NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Social Science (History) Chapter 1 The French Revolution

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 9th

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Class : 9th
Subject : History
Chapter : 1
Chapter Name : The French Revolution

Q1 Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.

Answer. The circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France were:
Social Inequality: French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates
namely
The Clergy, The nobility and third estates. First estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility
enjoyed certain privileges by birth. They were exempt from paying taxes. The Third estate
comprises of businessmen, merchants, Peasants and artisans, labours had to pay taxes to the
state. Political Causes: Long years of war had drained the nancial resources of France. France
had a debt of more than 2 billion livres. To meet its regular expenses, such as the cost of
maintaining an army, the court, running government of ces or universities, the state was
forced to increase taxes which angered the people.

Economic Problems: The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28
million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. The price of bread shot up. Wages did
not keep pace with rising prices. This led to subsistence crisis. Strong Middle Class: A new
middle class emerged educated and wealthy during the eighteenth century. They believed that
no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Ideas of equality and freedom were put
forward by philosophers. The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons
and coffeehouses and spread among people.

Immediate Causes: On 5 may, 1789, Louis XVI called together an assembly of Estates
General to pass proposals for new taxes. Third estates protested against this proposal
but as each estate have one vote, the king rejected this appeal. They walked out of the
assembly.

Q2 Which groups of French society bene ted 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. It was the richer members of the third estate who mostly bene ted from the French
Revolution. The clergy and the nobility were forced to relinquish (surrender) their power. The

poor class of third estate and women would have been disappointed with the outcome of the
revolution as the promise of equality, discussed during the revolution was not given. The
poorer classes had no right to vote.

Q3 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. It inspired the Germans, Italians, and Austrians
to overthrow their oppressive regimes. The French Revolution inspired the struggling nations
of Asia and Africa who were groaning under the oppression of European colonialism. Tipu
Sultan and Rajaram Mohan Roy are examples of individuals who responded to ideas coming
from French revolution.

Q4 Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the
French Revolution.

Answer. We can trace the origin of the following democratic rights we enjoy today to the
French revolution: Right to Equality before law Freedom of Speech and expression Right
against exploitation Right to justice.

Q5 Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with
contradictions? Explain.

Answer. Yes, the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions:
Law is the expression of the general will. All citizens have the right to participate in its
formation, personally or through their representatives. - In this line, it is stated that every
citizen has the right to participate in the law however only men above 25 years of age who paid
taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer's wage were given voting right. The remaining men
and all women were classed as passive citizens and were deprived of voting rights. Hence, the
message of universal rights was not very clear. The Constitution is only available for the rich.
Women were totally neglected in decision making.

Q6 How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?

Answer. After Robespierre's rule came to an end a directory was formed to avoid concentration

Book - India And The Contemporary World-I Ncert Solutions | Chapter-1 History

of power in one individual. Members of the directory often fought among themselves leading
to total chaos and political instability. This created a political vacuum in France. This was a
conducive situation and Napoleon Bonaparte took the reign of power as a military dictator.
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.