14567class 9 CH 1 French Revolution Notes
14567class 9 CH 1 French Revolution Notes
Notes:
2. The French society was divided into how many estates before the revolution?
a) Two
b) Three
c) Four
d) Five
4. The economic condition of which estate was most precarious before the revolution?
a) First Estate
b) Second Estate
c) Third Estate
d) Fourth Estate
5. What was the main reason for the financial crisis in France before the revolution?
a) Excessive military spending
b) High taxes on the nobility
c) Economic exploitation of the colonies
d) Lavish spending of the clergy
9. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was inspired by:
a) American Revolution
b) Indian Independence Movement
c) Russian Revolution
d) Chinese Revolution
11. Who was the leader of the Jacobin club during the Reign of Terror?
a) Maximilien Robespierre
b) Jean-Paul Marat
c) Louis XVI
d) Napoleon Bonaparte
ANSWER KEY
1. a) 1789
2. b) Three
3. a) First Estate
4. c) Third Estate
5. a) Excessive military spending
6. c) Tennis Court
7. a) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
8. a) 14th July 1789
9. a) American Revolution
10. a) Louis XVI
11. a) Maximilien Robespierre
12. c) Execution of Robespierre
13. a) The Reign of Terror
14. c) Napoleon Bonaparte
15. d) A comprehensive legal code
Very short Question answer
Question 1.
In 1774, Louis XVI of the Bourbon family of Kings ascended the throne of ________ .
Answer:
France
Question 2.
What was newly elected assembly called ?
Answer:
The newly elected assembly was called the convention.
Question 3.
The burden of financial activities of state during the Old Regime was borne by the ________ .
Answer:
Third estate
Question 4.
In France, the eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of a social group, termed as the
________ .
Answer:
Middle class
Question 5.
The American constitution and its guarantee of individual rights was an important example for
political thinkers in ________ .
Answer:
France
Question 6.
The agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille on ________ .
Answer:
14th July, 1789
Question 7.
The constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the ________ .
Answer:
National Assembly
Question 8.
The constitution began with a Declaration of the rights of ________ .
Answer:
Man and citizen
Question 9.
The National Assembly of France voted in April 1792 to declare war against ________ .
Answer:
Prussia and Austria
Question 10.
Who introduced Reign of Terror and where ?
Answer:
Robespierre introduced ‘Reign of Terror’ in France.
Question 11.
The members of the Jacobin Club belonged mainly to ________ .
Answer:
The less prosperous sections of society.
Question 12.
When was slavery finally abolished in French colonies ?
Answer:
Slavery was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.
Question 13.
One important law that came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in 1789 was the
________ .
Answer:
Abolition of censorship.
Question 14.
In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself as Emperor of the ________ .
Answer:
France.
Question 15.
What was ‘Sceptre’ ?
Answer:
Symbol of Royal Power.
Question 16.
The political body representing the three estates of pre-revolutionary France was known as
Question 17.
Which theory was proposed by Montesquieu ?
Question 18.
Who proposed the Social Contract theory ?
Question 19.
A triangular slave trade started among ________ ..
Question 20.
Women in France won the right to vote in ________ .
Question 21.
What did the French Revolution of 1789 stand for ?
Question 22.
What did the fall of Bastille signify ?.
Question 23.
Name the special tax levied by the church on peasants.
Question 24.
On what principle was voting conducted in the Estates General ?
Question 25.
What is a Guillotine ?
Robespierre was the leader of Jacobins club which led a successful revolt and came to
power. Robespierre ruled France from 1793 to 1794.
His rule is referred as the ‘Reign of Terror’ because he followed a policy of severe control
and punishment.
All those who were considered enemies by him or who did not agree with him or with his
methods were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal. If found
guilty, they were executed.
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.
Question 3.
Describe the incidents that led to the storming of the Bastille.
Answer:
While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution, the rest of France was
seething with turmoil. A severe winter had meant a bad harvest, the price of bread rose. Often
bakers exploited the situation and hoarded supplies. After spending hours in long queues at the
bakery, crowds of angry women stormed into the shops. At the same time, the king ordered troops
to move into Paris. On 14 July, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed Bastille
Question 4.
What do you know about the abolition of slavery in France ?
Answer:
It was finally the convention which in 1794 legislated to free all the slaves in the French
overseas possessions. This, however, turned out to be a short-term measure. However, ten
years later, Napoleon reintroduced slavery.
Plantation owners understood their freedom as including the right to enslave African
Negroes in pursuit of their economic interests.
Slavery was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.
Question 5.
Write a short note on the document ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man and citizen.’
Answer:
The Declaration of the ‘Rights of Man’ and Citizen proclaimed freedom of speech and
expression to be natural rights.
Censorship was abolished. Newspapers, books and pamphlets flooded French towns and
reached the countryside as well.
Events and changes taking place in France were frankly discussed.
Plays, songs and festive processions attracted large number of people. Thus, people could
identify with ideas of liberty and equality easily.