French Revolution

When Lious XVI ascended the throne of

France he inherited an empty treasury. The
treasury had depleted because of the long
wars, upkeep of the Palace of Versailles and
to clear the loans taken to fund the war in
America. To meet the needs the monarch
planned to increase the taxes.
The French society was divided into three
Estates. First Estate consisted of the
clergies, the Second of kings and nobles and
the Third Estate consisted of peasants,
merchants, labourers, etc. The Third Estate
paid the taxes to the king (taille), to the
church a tax called tithes and also indirect
taxes on all commodities like salt, tobacco,
etc.

On 5th May 1789 King Lious XVI called for a

meeting of the Estate Generals to discuss
the new taxes. 300 people came from the
First Estate, 300 from the Second Estate but
the Third Estate was represented by 600
members. Earlier each estate used to caste
one vote, but on that day the Third Estate
demanded that each member should be
allowed to vote. The King did not accept
their demand and so the Third Estate
walked out of the meet and assembled at a
tennis court in Versailles.
They declared themselves as the National
Assembly and started to draft the
Constitution.
While this was going on, a severe winter
arrived which destroyed all the crops. So
there was not enough food for the huge
population. This created a huge
“subsistence crisis” between the rich and
the poor. People were not getting even a
piece of bread to eat and so started fighting
for bread. In the villages a rumour spread
that the landlords were about to destroy
the ripe crops. So the peasants rose up in
revolt and attacked the manors. The
landlords fled to neighbouring countries.
So Lious XVI was forced to accept the
National Assembly and he accepted that his
powers will be checked by the Constitution.
The Constitution allowed all citizens above
25years of age to vote. The National
Assembly also started drafting the Rights of
the French citizens.
In the meanwhile, Lious XVI started
negotiating with Prussia. National Assembly
declared war with Prussia and Austria. It
was a war of the people with the kings.
Many patriotic songs were sung like
Marseillaise, which is now the national
anthem of France. Men went to war and the
women started working to survive.
Many clubs were formed like the Jacobin
Club, whose members were small
shopkeepers, shoemakers, servants, daily-
wage workers, etc. All Jacobins used to
wear striped pants. The Jacobins usurped
the power.
Finally imprisoned the royal family and
gave voting rights to all citizens above the
age of 21years and held elections.

The new assembly was called the

Convention. Monarchy was abolished and
France became a Republic. Lious XVI was
sentenced to death.
Jacobin Government was formed under
Robespierre, whose rule was named as the
Reign of Terror. He arrested imprisoned
and killed anyone who tried to protest
against his rule. Guillotine became popular
weapon to execute. Meat and bread were
rationed. All crops were sold at fixed prices.
Churches were shut down and made into
army barracks. People were unhappy and
finally Robespierre was executed too.
With the fall of Jacobin government the
wealthy middle class seized the power, but
their government too was unstable because
of internal fights.
This political instability paved the way for
the rise of a military dictator, Napoleon
Bonaparte.

Condition of women in the French

Revolution
Topic Before After
3rd estate They could get
What did women trained for
they do? worked to jobs
earn a living
Schooling
How was Daughters of became
their the rich compulsory.
education? nobles or rich They could
people only also pursue
got basic higher
education education.
 Fathers used Free to choose
How was to get them their partners.
their married. They Marriages
marriage had no say in were
rules? their registered.
marriage. They got
They only better rights
took care of after divorces.
the families.
Did they
have No voting Struggle for
voting rights. voting rights
rights and Wages were continued for
equal less than that 200 more
wages? of men. years after the
French
Revolution.

Achievements of French Revolution

 Monarchy abolished.
 All above the age of 21 could vote.
 Women got educated.
  Slavery was abolished (Napoleon again
revived it)
 Books, newspapers, plays were no
longer censored.
 People got the freedom to express and
also listen to opposing views. They
could voice their views.
 Not only the French, the whole world
got the idea of liberty and democracy.

The National Assembly framed a Constitution in 1791 to limit the powers of the
(a) monarch
(b) wealthy man
(c) businessmen
(d) press
Which group of people did not join the Jacobin club?
(a) Artisans
(b) Shopkeepers
(c) Daily-wage workers
(d) Men with property
French women demanded the right:
(a) to vote
(b) to be elected to the assembly
(c) to hold political office
(d) all of the above

A triangular slave trade took place between Europe, the Americas and:
(a) Africa
 (b) Asia
(c) Australia
(d) none of the above
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
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 Republic
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
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
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
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) Large-scale production of food grains
(d) None of the above
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