1. How did Robespierre government ensure equality in the French Society? Explain any five measures.

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1 1. How did Robespierre government ensure equality in the French Society? Explain any five measures. To ensure equality in the society, Robespierre took following measures: (i) Issued laws placing, maximum ceiling on wages and prices. (ii) Meat and bread were rationed iii) Peasants were forced to sell grains at fixed prices. (iv) Use of white flour was forbidden. (v) All were required to eat plain bread and a loaf of whole wheat. vi) Instead of Monsieur and Madame all were citoyen and citoyenne. 2. The eighteenth century France witnessed the emergence of the middle class. Who were they and what were their ideas? The prosperous social groups within the third estate like traders, merchants, manufacturers and professionals were termed as middle class. The middle class people believed that no group in the society should be privileged by birth. Rather a person s social position must depend on his merit. Philosophers like Rousseau proposed a form of government based on social contract between people and their representatives and Montesquieu proposed division of power between legislative, executive and the judiciary. 3. Which was the important law that came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in the summer of 1789? How did it change the lives of the common people? Explain. Ans. The abolition of censorship was the important law that came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in the summer of Changes in the life of common people- (i) Newspaper, pamphlets, books and printed pictures flooded the towns of France from where it reached to countryside. (ii) They discussed events and changes taking place iii) Freedom of press also meant that opposing views could be expressed. (iv) Plays, songs and festive processions attracted common people through which they could identify with ideas such as liberty or justice. 4. Explain the process of slavery abolition in France. (i) National Assembly held long debates to abolish slavery but did not pass any law, fearing opposition of businessmen whose income depended on slave trade. (ii) It was finally the convention which in 1794 legislated to free all slaves (iii) But it turned out to be a short term measure because ten years later, Napoleon reintroduced slavery (iv) Plantation owners understood their freedom as including the right to enslave

2 Africans in pursuit of their economic interests. (v) It was finally abolished in French colony in Analyze the role of philosophers in the French Revolution of (i) They put forward the idea of a society based on freedom and equality. (ii) John Locke criticized the existing doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the king. (iii) Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the executive, the judiciary and the legislature. (iv) Rousseau proposed the idea of a representative government. (v) Their ideas were discussed intensively and spread among people. 6. What does subsistence crisis mean? What led to subsistence crisis in France? Explain. Subsistence Crisis an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered Causes: (i) Rise in population (ii) Increase in demand of food grains. (iii) Prices of bread rose rapidly (iv) Wages could not keep pace with rising prices. (v) Gap between rich and poor widened. (vi) Drought or hail reduced the harvest. 7. A growing middle class in France during the 18th century envisages an end to privileges. Analyze the statement. (i) 18th century witnessed emergence of middle class. (ii) Earned wealth from manufacturing and trade. (iii) Includes professionals like lawyers and administrative officers. (iv) All educated and believed no group of society should be privileged. (v) All these ideas were put forward by philosophers like John Locke and Rousseau 8. Describe the condition of women during French revolution and what did they do to voice their interests? Ans. The condition of women during French revolution- Most women of the third estate had to work for a living.

3 They did not have access to education or job training They were paid lower wages. In order to discuss and voice their interests women started their own political clubs and newspapers. About sixty women s clubs came up in different French cities. The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women was the most famous club. 9. Who were entitled to vote in France as per the constitution of 1791, framed by the National Assembly? State the rights given to the people by this constitution. The constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to only men above 25 years who paid taxes. They were given status of active citizen. Rights given to the people by this constitution were- i) Equality before law. ii) Freedom of speech iii) Freedom of opinion iv) It was the duty of the state to protect the natural and inalienable rights of citizens. 10. Analyze the impact of the French Revolution over Europe and other parts of the world. Impact of French revolution on the world: i) The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy ii) The ideas spread from France to Europe. Here feudal systems were abolished (iii) Colonized people started movements to create a sovereign nation state Tipu Sultan and Raja Ram Mohan Roy were the Indians who were influenced by the ideas of French Revolution. 11. Explain any five economic conditions of France that led to revolution. Five economic conditions of France that led to revolution- i) Louis XVI s luxurious lifestyle AND war drained financial resources of France. ii) French population increased rapidly and this led to shortage of food grains. The prices of bread rose rapidly. iii) Wages of people did not rise rapidly and the gap between rich and poor widened. iv) Droughts and hails destroyed the crop which led to subsistence crises. v) To meet the expenses of army and administration the state was forced to increase taxes. Government did not solve the problem as tax was paid only by the third estate.

4 12. State any five features of the Constitution of 1791 drafted by the National Assembly in France.. Main features of the Constitution of 1791 drafted by the National Assembly in France are- (i) Constitutional Machinery with monarch, legislative powers to National Assembly. (ii) National Assembly was indirectly elected to keep a control on the country. (iii) Right to vote only men above 25 years who paid taxes, were given status of active citizen. (iv) Powers of National Assembly to make laws and keep control on both King and Ministers. (v) Declaration of Rights of man and citizen various freedoms granted. 13. Describe any five social and political factors that led to the outbreak of the revolutionary protest in France. Social factors- i) There was feudal system in which first two estates enjoyed privileges. ii) Conditions of peasants were very poor. They had to pat tithes to the church and taille to the state. iii) Taxes were levied on the third estate only. Political factors- i) French government was an absolute monarchy. The king was pleasure loving and extravagant. ii) The French people had no share in decision making. The French parliament had not been called in 175 years. Q14. Why did members of the third estate walk out of the assembly in protest? Ans: Voting in the Estates General in the past had been conducted according to the principle that each estate had one vote. This time too Louis XVI was determined to continue the same practice, but members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote. This was one of the democratic principles put forward by philosophers like Rousseau in his book The Social Contract. When the king rejected this proposal, members of the third estate walked out of the assembly in protest. Q15. Define Chateau. Why did peasants in several districts seize hoes and attack chateaux? Ans: Chateau means castle or stately residence belonging to a king or a nobleman. In the countryside rumours spread from village to village that the lords of the manor had hired bands of brigands, who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops. Caught in a frenzy of fear, peasants in several districts seized hoes and pitchforks and attacked chateaux. They looted hoarded grain and burnt down documents containing records of manorial dues. A large number of nobles fled from their homes, many of them migrating to neighbouring countries. Q16. Why Jacobins came to be known as the sans-culottes? Ans: A large group among the Jacobins decided to start wearing long striped trousers similar to those worn by dock workers. This was to set themselves apart from the fashionable sections of society, especially nobles, who wore knee breeches. It was a way of proclaiming the end of the power wielded by the wearers of knee breeches. These Jacobins came to be known as the sans-culottes, literally meaning those without knee breeches. Sans culottes men wore in addition the red cap that symbolized liberty. Q17. Define the role of Napoleon as a modernizer of Europe.

5 Ans. Napolean was known as a modernizer of Europe because- i) He conquered many neighbouring countries and abolished feudal system of privileges. ii) Introduced many laws including protection of public property. iii) He introduced uniform system of weights and measures. iv) Equality before law. v) His measures carried with them the revolutionary ideas of liberty and laws that had immense impact on Europe. Q18. Why did the Jacobins plan an insurrection in summer of 1792? Mention the events that took place after the palace of Tuileries was stormed. Ans. The Jacobins planned an insurrection in summer of 1792 because they were angered by the short supplies and high prices of food. The events that took place after the palace of Tuileries was stormed- i) The king s guards were massacred and king himself was held hostage. ii) Later the assembly voted to imprison the royal family. iii) Elections were held. iv) All men above the age of 21 years, regardless of wealth got the right to vote. Q19. Describe the place of Napoleon Bonaparte in history. Ans. Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France in He conquered neighbouring European countries. He established kingdoms but was defeated in Waterloo in His place in history may be described as follows: i) As a moderniser of Europe- He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property, a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the decimal system. ii) As a liberator- Initially people considered him a liberator who would bring freedom for them but later he was viewed as an invader. However, his measures that carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to other parts of Europe had an impact on people.