Chapter 1 The French Revolution

What were the main causes of the French Revolution?

Answer:

(i) Despotic rule of Louis XVI: He became the ruler of France in 1774. He had drained the financial resources of France in wars. For the cost of his extravagant expenses, he increased taxes which were paid by the third estate. 

(ii) Division of French society: The French society was divided into three estates; first, second and third estates, respectively. Among them, First and Second Estates had 10 per cent of the total population and were the clergy and nobles. They enjoyed all privileges. Rest of the 90 per cent was of the third estate, which paid all kinds of direct or indirect taxes. This kind of discrimination led to the revolution by the third estate. 

(iii) Rising prices: The population of France had increased. This resulted into more demand of food grains. So the price of bread rose rapidly, which the poor could not afford to buy. So the gap between the rich and poor widened. 

(iv) Inspiration of the philosophers: Philosophers like John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu propagated the ideas of having a society where people would enjoy freedom, equal laws and equal opportunities. Their ideas inspired the people of France to realise their dream. 

(v) Role of middle class: The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups termed as middle class, who earned their wealth through an expanding trade of the manufactured goods, being exported. There were other professionals also like lawyers, administrative officials who were all educated. They believed that no group in society should be privileged by birth.

Which incident had led to the outbreak of the revolution in France?

Answer:

The incidents leading to the outbreak of the revolution were:- 

(i) Meeting of the Estates General: On 5 May 1789, Louis XVI called for a meeting to propose new taxes. Representatives of all the three estates reached there, but members of the third estate had to stand at the back, as they were not offered any seat. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly. 

(ii) Demand for Universal Adult Franchise: Members of the third estate demanded the power for each member to vote. When the King rejected the demand, members of the third estate walked out of the assembly to protest. 

(iii) Meeting of the newly formed National Assembly: Since the percentage of the third estate was more, they considered themselves as spokesmen for the whole French nation. They assembled in an indoor tennis court of Versailles and declared themselves as the ‘National Assembly’. They believed in removing the feudal privileges of the nobles and clergy. 

(iv) Revolt by peasants: The countryside rumours spread from village to village that their ripe crops would be destroyed by hired bands of lords of manors. Peasants in several districts seized hoes and attacked the residences of their manors. They looted, hoarded grain and burnt down documents containing records of manorial dues. 

(v) Fall of Bastille prison: During this political turmoil, the French had experienced severe winters leading to bad harvest. It increased the price of bread, which was hoarded in the market. Angry women attacked the shops. At History: India and the Contemporary World-1   July 1789 the same time, the King ordered troops to move into Paris. On 14 July 1789, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille prison.

Who formed the Jacobin Club? What measures had he taken to remove discrimination in the French society and form a French Republic?

Answer:

The Jacobin Club was formed by Maximilian Robespierre. The measures taken or adopted were 

(i) Formation of political clubs: Large sections of the society were convinced that the revolution had to be carried further, as the Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of the society. Political clubs became an important rallying point for people who wished to discuss government policies and plan their own forms of action. 

(ii) Members of the Jacobin Club: Its members were from less prosperous sections of society. They included small shopkeepers, artisans like shoemakers, pastry cooks, watch-makers and daily wage earners. A large number of members of the Jacobin Club decided to wear long striped trousers, to look apart. They also wore red caps to symbolise freedom. 

(iii) All citizens got the right to vote: On the morning of 10 August 1792, Jacobins stormed the Palace of Tuileries, massacred the King’s guards and held the King hostage for several hours. Later, they voted to imprison the royal family. Then the assembly declared that elections would be held to form a government. All men above 21 years of age regardless of wealth got the right to vote. 

(iv) Declaration of France as a Republic: The newly elected assembly was called ‘Convention’. On 21 September 1792, it abolished the monarchy and declared France as a Republic. Now people elected their government. There was no hereditary monarchy. 

(v) End of Monarchy: Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on the charges of betraying his own country. On 21 January 1793, he was executed publicly at the Place de la Concorde. The queen, Marie Antoinette also met width the same fate.

How was slave trade started? When and how was it abolished?                     OR Prepare a short note on ‘Slave Trade’.

Answer:

There was a shortage of labour at the plantation. So, Europeans solved this problem by a triangular slave trade between Europe, Africa and America. Trade began in the 17th century. French merchants sailed to the African Coast to buy slaves from their local chieftains. The slaves were packed in the ships for a three-month voyage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. There, were sold to plantation owners. Exploitation of slave labour made it to meet the growing demand in European markets for sugar, and coffee. In France, the National Assembly held long discussions vide rights to all the people living in France. But it did not pass any laws. Ultimately, in 1794 the ‘Convention’ passed a law to free all the slaves in the French colonies. This was, however, a short-term measure as later. Napoleon Bonaparte reintroduced slavery.

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte? Why was he called a liberator?

Answer:

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself the Emperor of France and reintroduced monarchy in France. He conquered his neighboring countries and created kingdoms, where he placed his own family members He was called a modernizer of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights am measures provided by the decimal system. Initially, many people believe that Napoleon was a liberator who would bring freedom for the people. Bu soon his army was viewed as an invading force. So he was finally defeated 1815, in the famous ‘Battle of Waterloo’. Many of his measures that carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modern laws to other parts of Europe had an impact on people long after Napoleon had left.

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

Answer:

On the morning of 14th July 1789, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm. The king ordered his troops to move into the city. Rumours spread that he would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens. Some 7,000 me and women gathered in front of the town hall and decided to form a people militia. A group of several hundred people marched towards the eastern part of the city and stormed the fortress-prison, the Bastille. In the armed fight, the commander of Bastille was killed and prisoners released. Since the Bastille stood for the despotic power of the king, it led people towards the success of French Revolution.

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

Answer:

Louis XVI of Bourbon dynasty, ascended the throne in 1774. He was married to Austrian princess Marie Antoinette. When he became ruler, he found a empty treasury. Long years of war had drained the financial resources France. Added to this was the cost of maintaining an extravagant court the immense palace of Versailles. Louis XVI also helped American armies their war of independence, which led to further rise to more than 2 billion livres debt. To meet its regular expenses, the state was forced to increase tax Nobles, clergy and rich men were exempted from paying taxes, it was the third estate which bore the brunt.

What does subsistence crisis mean? What led to subsistence crisis in France?

Answer:

Subsistence Crisis: It is an extreme situation where the basic means livelihood are endangered. The demand for food grains was increased as population had increased France from 23 million to 28 million. Production of grains could not keep space with the demand. So the price of bread, which was the staple diet the majority, rose rapidly. Most workers were employed as labourers workshops whose owner fixed their wages. But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices. So the gap between the poor and the rich widened. Things became worse whenever drought or hail reduced the harvest. This led to subsistence crisis something that occurred frequently in France during the old Regime.

What is the role of middle classes in ending the privileges?

Answer:

In the past peasants and workers had participated in the revolts against taxes and food scarcity. But they could not change the social and economic order. This was left to those groups within the Third Estate who had become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas. The18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups termed as middle class who earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and from manufacturing goods and exporting them. In addition to merchants manufacturers, the Third estate included professions such as that of lawyers or administrative officials. All of these were educated and believed no group in society should be privileged by birth. Rather, a person’s position must depend on his merit.

Who represented the National Assembly on 5th May 1789?

Answer:

On 5th May 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates General ass proposals for new taxes. A resplendent hall in Versailles was prepared to host the delegates. The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides, while the members of the third estate had to stand at the back. The third estate represented by its more prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly.

How was National Assembly recognised?

Answer:

Faced with the power of his revolting subjects, Louis XVI finally accorded cognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would from now on be checked by a constitution. On the night of 4th August 1789, the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes. Members of the clergy too were forced to give up their privileges. Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were confiscated. As a result, the government acquired assets worth at least 2 billion livers.

Describe the main features of the constitution of 1791 drafted by National Assembly.

Answer:

(i) Constitutional Monarchy: The constitution made France a constitution monarchy. In this system monarch would remain monarch but legislative powers would be transferred to the National Assembly. 

(ii) National Assembly: It was indirectly elected. In it citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the assembly. Once chosen, National Assembly would keep a control on the country. 

(iii) Right to Vote: However, not all citizens had the right to vote, only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s were given the status of active citizens. They were only entitled to vote. 

(iv) Powers of National Assemble: National Assembly had the power to ma laws. It is voted by about 50,000 electors and constituted of 745 member It could keep control on both king and the ministers. 

(v) Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens: The constitution began with Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens. Rights such as the rights to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before law, were established as natural and inalienable rights.