SECTION A: CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
Q1. What type of government existed in France before the French Revolution?
Answer: France had an autocratic rule where the king had absolute power. The rulers believed that God had given them complete authority over their subjects, and only God could question them.
Q2. What do the following statements reveal about French rulers?
- "I am the state" - Louis XIV
- "After me, the deluge" - Louis XV
- "If they can't eat bread, let them eat cake" - Marie Antoinette
Answer: These statements show that:
- The rulers had absolute power and considered themselves above the people
- They were careless about the future of France
- They were insensitive to people's suffering and poverty
- They lived in luxury while people starved
Q3. Describe the condition of people in France before the revolution.
Answer: The condition was terrible:
- Nine-tenths of the population died of hunger
- One-tenth died of indigestion (overeating by the rich)
- There was huge social and economic inequality
- The majority lived in misery while a minority lived in luxury
SECTION B: FRENCH SOCIETY - THE THREE ESTATES
Q4. How was French society divided? Explain the Three Estates.
Answer: French society was divided into three estates:
FIRST ESTATE - CLERGY (Church people)
- Held vast lands
- Collected 'tithe' tax from farmers
- Exempted from all taxes
- Controlled high positions in government and military
SECOND ESTATE - NOBILITY (Lords/Nobles)
- Engaged in military services
- Exempted from taxes
- Led luxurious lives
- Held vast lands
- Collected various taxes from farmers
- Made farmers work without wages
THIRD ESTATE - COMMON PEOPLE
- Middle class: Teachers, lawyers, traders, writers, officials, bankers
- Working class: Farmers and craftsmen
- Paid taxes to clergy and nobles
- Had low social status
- No role in administration
- Paid land tax called 'Taille' to government
Q5. Why was the Third Estate unhappy?
Answer: The Third Estate was unhappy because:
- They paid all the taxes while the rich paid nothing
- They had no political power or role in administration
- They had low social status
- They were exploited by the clergy and nobility
- Despite being the majority, they had no voice in government
SECTION C: ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS
Q6. How did Enlightenment thinkers inspire the French Revolution? Explain the ideas of Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu.
Answer:
VOLTAIRE:
- Criticized the exploitation by clergy
- Promoted rational thinking
- Spread ideals of equality and humanism
ROUSSEAU:
- Famous quote: "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains"
- Emphasized the importance of freedom
- Declared that people are the sovereign (real rulers)
MONTESQUIEU:
- Encouraged democracy and republic
- Suggested separation of powers into:
- Legislature (law-making)
- Executive (law-implementing)
- Judiciary (law-interpreting)
SECTION D: EVENTS LEADING TO REVOLUTION
Q7. What were the immediate causes that led to the French Revolution?
Answer:
- Financial crisis due to luxurious lifestyle of rulers
- Frequent wars that drained the treasury
- Crop failures and droughts causing food shortage
- Help given to American colonies in their war of independence
- Need for new taxes but resistance from privileged classes
Q8. What was the States General? Why was it summoned in 1789?
Answer:
- States General was the legislative assembly with representatives from all three estates
- Louis XVI summoned it in 1789 to get approval for new taxes on common people
- Each estate traditionally had one vote, so First and Second Estates could always defeat the Third Estate
Q9. What was the Tennis Court Oath?
Answer:
- When the Third Estate was denied fair voting, they declared themselves the National Assembly
- They met in a tennis court nearby
- They swore not to leave until they framed a constitution for France
- This event is called the Tennis Court Oath
SECTION E: MAJOR EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION
Q10. Describe the major events of the French Revolution with dates.
Answer:
14 July 1789 - Storming of Bastille
- Revolutionaries stormed the Bastille prison
- Used the slogan "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"
- Bastille was a symbol of royal oppression
- This date marks the beginning of French Revolution
12 August 1789 - Declaration of Rights
- National Assembly passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
October 1789 - Women's March
- Thousands of women marched to Palace of Versailles
- Their slogan was "Give us bread"
- Shows the hunger and desperation of common people
September 1792 - Republic Declared
- National Convention proclaimed France as a republic
- End of monarchy in France
SECTION F: DECLARATION OF RIGHTS AND IMPACT
Q11. What were the main principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen?
Answer:
- Men are born free and equal in rights
- Law can only prohibit actions that harm society
- Sovereignty belongs to the nation (people)
- Liberty means freedom to do anything that doesn't harm others
- Main rights are: Liberty, Property, Security, and Resistance to oppression
Q12. What was the impact of the French Revolution on the world?
Answer:
- Inspired later revolutions around the world
- Ended feudal system in Europe
- Threatened autocratic rule everywhere
- Established that nation means people, not just territory
- Contributed to the concept of people's sovereignty
- Led to the growth of nationalism
- Helped the growth of the middle class
- Spread ideals of equality, liberty, and fraternity
SECTION G: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
Q13. What does "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" mean?
Answer:
- Liberty: Freedom from oppression
- Equality: All people are equal, no special privileges
- Fraternity: Brotherhood and unity among people
Q14. Why is 14th July celebrated as France's National Day?
Answer: Because on 14th July 1789, the people stormed the Bastille prison, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution that brought democracy to France.
Q15. How did the French Revolution affect the growth of democracy?
Answer:
- Showed that people have the right to overthrow bad government
- Established the principle of popular sovereignty
- Promoted ideas of equality and rights
- Inspired democratic movements worldwide
IMPORTANT TERMS TO REMEMBER
- Autocracy: Rule by one person with absolute power
- Estates: Social divisions in French society
- Tithe: Tax collected by church from farmers
- Taille: Land tax paid to government
- Sovereignty: Supreme power of the state
- Republic: Government without a king or queen
- Feudalism: System where nobles own land and peasants work on it
TIPS FOR EXAM PREPARATION
- Remember the dates: 1789 (Tennis Court Oath, Bastille), 1792 (Republic declared)
- Know the three estates and their characteristics
- Understand the causes: Financial crisis, social inequality, Enlightenment ideas
- Learn the impact on world history
- Practice writing about the Declaration of Rights
- Remember the slogan: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"