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India And The Contemporary World I Chapter 1 The French Revolution

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    NCERT Solution For Class 9 About 2.html India And The Contemporary World I

    The French Revolution Here is the CBSE About 2.html Chapter 1 for Class 9 students. Summary and detailed explanation of the lesson, including the definitions of difficult words. All of the exercises and questions and answers from the lesson's back end have been completed. NCERT Solutions for Class 9 About 2.html The French Revolution Chapter 1 NCERT Solutions for Class 9 About 2.html The French Revolution Chapter 1 The following is a summary in Hindi and English for the academic year 2021-2022. You can save these solutions to your computer or use the Class 9 About 2.html.

    Question 1
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    Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.
    Solution

    The circumstances are described below:
    (i) The French Revolution was an uprising of the French people against autocracy and aristocracy. The French society was a feudal one ridden with inequalities. The clergy and the nobles belonged to the privileged class. They led a life of luxury and they exploited the common people. The peasants and workers, which consisted of the vast population, were compelled to live a wretched life. They were forced to pay heavy taxes and to do forced labours.

    (ii) The social inequalities and luxurious life of the clergy and nobles created discontentment and restlessness among the common people. The kings of France were absolute rulers. They believed in the Theory of Divine Rights of Kingship. They claimed themselves to be the representatives of God on earth.

    (iii) There were different laws in different areas and absence of any uniform system made the confusion worse confouned. People were really fed up with such a rotten system of government.

    (iv) In the second part of the 18th century, there was an intellectual Renaissance in France. The Great French philosophers like Montesquieu, Rousseau and Voltaire exploited the social shortcomings. They fanned the flame of revolution. The American Revolution and Declaration of Independence by American revolutionaries roused the people of France to overthrow the oppressive king and his nobility.

    (v) In 1788, there spread a severe famine in many parts of France. People suffering from hunger assembled in streets of Paris. The state treasure had fallen empty. Emperor Louis XVI was compelled to summon a meeting of the Estate General in 1789 after a lapse of 175 years. The first two Estates i.e., the clergy and nobility refused to have a common meeting with the Third Estate. It generated much excitement and lost their temper. With the meeting of Estate General on the 5th May, 1789 the French Revolution began.

    Question 2
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    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?
    Solution

    The Third Estate hugely benefited from revolution. This comprised the professional classes, small and big businessmen, small and big peasants, landless labourers and servants. Most of them got land to till, the burden of taxation was removed and rule of law was established.

    The First and Second Estate were forced to relinquish power, the churches were shutdown and the church property was confiscated. The predominance of First and Second Estate over administration, social and economic privileges were abolished and equality was established.

    The common people were disappointed with the outcome of the revolution. Although principles of equality, liberty and fraternity were implemented in France, the French society remained a divided house between haves and havenots. 

    Question 3
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    Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the people of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
    Solution

    The legacy of the French Revolution for the people of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are described below:
    (i)Impact on England: The French Revolution made deep effects on the neighbouring country of England. In the beginning English reacted very happily to the French Revolution. They gave it the name “Dawn of a new era”. But the ‘Reign of Terror’ in France frightened the English. Burke who was in favour of French Revolution began to oppose it. He adopted a policy of repression.


    (ii)Impact on America: French Revolution made a great effect on American sub-continent. France abolished slavery from its colonies. Haiti, a colony of France, became a democratic country. Soon after, the revolutions spread in North as well as in South America to end the foreign rule and to establish republics. All the colonies under Portugal and Spain became independent. These had been encouraged by French Revolution about their success. In these independent countries also, slavery was abolished because it was against the principle of equality enunciated by France.

    (iii)French Revolution inspired the world with the following ideas :

    Equality: Equality was a principle of French Revolution. This removed the distinction between the poor and the rich. Every government began to give equal rights to the rich and the poor.

    Liberty: Before the French Revolution, freedom meant political freedom but now freedom meant social and religious freedom too. The welfare of the people was to be the duty of the king. Therefore, they were no longer absolute kings.

    Fraternity: The idea of fraternity also got an impetus from French Revolution.

    Democracy: Monarchical systems yielded place to the democratic system.

    Welfare of the people: Now every government began to think about the welfare of the people as its duty. The children were stopped from working in the factories. The conditions in the factories were improved. A number of steps were taken to improve the working conditions in the mines.
    Question 4
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    Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution.
    Solution

    The following democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution:


    (i) Law is the expression of the general will. All citizens have the right to participate in its formation, personally or through their representatives. All citizens are equal before it.

    (ii)No man may be accused, arrested or detained, except in cases determined by the law.

    (iii)Every citizen may speak, write and print freely; he must take responsibility for the abuse of such liberty in cases determined by the law.

    (iv)For the maintenance of the public force and for the expenses of administration a common tax is indispensable; it must be assessed equally on all citizens in proportion to their means.

    (v)Since property is a sacred and inviolable right, no one may be deprived of it, unless a legally established public necessity requires. In that case, a just compensation must be given in advance.
    Question 5
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    Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions? Explain.
    Solution

    The message of universal rights was beset with contradictions. 


    (i)The Constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly, which was indirectly elected. That is, citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the Assembly.
    (ii)Not all citizens, however, 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 wage were given the status of active citizens, that is, they were entitled to vote.
    (ii)The remaining men and all women were classed as passive citizens. To qualify as an elector and then as a member of the Assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket of taxpayers.

    Question 6
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    How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?
    Solution
    The rise of Napolean:
    (i)In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France. He set out to conquer neighbouring European countries, dispossessing dynasties and creating kingdoms where he placed members of his family.
    (ii)Napoleon saw his role as a moderniser of Europe. He introduced many laws such as the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the decimal system.
    (iii)Initially, many saw Napoleon as a liberator who would bring freedom for the people. But soon the Napoleonic armies came to be viewed everywhere as an invading force. He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
    (iv)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
    Question 7
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    What is Bastille?

    • Fort

    • Palace

    • Jail

    • None of these
    Solution

    C.

    Jail

    Question 9
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    Who was Louis XVI ?

    • King of France

    • King of Britain

    • A Baron

    • An artist of France
    Solution

    A.

    King of France

    Question 10
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    What was the Tithe?

    • Farmer

    • Tax

    • Artist

    • None of these
    Solution

    B.

    Tax

    Question 13
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    Who was J.J. Rousseau?

    • King

    • Philosopher

    • An aristocrat

    • Clergy
    Solution

    B.

    Philosopher

    Question 15
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    Who wrote ‘The Spirit of Laws’?

    • Rousseau

    • John Lock

    • Montesquieu

    • Adam Smith
    Solution

    C.

    Montesquieu

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    Question 22
    CBSEENSS9008322
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    Who opposed the Divine Right Theory of Kingship?

    • Voltaire

    • John Locke

    • Jacobins

    • Louis XVI
    Solution

    B.

    John Locke

    Question 25
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    By whom was ‘Social Contract’ written?

    • Voltaire

    • Rousseau

    • Adam Smith

    • Gorky
    Solution

    B.

    Rousseau

    Question 26
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    When was the Bastille stormed?
    Solution

    The Bastille was stormed on 14th July, 1789.

    Question 27
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    Which French emperor had helped the American colonies to gain independence?
    Solution

    Louis XVI was the French emperor who had helped the American colonies to gain independence.

    Question 28
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    Who was Marie Antoinette?
    Solution

    Marie Antoinette was the Austrian princess maried  Louis XVI.

    Question 29
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    Which section of society had comprised the First and Second Estate?
    Solution

    Clergy comprised the First Estate and nobility comprised the Second Estate.

    Question 30
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    Which section of the society comprised the Third Estate?
    Solution

    Businessmen, merchants, professional classes, peasants, artisans, small peasants, landless labourers and servants comprised  the Third Estate.

    Question 31
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    Which was the tax levied on peasants and collected by the churches?
    Solution

    Tithe was the tax levied on peasants and collected by churches.

    Question 32
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    Which philosopher had written the book ‘The Social Contract’ ?
    Solution

    Rousseau had written, ‘The Social Contract’.

    Question 33
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    Who had written ‘The Spirit of Laws’?
    Solution

    Montesquieu had written ‘The Spirit of Laws’.

    Question 34
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    When did the Battle of Waterloo take place?
    Solution

    The Battle of Waterloo took place in 1815.

    Question 35
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    What were National Guards?
    Solution

    The Revolutionary Commune had established a revolutionary police force known as the National Guards.

    Question 36
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    What is meant by an ‘Infamous thing’?
    Solution

    It was the name given to church by Voltaire.

    Question 37
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    Who was the leader of the Jacobins?
    Solution

    Robespierre was the leader of the Jacobins.

    Question 38
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    Who was Necker?
    Solution

    Necker was a popular minister of Louis XVI.

    Question 39
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    When had the  France become a Republic?
    Solution

    The convention abolished the monarchy and delcared France republic on 21 Sept. 1792.

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    Question 40
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    Which three events occurred in Europe that changed the modern world ?
    Solution

    The events are:
    (i)The French Revolution.

    (ii)The Russian Revoultion.

    (iii) Rise and fall of Nazism and Fascism in Germany and Italy respectively.

    Question 41
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    What was Estate General?
    Solution

    Estate General was a political body of France to which three classes or estates used to sent their representatives.

    Question 42
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    What was The Guillotine?
    Solution

    The guillotine is a device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person is beheaded. It was named after Dr Guillotin who invented it.

    Question 43
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    Who was Babeuf?
    Solution

    Babeuf was a revolutionary of France who wanted to establish an era of equality in France after the revolution. He had organised a secret society 'Society of Equals' which planned an uprising. 

    Question 44
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    State any three impact of French Revolution on France.
    Solution
    The impacts:
    (i)Feudalism of France was thrown away by the people.


    (ii) Privileges of church, nobles were abolished.

    (iii)Monarchy was abolished and Republic was established in France.

    Question 45
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    What do you know about Louis XVI?
    Solution

    Louis XVI:
    (i)Louis XVI was from the Bourbon family of kings, who  ascended the throne of France In 1774.
    (ii)He was 20 years old when he got married to the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette.
    (iii)Under Louis XVI, France helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from the common enemy, Britain.

    Question 46
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    Describe the ideals of Rousseau with regard to French Revolution.
    Solution
    Rousseau (1712-1778):
    (i)Rousseau had described his ideas in his book ‘Social Contract'. He propounded that the people are the real masters of the state and the king rules with their consent.
    (ii)Thus under the influence of the writings of Rousseau, people of France began to agitate for a revolution. Somebody had rightly said, 'But for Rousseau there had been no French Revolution'.

    (iii)He declared that all political organizations were tyrannical and open to abuses. 'Man was born free but he was everywhere in chains'. He propounded the idea of sovereignty of people.
    Question 47
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    Discuss the ideals of  Montesquieu and its impact on other nation.
    Solution

    The ideals of  Montesquieu and its impact are discussed below:

    (i)Montesquieu had authoured a book named, The Spirit of the Laws, where he  proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
    (ii)This model of government was put into force in the USA, after the thirteen colonies declared their independence from Britain.
    (iii)The American constitution and its guarantee of individual rights was an important example for political thinkers, Montesquie.

    Question 48
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    Describe the role of the Jacobins in the revolution.
    Solution
    The role of the Jacobins:
    (i)The extreme section of the Revolutionary party was called the Jacobins and the chief leaders were Danton and Robespierre.

    (ii)Robespierre became the dictator after sending Danton to the scaffold. He executed all moderated revolutionaries. Soon there was a reaction, moderates and the followers of Danton combined together and executed Robespierre on July 28, 1794.

    (iii)With the fall of Robespierre, the Commune of Paris, the Jacobin club, the Revolutionary Tribunal and the Committee of Public Safety were suppressed and the ‘Regin of Terror’ came to an end.
    Question 49
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    Explain the implication of the revolution on France.
    Solution

    The implication of the revolution on France:


    (i)A new society was organised in France. This society was organised on the basis of liberty, fraternity and equality.

    (ii)The social, economic and political discrimination come to an end for forever.
     
    (iii)The powers of the National Assembly were increased. The new laws and taxes passed by this assembly were applied to everyone.

    (iv)Monarchial system come to an end and democratic system was established in its place. The land of the nobles was sold at cheap rates to the peasants.

    (v)The rights of the clergy were reduced. Their authority was now only confined to the Church. Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were confiscated.
    Question 50
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    Mention the economic causes of the French Revolution.
    Solution
    THe causes were:
    (i)The rulers of France were very profligate. Louis XV spent money lavishly. As a result, the treasury became empty and France came under heavy debt. During the period of Louis XVI, the situation further deteriorated.

    (ii)Not only the taxes were levied unfairly, they were also not collected in a proper manner. Anybody who bade to give the highest amount of money to the king was given the right to collect taxes. The tax collectors collected maximum taxes from the people and transferred a very little amount to the government. This system of collection of the revenue was a source of great trouble for the peasants.

    (iii)The Church too extracted its share of taxes called tithes from the peasants, and finally, all members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state. These included a direct tax, called taille, and a number of indirect taxes which were levied on articles of everyday consumption like salt or tobacco. The burden of financing activities of the state through taxes was borne by the third estate alone.

    Question 51
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    A decree was passed by French National Assembly on the night of 4th August, 1789. What were they?
    Solution
    On the night of 4 August 1789, the Assembly passed a decree which are mentioned below: 

    (i)It abolished the feudal system of obligations and taxes.
    (ii)Members of the clergy too were forced to give up their privileges.
    (iii)Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were confiscated.
    Question 52
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    What were the features of French constitution of 1791?
    Solution
    The features:
    (i)The Constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly, which was indirectly elected.
    (ii)That is, citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the Assembly. Not all citizens, however, had the right to vote.
    (iii)Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the status of active citizens, that is, they were entitled to vote. 

    (iv)The remaining men and all women were classed as passive citizens.
    (v)To qualify as an elector and then as a member of the Assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket of taxpayers.
    Question 53
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    Write a  brief note on the abolition of slavery in France.
    Solution
    The abolition of slavery:
    (i) The most revolutionary social reform of Jacobin regime was the abolition of slavery in French colonies but it did not pass any laws because it felt that businessmen could oppose this step as government depended on incomes of slave trade.

    (ii) Finally in Convention of 1794, a law was passed to free all slaves in the French colonies. But it was short term measure as 10 years later, it was again introduced by Nepolean.

    (iii) Plantation owners understand their freedom as including the right to enslave African Negroes in pursuit of their economic interests. Slavery was finally abolished in French Colonies in 1848.
    Question 54
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    State the importance of Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen as a revolutionary step.
    Solution

    The importance:
    (i)The Declarations of the Rights of Man during the revolution, announced the coming of a new time. The idea that all individuals had rights and could claim equality became part of a new language of politics.

    (ii)The Constitution of 1971 began with a Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before law, were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights, that is, they belonged to each human being by birth and could not be taken away. It was the duty of the state to protect each citizen’s natural rights.
     
    Question 55
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    Mention the events that led to decline of Bastille.
    Solution
    The chain of events are mentioned below:
    (i)As the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a constitution, the rest of France seethed with turmoil. A severe winter led to bad harvest, the price of bread rose and bakers exploited the situation and hoarded supplies.

    (ii)After spending many hours in long queues at the bakery, crowd of angry women attacked the bakery shops. At the same time, the king ordered troops to move into Paris.

    (iii)On 14th July, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille. Guards of fort opened doors after the battle of 5 hours. Crowd entered the fort and make free all the captives.

    (iv)It destroyed the autocracy of king and people emerged victorious. This event is famous with the event of Bastille in the history of France. This historical event is known as first blow to French ancient system.
    Question 56
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    Explain some of the basic rights of women set forth in ‘Olympe de Gouges'.
    Solution
    The basic rights of women are explained below:
    (i) Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights.

    (ii) The goal of all political associations is the preservation of the natural rights of woman and man. These rights are liberty, property, security and above all resistance to oppression.

    (iii) The source of all sovereignty resides in the nation, which is nothing but the union of woman and man.

    (iv) The law should be the expression of the general will, all female and male citizens should have a say either personally or by their representatives in its formulation.

    (v) No woman is an exception, she is accused, arrested and detained in cases determined by law, woman, like man, obey this rigorous law.
    Question 57
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    Why was Robespierre reign termed as reign of terror?
    Solution
    The reasons are mentioned below:
    (i)Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment.
    (ii)All those whom he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the republic – ex-nobles and clergy, members of other political parties, even members of his own party who did not agree with his methods – were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal.
    (iii)If the court found them ‘guilty’ they were guillotined.
    Question 58
    CBSEENSS9008358
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    State the political causes of French Revolution.
    Solution
    The political causes are explained below:
    (i)The kings of France were absolute rulers. They believed in the Theory of Divine Right of Kingship. They claimed to be the representatives of God on the Earth. Therefore, they did not consider that they had any duty towards the people. Their courtiers had signed and stamped but unfilled papers. They had just to write down the name of the person to be sent to jail.

    (ii)Inefficiency and corruption in the administration. The country was in the grip of corruption. The government offices were corrupt. They were unintelligent and incompetent. 

    (iii)All the political powers were in the hands of the king. All the representative bodies in the country had either ended or were a tool in the hands of the king. The king imposed taxes on the people at his own will. He also spent the money collected through taxes as he liked.

    (iv)The law of the country were not uniform. There were different laws worked in different parts of the country. In all, there were about 400 laws in operation in France. There were separate laws for the rich and poor. The revolution could hardly be prevented in the country where no regard was shown to the law or the legal system.

    (v)There was a lot of discontentment in the army. There were no avenues of promotion for the ordinary solidiers. This discontentment also contributed to the French Revolution.

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