Important Questions (2 mark): The French Revolution - Class 9 MCQ

The concept of estates is crucial to understanding the social structure of the Middle Ages.

Feudal society was typically divided into three estates, which can be likened to social classes:

• The First Estate comprised the Church, known as the clergy, who were responsible for spiritual guidance.
• The Second Estate included the Nobility, primarily the knights, who were tasked with protection and warfare.

• The Bastille was widely disliked as it symbolised the despotic power of the king.
• This fortress was ultimately destroyed, and its stones were sold as souvenirs in local markets.

• The Marseillaise is a patriotic song composed by poet Roget de L’Isle.
• After Louis XVI signed the constitution, he secretly negotiated with the King of Prussia. Neighbouring rulers were concerned about the events in France and planned to send troops to suppress them.
• Before intervention occurred, the National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war on Prussia and Austria.
• Many volunteers from the provinces joined the army, viewing this as a fight for the people against kings and aristocracies across Europe.
• The Marseillaise was first sung by these volunteers as they marched into Paris, resulting in its name. It is now the national anthem of France.

Feudalism is the dominant social system in medieval Europe.

• The nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for military service.
• Vassals were tenants of the nobles.
• Peasants, also known as villeins or serfs, lived on the lord's land.
• In return for protection, they owed homage, labour, and a share of produce to their lords.

On 26 August 1789, the French National Constituent Assembly issued the Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen (Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen). This document:

• Defined individual rights and collective rights.
• Established principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
• Served as a foundation for future human rights declarations.

This achievement was crucial during the French Revolution, marking a significant shift in the recognition of rights.

Louis XVI of France was sentenced to death for treason. The key reasons for this decision include:

• He held secret meetings with the king of Austria and the king of Prussia.
• These discussions aimed to plan an attack on France.
• His actions were seen as a betrayal during a time of revolt in France.

These factors contributed significantly to the charge of treason and ultimately led to his execution.

The members of the first two estates, namely the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed specific privileges by birth. Key points include:

• Exemption from paying taxes to the state.
• Access to higher positions within the government and church.
• Social status that provided significant influence and power.

These privileges distinguished them from the third estate, which did not share these benefits.

The subsistence crisis in France was primarily caused by a rapid increase in population.

• The population of France grew from approximately 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789.
• This surge in population led to a significant increase in the demand for food grains.
• However, grain production could not keep up with this demand.
• As a result, the price of bread, a staple food for most people, rose sharply.

The Directory was a group of five men who held executive power in France, as established by the constitution of the year III (1795) during the French Revolution. They were selected by the new legislature, which included:

• The Council of Five Hundred
• The Council of Ancients

Each year, one director was replaced through a lottery system.

French society in the 18th century was divided into three estates, and only members of the Third estate paid taxes.

The distribution of taxation in 18th century France was quite unbalanced:

• The nobility and the clergy were mostly exempt from taxes.
• Only the commoners, who constituted the Third Estate, bore the burden of direct taxes.
• This led to significant financial strain on the common people, who paid disproportionately high amounts.

• The term Old Regime typically refers to the society and institutions of France before 1789.
• It describes the political and social system in France prior to the French Revolution.
• Under this regime, all individuals were subjects of the king and belonged to an estate and province.

The national flag of France displays three vertical bands of blue, white, and red. These colours symbolise the ideals of the French Revolution:

• Liberty
• Equality
• Fraternity

Thus, the national colours are blue-white-red.

• The third estate had no privileges. Only the first estate (Clergy) and the second estate (nobility) enjoyed privileges by birth.
• Members of the third estate were responsible for paying all taxes.
• This estate comprised peasants, artisans, the middle class, and common people.

• Flour War – This uprising in 1775 was driven by the high price of bread in France, preceding the French Revolution.
• The march began among women in Paris' marketplaces on the morning of 5 October 1789, as they were close to rioting due to the scarcity and cost of bread.

• A broken chain represents the act of becoming free.
• This symbol signifies freedom from slavery.
• During the French Revolution, a broken chain symbolised freedom for the peasants and the third estate, contrasting with the aristocracy.