French Revolution Notes
French Revolution Notes
1
CHAPTER
CONTENTS
The Ancient Regime and its crisis Causes of the French Revolution
The course of Revolution Impact of the French Revolution
Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
➢ INTRODUCTION
The later part of the eighteenth century saw one of the greatest revolutions which played an important role in
the making of the modern world.
The Renaissance in Europe had brought about intellectual freedom and also gave birth to a chain of
revolutions, especially in Europe, which destroyed the age-old feudal order and prepared the ground for the
development of an industrial society. It gave to the world the ideas of liberty, equality and opened fraternity
and opened the flood-gates for the development of an open society.
Out of the total population the First and the Second estate had a share of 2%. The remaining 98% of the
people belonged to the Third Estate. Although the upper two classes made up only a small fraction of the
total population, they were the people who controlled the political and economic system of the nation. They
enjoyed all the rights and privileges. The entire machinery of the government was designed to protect their
interests and privileges. They owned two fifths of the total lands. The nobles and the upper clergy occupied
all important positions in the king’s court and drew heavy salaries and pensions. The people belonging to the
Third estate did not enjoy any political rights. They were even denied the right to protection of life. The gulf
between the rich and the poor was so wide that a handful of the nobles and clergy got all the money while the
poor masses did all the work.
4. The Rise of the Middle Class :
(i) The spread of industrial revolution led to the emergence of the middle class. It was the class of
businessman, traders, bankers, manufactures, scholars etc.
(ii) The Middle Class people become the leaders of the Revolution.
(iii) They came forward with the slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity.
(iv) They were now determined to get rid of the feudal system. They realized that so long as the feudal
system prevails the French society had no chance of moving forward on the road to prosperity and plenty
as the feudal barriers were a serious obstruction to the growth of industrial capitalism.
The rise of Napoleon Bonaparte was also an indirect result of the French Revolution. As often happens in
revolutions there was political and economic instability in France and there was a struggle for power.
Napoleon took advantage of the situation and become a dictator with the help of the army. In 1804 be
declared himself the Emperor of France. He was a brilliant general and used his armies to conquer and
dominate all the neighboring countries except Britain and Russia. However, his successes were short-lived.
Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russia jointly defeated him at Leipzig and again at Waterloo in 1815. He was
captured and sent as a prisoner to the island of St. Helena where he died in 1821.
GLOSSARY
1. Nation. People who share a language, culture, customs and history, a group united into a large political,
economic and social unit which recognises no law or authority above its own, i.e., it is sovereign in nature.
2. Nationalism. A feeling of intense loyalty and devotion to one’s country.
3. Revolution. The term means a recognised momentous change in any situation. A revolution can result in the
sudden overthrow of an established government or system by force and bloodshed, e.g. The French Revolution. It
can also be a great change that comes slowly and peacefully, e.g., Industrial Revolution.
4. First Estate. French society was divided into classes called Estates. The First Estate consisted of the Clergy
which held a vast land, wealth and was exempt from taxation.
5. Second Estate. It consisted of the aristocracy and controlled all the top positions in the government, parliament
and in the army and navy. They were also exempt from taxation and led an extravagant life.
6. Third Estate. This comprised everyone who was neither nobility nor clergy and constituted 98% of the
population. Town dwellers, the wealthy upper middle class (merchants, bankers, doctors, lawyers), lower middle
class, craftsmen, shopkeepers and peasants comprised the Third Estate. This class lacked political power, social
position and was heavily taxed though there were many differences in their wealth and style of living.
7. The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen. In 1789, the French National Assembly adopted a set of basic
principles called the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Proposed by Lafayette and based on the ideas
of Locke, Montesquieu and Jefferson, this document stated that “men are born and remain free and equal in
rights” and that the “source of power resides in the people”. It guaranteed all Frenchmen the basic rights of
liberty, security, equal justice, fair taxes, speech, religion and thought.
8. Physiocrats. the French economists were called physiocrats. They believed that taxes should be imposed only
with the consent of those on whom they are levied. Their beliefs undermined the feudal rights and privileges of
the upper classes.
9. Livre. Unit of currency used in France till 1794.
10. Clergy. Group of persons invested with special functions in the Church.
11. Tithe. A tax levied by the Church equal to one-tenth of the agricultural produce.
12. Taille. Tax paid directly to the state.
13. Chateau. Castle belonging to a king or nobleman.
14. Manor. An estate consisting of the Lord’s lands and his mansion.
15. Sceptre. Symbol of royal power.
Q.1 What do you understand by the word was the main motive of these clubs ?
‘Revolution’ ? For what kind of situations can Q.21 Who wrote the 'Two Treatises of Government' ?
the term Revolution be used ? Q.22 What was the slogan of the French
Q.2 Mention two activities of the French revolutionaries ?
monarchy which hastened the Revolution. Q.23 When was the National Anthem of France
Q.3 Name the three main social classes in 18th sung for the first time?
Century France. Q.24 Who were Jacobins ? Who was their leader ?
Q.4 What were the conditions of the third estate ? Q.25 Name the three continents which were
Q.5 Who was Rousseau ? Name the famous work involved in triangle slave trade.
by Rousseau which lays down the main Q.26 Why was slave trade very important for the
Q.6 Describe the incident which sparked the Q.27 When was the slave trade abolished in French
Revolution. colonies ?
Q.7 Describe the main ideas contained in the B. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTION
Q.2 What role did the philosophers play in Q.17 Discuss the impact of abolition of censorship
Q3 Why is the Declaration of the Rights of Man Q.18 Write three main features of the French
Q.4 What role did Louis XVI play in bringing the Rights of Man in France.
about the revolution ? Q.20 What was the significance of 'The Tennis
Q.5 Give an estimate of Napoleon Bonaparte as Court Oath' in the French Revolution ?
Q.6 What was the impact of the French Q.1 Who was Rousseau ?
Revolution on the world ? (A) French philosopher(B) Army general
Q.7 Which groups of French society benefited (C) Estate general (D) King of France
Q.2 Who were sans-culottes ?
from the revolution ? Which groups were
(A) Common people of India
forced to reliquish power ? Which sections of
(B) Common people of Paris
society would have been disappointed with (C) Common people of Washington
the outcome of the revolution ? (D) None of these
Q.8 Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy Q.3 What was the National Anthem of France ?
today whose origins could be traced to the (A) Marseillaise (B) Jan-Gan Man
(C) Guillotine (D) None of these
French Revolution.
Q.9 How was French society organised ? What
Q.4 Which was the popular political club of
privileges did certain sections of society France ?
enjoy ? (A) Womens club (B) Voltaire club
Q.10 What measures were taken by Robespierre’s (C) Jacobins (D) All of these
government ?
Q.5 Who was the Author of the book ‘Spirit of
Q.11 What role did women play during the
Law’ ?
revolutionary years ?
(A) Rousseau (B) Montesquieu
Q.12 What laws were passed by the revolutionary (C) Voltaire (D) St. Jacob
government for the benefit of women ?
Q.13 How did the revolutionary governments Q.6 When was the Napoleon defeated at Waterloo ?
translate the ideals of liberty and equality into (A) 1810 (B) 1811
(C) 1812 (D) 1815
everyday practice ?
Q.14 What is subsistence crisis ? Mention any two
factors responsible for this in France.
ANSWER KEY
Q.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Ans. A B A C B D C B C B C B B A D C C A A B