The French Revolution Class 9 >> History Chapter 1 >>Important Questions>> Answers
NCERT History chapter 1 > The French Revolution > Important Questions|Answers > extra Assignment questions.
Very Short answer questions
Q. 1. Which Dynasty ruled over French during eighteenth century?
Ans. The Bourbon dynasty was ruling over French in eighteenth century.
Q. 2. Which ruler came to power in France in 1774?
Ans. 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?
Ans. 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'?
Ans. 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?
Ans. 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?
Ans. 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 recognised?
Ans. 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?
Ans. Maximilian Robespierre was the leader of Jacobin club.
Q. 9. When did Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor of France?
Ans. In 1804 , Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself the Emperor of France.
Q. 10. What was the most important legacy of the French Revolution?
Ans. The idea of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution.
Short Answer Questions
Q. 1. What do you know about 'Estate General'?
Ans. I) The Estate General was a political body to which the three estates sent their representatives.
II. In France of the old regime, the monarch did not have the power to impose taxes, rather he had to call a meeting of the Estate General to pass the proposals for new taxes.
III. However, it was the monarch alone who could decide when to call a meeting of this body.
Q. 2. What was the role of the philosopher in the French Revolution?
Ans. 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 criticised 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. 3. What was the immediate cause of the French Revolution?
Ans. 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. 4. When did France become a Republic?
Ans. 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. 5. Which laws were made to improve the status of women in the French society?
Ans. In the beginning, the revolutionary government introduced laws to improve the lives of women.
i) Schooling was made compulsory for all girls.
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. 6. What was Guillotine? How was it used?
Ans. 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. 7. How was the taxation policy responsible for the French Revolution?
Ans. I) The French society divided into three estates- First, Second and Third estates respectively.
II) First and second estates which formed 10 per cent of the total population were clergy and nobles and were exempted from taxes and enjoyed all privileges.
III) Rest 90 Percent population of the third estate paid all kinds of direct or indirect taxes. Member of third estate believe that no group in society should be privileged by birth.
Q. 8. What was a ' Directory'? Why was it removed from France?
Ans. I) After the fall of Jacobin, a new Constitution was formed which denied the right to vote to non-propertied men.
II) The Constitution provided two elected legislative councils, who appointed a Directory, an executive made up of five members
III) However, the directors often clashed with legislative Councils and were finally dismissed.
With this political instability emerged in France which gave rise to a military dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Q. 9. How did Peasants protest against the feudal Lords or nobles of France?
Ans. I) There were rumours that the landlords of the manor had hired some people to destroy the ripened crops.
II) Being afraid of the situation, peasants in several districts seized hoes and Pitchfork and attacked chateaux ( castles belonging to the nobleman).
III) They looted hoarded grain in the market. They had also burnt the documents containing records of the manorial dues.
With the result, a large number of nobles fled from their homes and migrated to the neighbouring countries.
Q. 10. Mention the contribution of Mirabeau in the formation of National Assembly?
Ans. 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?
Ans. 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.
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 realise 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 did the fall of Bastille prison become the immediate cause of French Revolution?
Ans. i) On the morning of 14th July 1789,the city of Paris was in a state of alarm. The king ordered his troops to move into the city.
ii) Rumours spread that he would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens.
iii) Some 7,000 men and women gathered in front of the town hall and decided to form a people's militia.
iv) A group of several hundred people marched towards the eastern part of the city and stormed the fortress-prison, the Bastille.
v) In the armed fight, the commander of Bastille was killed and prisoners released.
Since the Bastille stood for the despotic power of the king. It led people towards the success of French Revolution.
Q. 3. What kinds of freedoms were granted to the citizens of France after French Revolution?
Ans. I) One important law that came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in the summer of 1789 was the abolition of censorship.
II) In the old regime all written material and cultural activities, books, newspapers, play could be published or performed only after they had been approved by the censors of the king.
Now the declaration of the rights of Man and citizen proclaimed freedom of speech and expression, to be a natural right.
III) Newspaper, Pamphlet, books and Printed pictures flooded the towns of France from where they Travelled rapidly into the countryside. They all described the events and changes taking place in France.
IV) Freedom of Press also meant the opposing views to events could be expressed. Each side sought to convince the others of its position through the medium of print.
V) In this way they identified with ideas such as liberty or justice. Political philosophers wrote these texts in length, which only a handful of educated people could read.
Q. 4. Who formed the Jacobin Club? What measures had he taken to remove discrimination in the French society and form a French Republic?
Ans. 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. A 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.
Q. 5. What was the role of middle classes in ending the privileges?
Ans. I) In past, peasants and workers had participated in the revolts against increasing taxes and food scarcity. But they could not change the social and economic order.
II) The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups termed as middle class who earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and from manufacturing goods and exporting them.
III) In addition to merchants and manufacturers, the third estate included professions such as that of lawyers or administrative officials.
IV) All of these were educated and believed that no group in Society should be privileged by birth.
Rather, a person's social position must depend on his merit.