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Class 9 History THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, Very Short answer questions, , Q. 1., , Which Dynasty ruled over French during eighteenth century?, , Answer. The Bourbon dynasty was ruling over French in eighteenth, century., Q. 2. Which ruler came to power in France in 1774?, Answer. Louis XVI of Bourbon family ascended the throne of France in, 1774., Q. 3. How did American war of Independence add more debt to, France?, Answer. The French army supported thirteen colonies of America in, their war of independence against Great Britain. It added more than, one billion livres (unit of currency in France) that had risen to more, than two billon livres with interest., Q. 4. What was 'tithe'?, Answer. It was a tax levied by the church, comprising at least one, tenth of the agricultural produce by the farmers., Q. 5. What was taille?, Answer. It was also a kind of tax which was paid by the people of, third estate directly to the state., Q. 6. Who was Rousseau?, Answer. Rousseau was a French Philosopher, who carried the idea of, Locke forward, proposing a form of government based on a social, contract between people and their representatives., Q. 7. When was French National Assembly recognized?, Answer. Louis XVI finally accepted the national Assembly in July 1789, and on 4 Aug 1789; the assembly passed a decree abolishing the, feudal system of obligations and taxes., Q. 8. Who was the leader of Jacobin club?, Answer. Maximilian Robespierre was the leader of Jacobin club., Q. 9. When Napoleon Bonaparte did become Emperor of France?, Answer. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself the Emperor of, France.
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Short Answer Questions, Q. 1. What was the role of the philosopher in the French Revolution?, Answer. Ideas of having a society based on freedom and equal laws, and opportunities for all were put forward by the French philosophers., I) John Locke: Locke wrote, ' Two Treatises of Government'. In this, book, he criticized the divine and the absolute rights of the rulers., II) John Jacques Rousseau: Rousseau had written his viewpoint in his, book, 'The Social Contract - between people and their representatives., III) Montesquieu: His ideas were proposed in his book, 'the spirit of, law’. According to him there should be a division of power between the, three organs - the legislature, the executive and the judiciary., The ideas of these philosophers were discussed by common people, in salons and coffee houses and inspired them to fight for their rights., Q. 2. What was the immediate cause of the French Revolution?, Answer. I) A severe winter had meant a bad harvest, the price of bread, rose; often bakers exploited the situation and hoarded supplies., II) After spending long hours in long queues at the bakery, crowds of, angry women stormed into the shops., III) At the same time, the king ordered troops to move into Paris and, On 14th July, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille., This was the immediate cause of French revolution., Q. 3. When did France become a Republic?, Answer. I) A republic is a form of government where people elect the, government including the head of the government. There is no, hereditary monarch., II) On 21st September 1792, a newly elected assembly called the ', Convention' - abolished the monarchy and declared France a Republic., Q. 4. Which laws were made to improve the status of women in the, French society?, Answer. In the beginning, the revolutionary government introduced, laws to improve the lives of women., i) Schooling was made compulsory for all girls.
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ii) Their fathers could no longer force them to marriage against their, will., iii) Divorce was made legal and could be applied by both men and, women., iv) Women could now be trained for jobs, could become artists or run, small businesses., Q. 5. What was Guillotine? How was it used?, Answer. I) Robespierre introduced Reign of Terror when he followed a, policy of severe control and punishment in France., II) Guillotine was a device consisting of two poles and a blade with, which a person is beheaded. It was named after Dr. Guillotine, who, invented it., III) Robespierre was convicted by a Court in July 1794, arrested and, on the next day sent to the guillotine and killed in the same manner he, punished guilty people., Q. 6. Mention the contribution of Mirabeau in the formation of, National Assembly?, Answer. I) Mirabeau was born in a noble family but was convinced to, do away with feudal privileges., II) On 20 June, the third estate assembled in the hall of an indoor, tennis court in the ground of Versailles., III) Mirabeau brought out a journal and delivered powerful speeches to, the crowds assembled at Versailles., Long Answer Questions, Q. 1. What are the main causes of French Revolution?, Answer. Causes of The French revolution:, i) Despotic of Louis XVI :- He became the ruler of France in 1774. He, had drained the financial resources of France in wars. For the cost of, his regular extravagant expenses, he increased taxes which were paid, by the third estate., ii) Division of French society: - The French society was divided into, three estates; First, second and third respectively. Among them, first, and Second Estates had 10 percent of the total population and were, the clergy and nobles.
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They enjoyed all privileges. Rest 90 percent was the third estate,, which paid all kinds of direct or indirect taxes. This kind of, discrimination led to the revolution by the third estate., iii) Rising Prices: - The population of France had increased. This, resulted into more demand of food grains. So the price of bread rose, rapidly, which the poor could not afford to buy. So the gap between the, rich and poor widened., iv) Inspiration of the Philosopher: - Philosophers like John Locke, Jean, Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu propagated the ideas of having a, society where people would enjoy freedom, equal laws and equal, opportunities. Their ideas inspired the people of France to realize their, dreams., v) Role of middle class: - The 18th century witnessed the emergence, of social groups termed as middle class, who earned their wealth, through an expanding trade of the manufactured goods, being, exported. There were other professionals also like lawyers,, administrative officials, who were all educated. They believed that no, group in society should be privileged by birth., Q.2. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte?, (1) 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., (2) He saw his role as a modernizer of Europe. He introduced many, laws such as the protection of private property & a uniform system of, weights and measures provided by decimal system., (3) Initially many saw him as a liberator but soon his armies came to, be viewed as an invading force., (4) He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.Many of his measures, had an impact on people long after Napoleon had left.
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Q. 3. Who formed the Jacobin Club? What measures had he taken to, remove discrimination in the French society and form a French, Republic?, Answer. The Jacobin club was formed by Maximilian Robespierre., The measures take or adopted were:, I) Formation of Political clubs: Large sections of the society were, convinced that the revolution had to be carried further, as the, Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of, the society., II) Members of the Jacobin club: It's members were from less, prosperous sections of society. They included small shopkeepers,, artisans like shoemaker, pastry cooks, watch- makers and daily wage, earners. Large number members of the Jacobin club decided to wear, long stripped trousers, to look apart. They also wore red caps to, symbolise freedom., III) All citizens got the right to vote : On the morning of 10 August,, 1792 , Jacobin stormed the palace of Tuileries, massacred the King's, guards and held the king hostage for several hours. Later, they voted, to imprison the Royal Family. Then the assembly declared that, elections would be held to form a government. All men above 21 years, of age regardless of wealth got the right to vote., IV) Declaration of France as a Republic: The newly elected assembly, was called' Convention'. On 21st September 1792, it abolished the, monarchy and declared France as a Republic. Now people elected, their Government. There was no hereditary monarchy., V) End of Monarchy: Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a Court on, the charges of betraying his own country. On 21 January, 1793 he was, executed publicly at the place de la Concord. The queen, Marie, Antoinette also met with the same fate.
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Question 4: 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:, Merchants, lawyers, peasants etc who were categorized into the third, estate were most benefited from the revolution .The first and second, estate people were forced to relinquish power. As these people have, lost all their privileges were disappointed with the outcome of the, revolution., Question 5: Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the, peoples of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries., Answer:, The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important, legacy of the 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. Tipu, Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of individuals who, responded to the ideas coming from Revolutionary France., Question 6. 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 that we enjoy today whose origins, could be traced to the French Revolution are:, The list of democratic rights are, - Right to vote, - Freedom of press, - Freedom of speech, - Freedom of expression, - Abolition of slavery, - Right to liberty, - Right to property, - Right to security, - Right to education, Question 7: Would you agree with the view that the message of, universal rights was beset with contradictions? Explain., Answer:
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Women were disappointed that the Constitution of 1791 reduced them, to passive citizens. They demanded the right to vote, to be elected to, the Assembly and to hold political office. Only then, they felt, would, their interests be represented in the new government. Women were, ignored in the French constitution of 1791, which is a major, contradiction with the view that the message of universal rights.
