CBSE Class 9 Social Science French Revolution Worksheet

Question. On which day was Paris on alarm?
Answer : 14th July 1789

Question. Whom did the king command to move into the city?
Answer : The troops

Question. What rumour spread in Paris?
Answer : Rumours spread in Paris that king had commanded his troops to move in the city and he would soon order the troops to open fire upon the citizens.

Question. What rumour spread in the countryside from village to village?
Answer : In the countryside rumours spread from village to village that the lords of manor had hired bands of brigands who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops.

Question. Who were caught in a frenzy of fear?
Answer :Peasants

Question. What did the peasants do in a frenzy of fear?
Answer : Peasants in several districts seized hoes and pitchforks and attacked Chateaux.

Question. What did the peasants loot?
Answer :The peasants looted the hoarded grain.

Question. How many people gathered in front of the town hall?
Answer : Some 7000 men and women

Question. Why did they break into a number of government buildings?
Answer : they were in search of arms and hoarded ammunition

Question. Who became the king of France in 1774?
Answer : Louis XVI

Question. Which family did the king belong to?
Answer :The king belonged to the bourbon family.

Question. At what age did Louis become the king of France?
Answer : Louis XVI was 20 years old when he became the king of France.

Question. Who was Louis married to?
Answer : He was married to Marie Antoniette.

Question. Upon his accession, what did he find?
Answer : He found an empty treasury.

Question. Whom did France help under Louis Xi to gain their independence?
Answer : France helped the thirteen American colonies to gain independence.

Question. What do you mean by the term Old Regime?
Answer :The term Old Regime is usually used to describe the society and institutions of France before 1789.

Question. How many peasants were there in France?
Answer : 90 percent of the total population.

Question. What do you mean by the term “tithes”?
Answer :The tax taken by the churches from peasants was called tithes.

Question. How many estates were there in France? Who were the members of the first two estates?
Answer : Three estates.Clergy and Nobility.

Question. What was the direct tax called?
Answer : Taille

Question. Who had the burden of taxes of the state?
Answer : The third estate alone had the burden of taxes.

Question. What services were the peasants obliged to render to the lord?
Answer :The services rendered by the peasants are – to work in his house and fields, to serve in the army or to participate in building roads.

Question. What was the population of France in 1715?
Answer : 23 million

Question. What was the population of France in 1789?
Answer : 28 million

Question. What was the staple food of the people of France?
Answer :Bread

Question. What is Subsistence Crisis?
Answer : An extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered is called subsistence crisis.

Question. Where were the ideas of the philosophers discussed?
Answer : The ideas of the philosophers were discussed in salons and coffee houses.

Question. Why could the king not pass the proposal for new taxes alone?
Answer :Because he had to call the estates general to pass the proposal for new taxes.

Question. When was the last time meeting of the estates general called?
Answer : In 1614

Question. When did Louis XVI call the meeting of the Estates General?
Answer : On 5th May 1789

Question. Where were the delegates hosted?
Answer : A resplendent hall in Versailles was prepared to host the delegates.

Question. How many representatives did the first and the second estates send?
Answer : The first and the second estates sent 300 representatives each.

Question. How were the representatives of the first and the second estates seating in the assembly?
Answer : The representatives of the first and the second estates were seating in rows facing each other on two sides.

Question. How many members were sent by the third estate?
Answer : 600 members

Question. Who were standing at the back in the assembly?
Answer :The representatives of the third estate.

Question. Who represented the third estate?
Answer :The third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members.

Question. Who were denied entry to the assembly?
Answer :Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.

Question. How many letters had the representatives of the third estate brought with themselves?
Answer : 40000 letters containing the grievances and demands of those who could not come.

Question. On which principle had the estates general voted in the past?
Answer : On the principle that each estate had one vote.

Question. What did the third estate demand?
Answer : The representatives of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote.

Question. Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.
Answer : Following are some of the causes which had a cumulative effect to result in revolution in France:
(a) The war with Britain for an independent America: This war led to mounting debt on the French monarchy. This necessitated imposition of new taxes on the public.
(b) Privilege based on birth: People got privileges and position based on their lineage and not on their merit. This led to resentment among common people.
(c) Concentration of power among the privileged: People belonging to the first and second estate had all the power and money. Masses were at the mercy of this privileged class.
(d) Subsistence Crisis: Rising population and less grain production resulted in demand supply gap of bread, which was the staple diet. Wages did not keep pace with rising prices. It was becoming difficult for people.
(e) Growing Middle Class: Because of increased overseas trade a new class emerged. This class was wealthy not because of birth but because of its ability to utilize opportunities. People of the middle class started raising their voice for an end to privileges based on lineage.
All of this led to a general sense of resentment among people. Certain thinkers of the period spread awareness through various media. Some from the privileged classes also advocated a switch to democracy. So, finally there was revolution in France.

Question. 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?
Answer : Peasants and artisans of French society benefited from the revolution. Clergy, nobles and church had to relinquish power. It is obvious that those who had to forego power and privileges would have been disappointed. People from the first and the second estate must have been a disappointed lot.

Question. Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Answer : The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during the nineteenth century, where feudal systems were abolished. Further these ideas spread to different colonies of the European nations. Colonised people interpreted and moulded these ideas according to respective needs. This was probably like seed for an end of colonization in many countries. By the mid of 20th century major part of the world adopted democracy as the preferred mode of rule and the French Revolution can be termed as the initiation point for this development.

Question. Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution.
Answer : The following fundamental rights, given in the Indian constitution can be traced to the French Revolution:
- The right to equality
- The right to freedom of speech and expression
- The right to freedom from exploitation
- The right to constitutional remedies

Question. Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions? Explain.
Answer : The major contradiction in the message of universal rights as per the French Constitution of 1791 was the total ignorance of women. All rights were given to men. Apart from that the presence of huge number of people as passive citizens, without voting rights, was like not putting into practice what you preach. In other words it can be said that although the declaration of universal rights was a good starting point but it left much to be desired.

Question. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?
Answer : After France became a republic in 1792, the then ruler, Robespeirre, gave more privileges to the wealthier section of society. Further, he was a sort of autocrat himself. This led to reign of terror for the following many years. After Robespeirre’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 vaccum in France. This was a conducive situation and Napoleon Bonaparte took the reign of power as a military dictator.

Q.1 Explain how did the freedom of speech and expression under the revolutionary government in France promote the ideals of Liberty and Equality into everyday practice.

Q.2 What were the causes for the empty treasure of France under Louis XIV? Assess any three causes.

Q.3 Why were the representatives of the Third Estate disappointed with the pattern of voting in the ‘Estates General.’

Q.4 Why did subsistence crisis frequently occur in France during the old Regime?

Q.5 What was the significance of ‘The Tennis court Oath’ in the French Revolution.

Q.6 Explain triangular slave trade carried on during 18th and 19th century.

Q.7 Who was Robespierre? Why is his reign referred as ‘‘The Reign of Terror’’?

Q.8 Write three main features of the French Constitution of 1791.

Q.9 What were the reforms introduced by Napoleon Bonaparte in France?

Q.10 ‘‘The inequality that existed in the French society in the Old Regime became the cause of French Revolution’’. Justify the statement by giving three suitable examples.