CBSE - The French Revolution

The circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France were:

→ Social Inequality: French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates namely The Clergy, The nobility and third estates which comprise peasants, officials and small business. It was only third estates that pay taxes. Clergy and nobility were exempt from taxes.

→ Subsistence Crisis: The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. Price of bread shot up. Wages did not keep pace with rising prices. This led to subsistence crisis.

→ Economic Problems: Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. France had a debt of more than 2 billion livres. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the state was forced to increase taxes.

→ Strong Middle Class: The middle class emerged educated and wealthy during the eighteenth century. They believed that no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Ideas of equality and freedom were put forward by philosophers. The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee houses and spread among people.

→ Immediate Causes: On 5 may, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. Third estates protested against this proposal but as each estate have one vote, the king rejected this appeal. They walked out of the assembly.

The richer members of the third estate (the middle class) benefited the most from the French Revolution.
The clergy and the nobility were forced to relinquish power.
The poorer sections of society and women would have been disappointed with the outcome of the revolution as the promise of equality was not fulfilled in full measure at the end of the revolution.

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. It inspired the Germans, Italians, and Austrians to overthrow their oppressive regimes. The French Revolution inspired the struggling nations of Asia and Africa who were groaning under the oppression of European colonialism. Tipu Sultan and Rajaram Mohan Roy are two examples of individuals who responded to ideas coming from french revolution.

We can trace the origin of the following democratic rights we enjoy today to the french revolution:
→ Right to Equality
→ Right to Freedom
→ Freedom of Speech and expression
→ Right against exploitations

→ Right to justice

Yes, the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions:

→ Many ideas in the "Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen" were replete with dubious meanings. For example, "the law has the right to forbid only actions injurious to society" had nothing to say about criminal offences against other individuals.

→ The declaration stated that "law is the expression of the general will. All citizens have the right to participate in its formation…All citizens are equal before it", but when France became a constitutional monarchy, almost 3 million citizens including men who did not pay sufficient taxes, women and men under the age of 25 were not allowed to vote at all.

Hence, by these universal rights poor were suppressed. Constitution is only available for the rich. Women were totally neglected in decision making.

After France became a republic in 1792, the then ruler, Robespierre, followed a policy of severe control and punishment. He was a sort of autocrat himself. This led to a reign of terror for the following many years. After Robespierre's rule came to an end a directory was formed to avoid concentration of power in one individual. Members of the directory often fought among themselves leading to total chaos and political instability. This created a political vacuum in France. This was a conducive situation and Napoleon Bonaparte took the reign of power as a military dictator.

Q.1 The Third Estate comprised
(a) Poor servants and small peasants,
landless labourers (b) Peasants and artisan
(c) Big businessmen, merchants, lawyers etc. (d) All the above

Q.2.That ‘each member should have one vote’ was advocated by:
(a) Georges Danton (b) Rousseau (c) Jean Paul Marat (d) the Jacobins

Q.3.Which of the following decisions was taken by the convention
(a) Declared France a constitutional monarchy (b) Abolished the monarchy
(c) All men and women above 21 years got the right to vote (d) Declared France a R 

Q.4.Which of the following is not the idea of the revolutionary journalist Desmoulins about Liberty?
(a) Liberty is finishing off your enemies (b) Liberty is Happiness, Reason, Equality and Justice
(c) Liberty is the Declaration of Right (d) Liberty is not a child who has to be disciplined before maturity

Q.5. How does a ‘Subsistence Crisis’ happen?
(a) Bad harvest leads to scarcity of grains (b) Food prices rise and the poorest cannot buy bread
(c) Leads to weaker bodies, diseases, deaths and even food riots (d) All the above

Q.6. In the war against Prussia and Austria, the army sang which patriotic song
(a) 'Liberty', written by an unknown woman poet(b) ‘Marseillaise’ written by the poet
Roget de Lisle (c) ‘Viva France’ written by a French peasant (d) None of the above

Q7.Which of the following statements is untrue about the Third Estate
(a) The Third Estate was made of the poor only
(b) Within the Third Estate some were rich and some were poor
(c) Richer members of the Third Estate owned lands
(d) Peasants were obliged to serve in the army, or build roads
 Q.8. Who wrote the pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate’?
(a) Mirabeau, a nobleman (b) Abbe Sieyes (c) Rousseau, a philosopher (d) Montesquieu

Q.9. A guillotine was _______________________
(a) A device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person was beheaded
(b) A fine sword with which heads were cut off
(c) A special noose to hang people 
(d) none of the above

Q.10. When did the French Revolution begin?
(a) July 14, 1789 (b) January 10, 1780 (c) August 12, 1782 (d) None of the above

Q.11.The word livres stands for:
(a) unit of currency in France (b) tax levied by the Church
(c) Tax to be paid directly to the state (d) none of these

Q.12.What was the effect of the rise of population of France from about 23 million in 1715 to28 million in 1789?
(a) Education became difficult (b) Rapid increase in the demand for food grains
(c) Housing problem occurred (d) All the above

Q.13.What was the ‘Subsistence Crisis’ which occurred frequently in France?
(a) An extreme situation endangering the basic means of livelihood (b) Subsidy in food grains
(c) Large­scale production of food grains (d) None of the above

Q.14.What was the name of tax which was directly paid to the state by the Third Estate?
(a) Tithes (b) livres (c) taille (d) all of these

Q.15.What was ‘Estates General’?
(a) Post of Army General (b) A political body (c) Head of all landed property (d) Advisor of the king

ANSWER 

1(d)2(b)3(d)4(b)5(d)6(b)7(a)8(b)9(a)10(a)11(a)12(b)13(a)14(c)15(b)

Q.16 Which social groups emerged in the 18th century?
(a) Lawyers (b) Administrative officials (c) Middle class (d) All the above

Q.17. The term ‘Old Regime' is usually used to describe
(a) France before 1000 B.C. (b) Society of France after 1789 A.D.
(c) Society and institutions of France before 1789 A.D. (d) None of the above

Q.18. In which of these countries was the model of government as advocated by Montesquieu put into effect?
(a) USA (b) China (c) USSR (d) All the above

Q.19.Which of these books was written by John Locke?
(a) The Spirit of the Laws (b) Two Treatises on Government(c) The Social Contract (d) All the above

Q.20.When did Louis XVI call an assembly of Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes?
(a) 2 January, 1775 (b) 10 March, 1780 (c) 5 May, 1789 (d) 14 July, 1789

Q.21. In the meeting of the Estates General, the members of the Third Estate demanded that
(a) All the three Estates should have one vote altogether(c) Each Estate should have one vote
(b) Each member of the three Estates should have one vote (d) None of the above

Q.22. On 20th June, the representatives of the Third Estate assembled in the indoor tennis court of Versailles for
(a) hunger strike (b) Drafting a Constitution for France which limited the king’s power
(c) Declaring a revolt (d) Making an appeal to support the king in times of need

Q.23. Who led the representatives of the Third Estate in Versailles on 20th June?
(a) Mirabeau (b) Abbe Sieyes (c) Louis XVI (d) Both a and b

Q.24.What did Louis XVI do, seeing the power of his revolting subjects?
(a) He accorded recognition to the National Assembly (b) Accepted checks on his powers
(c) Ordered his army to crush the revolt (d) Both (a) and (b)

Q.25.Which of these provisions were passed by the Assembly on the night of 4 August, 1789?
(a) Abolition of feudal system of obligations (b) Clergy had to give up its privileges
(c) Tithes were abolished (d) All the above

Q.26.The new Constitution made France a
(a) Constitutional Monarchy (b) Communist state
(c) Fully democratic state (d) none of the above

Q.27. According to the new constitution of 1791, the National Assembly was to be
(a) Elected directly (b) appointed by the king (c) elected indirectly (d) a hereditary body

Q.28.Which of these people were entitled to vote?
(a) Only men above 25 years of age (b) Men and women above 30 years of age
(c) Men who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage (d) Both (a) and (c)

Q.29.Which of these rights were not established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights by the constitution of 1791?
(a) Right to life (b) Freedom of speech and opinion(c) Equality before the law (d) All the above

Q.30. which of these provisions form a part of the ‘Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen’?
(a) Men are born free (b) They are equal in rights before the law
(c) Liberty means powers to do what is not injurious to others (d) All the above
 

ANSWER KEYS

16(d)17(c)18(a)19(b)20(c)21(a)22(b)23(d) 24(d)25(d)26(a)27(c)28(d)29(d)30(d)

The Spirit of the Laws 

It was a unit of currency in France discontinued in 1794. 

A tax levied by the church, comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce

 Louise XVI of the Bourbon family 

A. The eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of social groups, termed as the middle class. 
B. They earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and manufacture of goods such as woolen silk textiles that were exported or bought by the richer members of society. 
C. In addition to merchants and manufacturers the third estate included professionals such as lawyers or administrative officials 

A. The Jacobin government followed the policy of severe control and punishment. 
B. All those who were regarded as the enemy of the republic were arrested and tried by tribunal. If found guilty they were guillotined. 
C. Even Luis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on charge of treason. 
D. Finally, opposition to such severe control began to grow and was responsible for the fall of the Jacobin government

A. The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as reign of terror. 
B. Robespierre followed the policy of severe control and punishment. 
C. All those who were regarded as the enemy of the republic were arrested and tried by tribunal. If found guilty they were guillotined 

A. The fall of the Jacobin Government allowed the wealthier middle classed to seize power.
B. A New constituent was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of society.
C. It provided for two elected legislative councils. These then appointed a Directory, and executive made up of five members.
D. This was mean as a safe guard against the concentration of power in a one man executive as under the Jacobins. 

Role women played by women during the revolutionary years

A. From the very beginning women were active participant in the events which brought about so many important changes in French society. 
B. In order to discuss and voice their interests women started their own political clubs and newspapers. 
C.  About sixty women’s club came up in different French Cities. The Society of revolutionary and Republican women was the most famous clubs

Main features of the constitution of 1791 -

A. Constitutional Monarchy: The new constitution made France a constitutional Monarchy.
B. National Assembly: It had 745 members and was indirectly elected and could legislate.
C. Right to Vote: Only men above the age of 25 who paid taxes has equal to 3 day of a labourer’s wage were active citizens and can vote.
D. Powers of National Assembly: This body had the organs- legislature, Executive and Judiciary.  
E. The Declaration of Rights and Man and Citizens: The Constitution began with this declaration and included rights like rights to life, freedom of speech and freedom of opinion. 

A.  The period from 1793 to 1794 is known as the reign of terror. Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment.  
B. Maximum ceiling on wages and prices.
C. Rationing of Meat and bread.
D. Peasants were made their grain to the cities and sell it at fixed price.
E. Use of more expensive white flour was for bidden.
F.   All were to eat the equality bread a loaf made of whole wheat. G. Equality in forms of speech and address. H. Churches were shut down and their buildings were converted into barracks and offices

The main objective of National Assembly in France was to limit the powers of Monarch. 

The Social Contract 

Roget de L’Isle. 

Maximillion Robespierre 

National Assembly recognized its Powers

A. Faced with the power of his revolting subjects, Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principal that his powers would from now on be checked by constitution. 
B. On the night of 4 August 1789, the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes. 
C. Members of the clergy too were forced to give up their privileges. Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the church were confiscated

Three steps taken by Robespierre to established equality -

A. Instead of Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam) a more equal form of address Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen) was practiced.

B. Churches were shut down and converted into barracks and offices.

C. More expensive bread was forbidden- all citizens required to eat equality bread. 

Position of women in French society -

A. Most women worked for a living-as seamstress, Laundresses, selling flower, fruits etc or as domestic servants.  

B. Only daughters of nobles and wealthier parties studied in convent. Their families arranged marriages for them.

C. Working women also took care of their own families, cooked, and washed, cleaned and queued up for bread. 

Symbols used during French Revolution -

A. The broken chain: Chains were used to fetter slaves. A broken chain stands for the act of becoming free.

B. The Bundle of rods or fasces: One rod can be easily broken, but not an entire bundle. Strength lies in unity.

C. The eye within a triangle radiating light: The all-seeing eye stands for knowledge. The easy of the sun will drive away the clouds of ignorance. 

A. Guillotine was a device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person is beheaded. Ii was named after Dr Guillotine who invented it. 

B. It was used by Robespierre.

C. Robespierre followed a policy of reign of terror of severe control and punishment. Those who followed a policy of reign of terror of severe control and punishment. Those who did not agree with his methods were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal. If the court found the guilty, they were guillotine. 

1. Abolition of censorship was the important law that came into effect soon after storming of Bastille in July 1789.  

2. Newspaper, pamphlets, books and printed pictures flooded the towns of france from where it reached to countryside.

3. They all discussed events and changes taking place in France.

4. Freedom of the press also meant that opposing views of events could be expressed.

5. Plays, songs and festive processions attracted common people through which they could identify with ideas such as liberty or justice. 

Five causes of the empty treasury of France 

1.  Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. Added to this was the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles.

2. Under Louis XVI, France helped the thirteen colonies to gain their independence from the common enemy, Britain.

3. The war added more than a billion livres to a debt that had already risen to more than 2 billion livres.

4. Lenders, who gave the state credit, now began to charge 10 percent interest on loans.

5. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities. 

France become a constitutional monarchy

1. The national Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791.

2. Its main object was to limit the powers of the monarch. The powers instead of being concentrated in the hands of one person were now separated and assigned to different institutions- the legislature, executive and judiciary.

3. This made France a constitutional monarchy. 

1. The fall of the Jacobins government allowed the wealthier middle class to seize power.

2. A new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of society. It provided for two elected legislative councils.

3. These then appointed a Directory, an executive made up of five members. However the Directors clashed with the legislative councils, who then sought dismiss them.

4. The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte

1. Throughout the eighteenth century there was little criticism of slavery in France.

2. There were long debates in the National Assembly about whether the right of man should be extended to all French subjects including those in the colonies. But now law was made fearing opposition from business community.

3. It was finally the conventions whish in 1794 legislative to free all slaves in the French overseas possessions. But ten years later, Napoleon again started slavery. 

1. He upheld the doctrine of popular sovereignty.

2. He believed that government should be based on the consent of the governed.

3. He stated that people are the real sovereigns and kings rule only with their consent.

4. His famous book Social Contract tells us about a contract between the rulers and the ruled whereby the former would guarantee the freedom and happiness. 

1. Right to speech and Expression  

2. Right to equality- Equality before law 

3. Right to life 

4. Right to vote 

1. About 60% of the land was owned by nobles, the church and other richer members of the third estate.  

2. The church enjoyed a certain privilege that was they were exempted from paying taxes to the state.

3. The church too extracted its share of taxes called tithes from the peasants, and finally, all members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state.

4. These include a direct tax called taille, and a number if indirect taxes which levied on article of everyday consumption like salt or tobacco.

5. The burden of financing activities of the state through taxes was borne by the third estate alone. 

1.  In Two treaties of Government, Locke sought to refute the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.

2. Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives.

3. In the Spirit of the laws Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.

4.  The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensely in salons and coffeehouses and spread among people through books and newspaper.

5. Patriotic song Marseillaise composed by poet Roget de L’Isle. It was sung for the first time by volunteers from Marseilles as they marched into Paris and so got its name. The Marseilles is now the national anthem of France.