Netherlands, Prussia and Spain
1792-1794
are at war with France.

Robespierre's committee of public safety repels back foreign invaders. Executes

many "enemies of the people" in France itself.

1794 Robespierre is exccuted. France is governed by a Directory, a committee of five

men.

1799 Napoleon Bonaparte becomes the leader.

 St. Mary's School, Class IN, Social Seienee, History, L.ehan , Theu Freeh o vulutinn

Written Assignnent: Attempt the quentio given bhw in yny tan t wuunk

A: Answer briefly in 3-5 linen nentenee

i l il Jast
When did the Freneh Revolution begin and how hm
of the revojutieni and
wat kinuf f nutiate y was
i
Which dynasty ruled France at the tine

Third ntate
Who were the people whomposed the

Who paid the taves .and to whom

and phionophorn who influe vd the Pyenh Pevolutiun with their
Name three flamous writers
5 ideas.
and why?
. Who fonmed the national Assembly
On what date is Bastille Day celebrated and why?

8.
Which law turned the clergy into paid nervant of the churh?
Which single events changed the nature of the revolution and turned it into a Peigpn f Terr

Who were able to control the Sans Culottes in the end?

10.

B: Short Answers Questions:

. Desribe the role of the Bourbon kings in the French Revolution

for the drastic changen brought about by the revohution?

2. How far was the French responsible
French Revolution different things to
Explain what a revolution is. In what way did the nean

different people?
4. What was the important of the Declaration of the rights of Man?

Discuss the role of in the French Revolution

. women

C: Map Wok:

I. ocate the countries associated with the triangular slave trade.

Nameand shade the three countries which formed the 'Triple Entente, on the same map, nane and
shde the countries whih formed the Triple Alliance.
3. l . r k the country where a revolulion took place in 1789,.

. l outabout Prussia, which regions in Europecame under Prussia, mark it on a map

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