Class 9 History Chapter 1 Question Answers - The French Revolution

Q1. Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.

Ans: The outbreak of revolutionary protest in France was a culmination of social, political, economic, and intellectual factors:

• Social Causes: French society was divided into three estates. The First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) were privileged and didn’t have to pay taxes. The Third Estateconsisted of the common people, including peasants, workers, and the middle class (bourgeoisie). They were heavily taxed and had no political rights, leading to widespread resentment.
• Political Causes: King Louis XVI was an ineffective and absolute ruler. He and his wife, Marie Antoinette, lived a life of luxury while ignoring the needs of the people. The government was corrupt and inefficient, which made the people want a change in leadership.
• Economic Causes: France’s economy was in trouble due to long wars (like the American War of Independence), lavish spending by the monarchy, and a faulty tax system that placed the burden on the Third Estate. The government was bankrupt, and food prices were high, causing widespread suffering.
• Intellectual Causes: Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau, Voltaire, and Montesquieu spread new ideas about liberty, equality, and democracy. These ideas inspired the people to question the existing social and political systems.

The immediate cause of the revolution was when Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates-General in 1789 to discuss new taxes. The Third Estate demanded that each member get one vote, but the king refused. This led to protests and unrest, sparking the French Revolution.

French Revolution

Q2. Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the people of the world during the 19th and 20th centuries. 

Ans: 

The French Revolution left a lasting impact on the world, especially during the 19th and 20th centuries, in both social and political spheres. Its revolutionary ideas influenced many movements and changes around the globe.

• Liberty: The French Revolution emphasized Liberty, as expressed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. This idea laid the foundation for a new social order, promoting individual freedom and national sovereignty. It inspired people across the world to fight for their rights and freedom.
• Equality: The idea of Equality ended societies based on privilege. The principle that “all individuals have the same rights” became a key slogan for political movements worldwide. This idea inspired people to challenge class systems and demand equal treatment under the law.
• Fraternity: The concept of Fraternity promoted unity, love, and cooperation among different sections of society. It encouraged people to work together for the common good, regardless of their background.
• Nationalism: One of the most important legacies of the French Revolution was the rise of nationalism. It inspired countries like Poland, Germany, and Italy to form nation-states and seek independence. This reshaped the political boundaries of Europe and even influenced movements in South America.
• Other Ideas: The French Revolution also introduced other ideas like the abolition of serfdom and the call for equal rights for women. These ideas spread across the world and influenced future social movements.

Even today, the ideals of the French Revolution, such as liberty, equality, and fraternity, continue to inspire people around the world.

Q3. What is the significance of 'The Tennis Court Oath' in the French Revolution?

Ans: The Tennis Court Oath was a pivotal event in the French Revolution, marking the rise of the Third Estate's power. On June 20, 1789, representatives of the Third Estate, who saw themselves as the voice of the French people, gathered in an indoor tennis court at Versailles. They declared themselves the National Assembly and vowed not to disband until they had drafted a constitution that would limit the powers of the king.

Tennis Court Oath

Leaders like Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès played key roles in this movement. While the National Assembly was working on a new constitution, the revolution spread across France. The storming of the Bastille and peasant revolts in the countryside reflected the growing unrest and demand for change.

They decided not to disperse until they had drafted a constitution for France that would curtail the power of the monarch. Mirabeau and Abbe’ Sieye were the prominent leaders of the National Assembly while the National Assembly was busy at Versailles, drafting a constitution. The Bastille was stormed and peasant revolts spread in the countryside.

Q4. Explain why the artist has portrayed the nobleman as the spider and the peasant as the fly.

Ans: The artist used the image of a spider and fly to symbolize the relationship between the nobles and the peasants in 18th-century France. Just as a spider traps and feeds off the hard-working fly, the nobles lived off the labor of the peasants. Peasants had to pay feudal dues and perform various services for the nobles, despite their own hardships. This illustration highlights the exploitative social structure of the time.

Q5. Which groups of French society would have gained from the Constitution of 1791? Which groups would have had reason to be dissatisfied? What developments does Marat (Source B) anticipate in the future?

Ans: The Constitution of 1791 mainly benefited the wealthier, propertied members of the Third Estate. They gained political power and rights that had been previously reserved for the nobility and clergy.

On the other hand, members of the First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) were dissatisfied as their privileges were abolished, and they now had to pay taxes. Marat foresaw another revolution, predicting that the poor would rise against the wealthy bourgeoisie (rich members of the Third Estate), just as they had overthrown the nobles and clergy. He anticipated a new wave of rebellion led by the underprivileged against the rich.

Q6. Imagine the impact of the events in France on neighboring countries such as Prussia, Austria-Hungary or Spain, all of which were absolute monarchies. How would the kings, traders, peasants, nobles or members of the clergy here have reacted to the news of what was happening in France?

Ans: The kings, nobles, and clergy of neighboring countries like Prussia, Austria-Hungary, and Spain would have been alarmed and fearful of similar uprisings in their own lands. They worried that the revolutionary ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity might spread and challenge their absolute rule.

On the other hand, the peasants and the underprivileged sections of society in these countries would likely have welcomed the news of the French Revolution. They would have seen it as a source of hope for change in their own lives, where they too suffered under oppressive systems.

The revolutionary events also opened new opportunities for women, allowing them to train as artists and exhibit their work. One famous painting from this period is a female allegory of liberty, symbolizing freedom through the image of a woman.

Q7. Describe the picture in your own words. What are the images that the artist has used to communicate the following ideas: greed, equality, justice, and takeover by the state of the assets of the Church?

Patriotic fat-reducing

Ans: Greed is symbolized by the fat clergyman on the left. The two men accompanying him symbolize government officials who have taken over the assets of the Church. The fat-reducing press in the middle symbolizes justice. The man and woman on the right symbolize equality. The whole picture depicts what the revolution stood for.

Q8. How did the French people ultimately get the right to vote for all citizens?

Ans: In the summer of 1792, the Jacobins organized an uprising with many angry Parisians, frustrated by food shortages and high prices. On August 10, they stormed the Tuileries Palace, killed the king’s guards, and held King Louis XVI hostage. The Assembly soon voted to imprison the royal family. Following these events, elections were held, and all men aged 21 and above, regardless of their wealth, were granted the right to vote.

Q9. How did peasants protest against the feudal lords or nobles of France?

Ans: Rumors spread that landlords had hired people to destroy ripened crops. Fearing this, peasants in several areas armed themselves with hoes and pitchforks, attacking châteaux (noblemen's castles). They looted grain, destroyed documents listing their dues, and burned down noble estates. As a result, many nobles fled to neighboring countries.

Q10. Differentiate between Active and Passive Citizens.

Ans: 

• Active Citizens: These were men over 25 years old who paid taxes equal to at least three days’ wages of a laborer. Only they had the right to vote.

• Passive Citizens: These included the rest of the men and all women who were not allowed to vote.

Q11. What rights were provided by the French Constitution?

Ans: The French Constitution began with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which granted rights such as:

• Right to life
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of opinion
• Equality before the law

These were considered natural rights, which every person was born with. The government was responsible for protecting these rights, and they could not be taken away.

Q12. What do you know about the political clubs formed in France?

Ans: Many people believed the revolution should go further, as the Constitution of 1791 only benefited the wealthy. As a result, political clubs became important spaces for people to discuss government policies and plan actions. The most influential of these clubs was the Jacobin Club. Even women formed their own clubs to demand the right to vote.

Jacobian ClubQ13. What was a 'Directory'? Why was it removed from France?

Ans: After the fall of the Jacobins, a new Constitution was formed, which denied non-propertied men the right to vote. It created two elected Legislative Councils, which appointed a Directory consisting of five members to act as the executive. However, the Directory often clashed with the legislative councils, leading to political instability. This instability ultimately led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and his military dictatorship.

Q14. How did women suffer in France?

Ans: In France, most women had to work to support themselves. They worked as laundresses, seamstresses, sold flowers, fruits, and vegetables, or were employed as domestic servants. Despite their hard work, women were not allowed to receive education or job training. On top of working, they had to take care of their families—cooking, fetching water, waiting in line for bread, and looking after their children. Their wages were also much lower than those of men.

Q15. Which laws were made to improve the status of women in French society?

Ans: During the revolution, the government introduced several laws to improve the lives of women:

• Compulsory education: Schooling became mandatory for all girls.
• Marriage rights: Fathers could no longer force their daughters into marriage against their will.
• Divorce: Divorce was made legal, and both men and women could file for it.
• Employment opportunities: Women could now receive job training, work as artists, or run small businesses.

Q16. What was the immediate cause of the French Revolution?

Ans: A harsh winter caused poor harvests, leading to a steep rise in the price of bread, the staple food for most people. Bakers often hoarded bread, making the situation worse. Crowds of angry women, frustrated by long hours spent waiting for bread, stormed into bakeries. Meanwhile, King Louis XVI ordered troops into Paris. On July 14, 1789, a large crowd stormed the Bastille prison, marking the beginning of the French Revolution.

Q17. What was Guillotine? How was it used?

Ans: The guillotine was a device with two vertical poles and a sharp blade used to behead people. It was named after its inventor, Dr. Guillotine. During the French Revolution, Robespierre, who enforced strict control and harsh punishment, used the guillotine. People who opposed his policies were arrested, tried in revolutionary courts, and if found guilty, they were executed by guillotine.

Guillotine used during French Revolution

Q18. How did the fall of Bastille prison become the immediate cause of the French Revolution?

Ans: On the morning of July 14, 1789, Paris was in chaos as rumors spread that the king would order his army to fire on citizens. Around 7,000 men and women gathered at the town hall and decided to form a people’s militia. Hundreds of people then marched towards the Bastille, a prison symbolizing the king's absolute power, and stormed it. The prison's commander was killed, and prisoners were freed. This event became a symbol of the people's uprising against the king's tyranny and sparked the French Revolution.

Q19. How can you say that Louis XVI was a despotic ruler?

Ans: Louis XVI, who belonged to the Bourbon dynasty, became king in 1774. He inherited an empty treasury, as France had spent large sums of money on wars and maintaining the luxurious Palace of Versailles. His decision to support the American War of Independence further increased France’s debt. Instead of taxing the rich nobility and clergy, he burdened the common people with taxes. His unfair policies and extravagant lifestyle made him a despotic ruler, leading to widespread discontent among the people.

Q20. What does subsistence crisis mean? What led to the subsistence crisis in France?

Ans: A subsistence crisis occurs when people struggle to afford the basic necessities of life, like food. In France, the population increased from 23 million to 28 million, but food production couldn’t keep up. This caused the price of bread, a staple food, to rise sharply. Workers' wages didn’t rise as fast as prices, increasing the gap between the rich and poor. The situation worsened whenever bad weather, like drought or hailstorms, led to poor harvests, resulting in a frequent subsistence crisis under the Old Regime.

Q21. Who represented the National Assembly on 5th May 1789?

Ans: On May 5, 1789, King Louis XVI called a meeting of the Estates General to propose new taxes. The assembly took place in a grand hall at Versailles. The First Estate (clergy) and Second Estate (nobility) sent 300 representatives each, who were seated facing each other. The Third Estate, representing the common people, sent 600 representatives, but they were made to stand at the back. This estate was represented by educated and wealthy individuals, but peasants, artisans, and women were excluded from the assembly.

Q22. What was Marseillaise? What led to the formation of Marseillaise?

Ans: The Marseillaise is a patriotic song written by the poet Roget de L'Isle. Although King Louis XVI signed the constitution, he secretly negotiated with Prussia’s king to stop the revolution in France. Neighboring rulers also planned to send troops to suppress the revolutionary activities. To defend the revolution, the National Assembly declared war on Austria and Prussia in April 1792. Thousands of volunteers from the provinces joined the army, and as they marched into Paris, they sang the Marseillaise. It was later adopted as France’s national anthem.

Q23. Why do you think that a growing middle class in France envisages an end to the privileges?

Ans: 

• In the past, peasants and workers revolted against high taxes and food shortages, but they lacked the means to make lasting changes.
• In the 18th century, a new middle class emerged, including merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, and administrators. They earned wealth through trade and business, producing goods like textiles.
• These educated members of society believed that no one should be privileged by birth. They argued that social status should be based on merit and advocated for equal laws and opportunities for all. Philosophers of the time supported these ideas.

Q24. What do you know about the triangular slave trade? What legislative measures were taken to end slavery in the French colonies?

Ans: The triangular slave trade involved Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Europeans exploited slaves from Africa to work on plantations in the Americas, where they produced goods like sugar, coffee, and indigo for European markets.

• Legislative measures: Initially, there was little opposition to slavery in France. The National Assembly debated whether to extend human rights to people in colonies but feared resistance from businessmen profiting from the trade. In 1794, the convention passed a law to abolish slavery in French colonies, but this was reversed by Napoleon ten years later. Finally, slavery was abolished in 1848.

Q25. What kinds of freedoms were granted to the citizens of France after the French Revolution?

Ans: 

• Abolition of censorship: One of the first laws after the fall of the Bastille was to abolish censorship. Previously, all publications, including books, newspapers, and plays, needed royal approval.
• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen guaranteed freedom of speech and expression as a natural right.
• The press flourished, with newspapers, pamphlets, and books spreading revolutionary ideas throughout France. People debated different viewpoints in print, fostering widespread discussions about liberty, equality, and justice.