French Revolution

NOTES

1.What is Revolution?

Ans:A revolution is a successful attempt by a large group of people to change the political,
economical and social condition of their country by force.

2.What is Tithe
Ans Tithe is a tax levied by the church on the third estate in France during 18th century,
comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce

3.What is Taille
Ans Taille is a Tax to be paid directly to the state by the people of third estate in France during
18th century.

4.What were the main outcomes of the French Revolution?

Ans French revolution started in 1789.the main outcomes of the Revolution were:-
1. It led to the end of Monarchy.
2. This revolution put forward the ideas of liberty, fraternity, and equality.
3. The fortress was demolished.
4. The declaration of the rights of Man during the revolution, announced the coming of a new
era.
5. It inspired many people throughout the world to fight for democracy

5. Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.

Ans 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. First two estates, that is, the clergy and the
nobility enjoyed certain privileges by birth. They were exempt from paying taxes. The Third
estate comprises of businessmen, merchants, Peasants and artisans, labours had to pay taxes to
the state.

→ Political Causes: 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 which angered the people.

→ Economic Problems: The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28

million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. The price of bread shot up. Wages did
not keep pace with rising prices. This led to subsistence crisis.
→ Strong Middle Class: A new 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.

6. 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?

Ans:1.It was the richer members of the third estate who mostly benefited from the French
Revolution.
2. The clergy and the nobility were forced to relinquish (surrender) their power.
3.The poor class of third estate and women would have been disappointed with the outcome of
the revolution as the promise of equality, discussed during the revolution was not given. The
poorer classes had no right to vote.

7. Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world during the
nineteenth and twentieth century’s.

Ans:The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French
Revolution because:-
1.These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the nineteenth century, where feudal
systems were abolished.
2. It inspired the Germans, Italians, and Austrians to overthrow their oppressive regimes. 
3.It inspired the struggling nations of Asia and Africa who were groaning under the oppression
of European colonialism.
4. Tipu Sultan and Rajaram Mohan Roy are two examples of individuals who responded to ideas
coming from French revolution.

8. Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the
French Revolution.

Ans:We can trace the origin of the following democratic rights we enjoy today to the French
revolution:
→ Right to Equality before law
→ Freedom of Speech and expression
→ Right against exploitation
→ Right to justice

9. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?

Ans: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.
Napoleon saw his role as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the
protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the
decimal system.

10. How would you explain the “Reign of Terror” during the period of Maximillian Robespierre
government?

Ans The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the Reign of Terror. Robespierre followed a
policy of severe control and punishment. All those whom he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the
republic – ex-nobles and clergy, members of other political parties, even members of his own
party who did not agree with his methods – were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a
revolutionary tribunal. If the court found them ‘guilty’ they were guillotined (a device consisting
of two poles and a blade with which a person is beheaded. It was named after Dr Guillotin who
invented it.)
11. Describe some of the basic rights set forth in Olympe de Gouges Declaration of Rights of
women and citizen.
Ans The basic rights set forth in Olympe de Gouges Declaration of Rights of women and citizen
were as follows:-
1. Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights.
2. The goal of all political associations is the preservation of the natural rights of woman and
man.
3. The source of all sovereignty resides in the nation, which is nothing but the union of woman
and man.
4. The law should be the expression of the general will; all female and male citizens should have
a say either personally or by their representatives in its formulation.
5.No woman is an exception; she is accused, arrested, and detained in cases determined by law.

12. Enumerate the important aspects of triangular slave trade.

Ans The colonies in the Caribbean – Martinique, Guadeloupe and San Domingo – were
important suppliers of commodities such as Tobacco, Indigo, Sugar and Coffee. But the
unwillingness of Europeans to go and work in distant and unknown lands meant a shortage of
labour on the plantations. Hence French merchants sailed from the ports of Bordeaux or Nantes
to the African coast, where they bought slaves from local chieftains. Slaves were Branded and
shackled, and they were packed tightly into ships for the three-month long voyage (Journey)
across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. There they were sold to plantation owners. Since this
was happened between Europe, Africa and the Americas it was known as triangular slave trade.
13. Write a note on Directory Rules in France.

The important aspects of the directory rule were as follows:

• A new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of society.

• It provided for two elected legislative councils which then appointed a Directory, an executive
made up of five members.

• The Directors often clashed with the legislative councils, who then sought to dismiss them. 

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