The French Revolution: CBSE Class 9 History Chapter 1

Understanding the Causes of the French Revolution

The French Revolution didn't happen overnight. It was the result of decades of simmering anger and hardship. To understand it, we must look at the key causes:

1. Social Causes: French society in the late 18th century was divided into three rigid social classes called Estates. This 'Ancien Régime' or Old Regime was deeply unfair.

• The First Estate (Clergy): The church officials. They owned about 10% of the land and enjoyed immense wealth and privilege, including exemption from paying taxes to the state.
• The Second Estate (Nobility): The noble class. They held the top positions in the army and government, controlled vast lands, and were also exempt from most taxes.
• The Third Estate (Everyone Else): This was about 97% of the population! It included peasants, city workers, merchants, lawyers, and doctors. This diverse group bore the entire burden of taxes but had no political power or social standing.

2. Economic Causes: France was on the verge of bankruptcy. Long years of war, including helping the American colonies in their fight for independence, had drained the treasury. The extravagant lifestyle of King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, at the Palace of Versailles added to the debt. To make matters worse, a series of bad harvests led to a subsistence crisis, where the price of bread—the staple food—skyrocketed, making it impossible for the poor to feed their families.

3. Political Causes: King Louis XVI was an absolute monarch who ruled by divine right. However, he was an indecisive leader who failed to address the country's problems. The people had no voice in the government, and any opposition was brutally suppressed.

4. Intellectual Causes (The Role of Philosophers): Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Montesquieu spread new ideas. Locke argued against the divine right of monarchs. Rousseau proposed a social contract between the people and their representatives. Montesquieu advocated for a division of power within the government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. These ideas inspired the Third Estate to question the existing system and demand a more just and equal society.

A Timeline of Key Revolutionary Events

1. May 1789: The Estates-General — King Louis XVI calls a meeting of the Estates-General (an assembly of representatives from all three estates) to approve new taxes. The Third Estate demands that voting be done by head (one person, one vote) rather than by estate, but the King refuses. This leads to the Third Estate declaring itself the National Assembly.
2. June 1789: The Tennis Court Oath — Locked out of their usual meeting hall, members of the National Assembly gather in an indoor tennis court and swear an oath not to disband until they have drafted a constitution for France.
3. July 14, 1789: Storming of the Bastille — An angry mob attacks the Bastille, a medieval fortress and prison in Paris, which symbolized the despotic power of the king. This event is considered the official start of the French Revolution.
4. August 1789: Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen — The National Assembly issues a revolutionary document that guarantees rights such as liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. It proclaims that all men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
5. 1791: France becomes a Constitutional Monarchy — A new constitution is drafted, limiting the powers of the monarch and creating a legislative assembly. However, political rights are only given to the richer sections of society.
6. 1793-1794: The Reign of Terror — The radical Jacobin club, led by Maximilien Robespierre, takes control. France is declared a Republic, and King Louis XVI is executed. A period of severe control and punishment follows, where thousands suspected of being 'enemies' of the revolution are guillotined.
7. 1799: The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte — After the fall of the Jacobin government, the Directory (a five-man executive) proves to be politically unstable. A military general, Napoleon Bonaparte, seizes power in a coup d'état, ending the French Revolution and establishing his own rule.

Exam Tips: How to Score Well on This Chapter

When answering questions on the French Revolution, remember to be specific. Don't just say 'the social structure was unfair.' Instead, name the Three Estates and explain the specific privileges of the First and Second Estates versus the burdens on the Third Estate. Similarly, when mentioning taxes, name them: the 'taille' (a direct tax), and 'tithes' (a tax levied by the Church). When discussing the role of philosophers, name at least one, like Rousseau, and his core idea, like the 'Social Contract'. Structuring your answers with clear points for political, social, and economic causes will make them more impressive and easier for the examiner to mark.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Describe the society of France during the late eighteenth century. How was the 'Ancien Régime' structured?
  A: Step 1: Introduce the concept of the 'Ancien Régime' and the Three Estates. French society in the late 18th century, also known as the Ancien Régime (Old Regime), was divided into three social classes called estates.
  Step 2: Describe the First Estate. The First Estate consisted of the clergy (church officials). They enjoyed significant privileges, owned large amounts of land, and were exempt from paying state taxes.
  Step 3: Describe the Second Estate. The Second Estate was composed of the nobility. They held top government and military positions, possessed feudal privileges over peasants, and were also exempt from most taxes.
  Step 4: Describe the Third Estate. The Third Estate comprised about 97% of the population. It included a wide range of people, from big businessmen, merchants, and lawyers to peasants and small artisans. This entire estate bore the burden of all taxes but lacked any political power or social rights.
  Final answer: The French society during the late eighteenth century was a rigid, unequal system of Three Estates where the privileged First and Second Estates lived off the labor and taxes of the vast, unprivileged Third Estate.

• Q: What was the subsistence crisis in France? How did it contribute to the outbreak of the revolution?
  A: Step 1: Define subsistence crisis. A subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered. In 18th century France, this meant a severe shortage of food, particularly bread.
  Step 2: Explain the causes of the crisis. The population of France grew significantly from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains. However, grain production could not keep pace with demand. Bad harvests, often caused by drought or hail, made the situation worse.
  Step 3: Describe the economic impact. The gap between demand and supply caused the price of bread, the staple diet of the majority, to rise rapidly. Wages for laborers did not increase at the same rate. This meant the poor could no longer afford to buy bread.
  Step 4: Link it to the revolution. The subsistence crisis led to widespread anger and desperation among the common people. Food riots became common. This economic hardship, combined with the unfair tax system, fueled the people's resentment against the King and the privileged estates, making them ready for revolt.
  Final answer: The subsistence crisis, caused by population growth and poor harvests, led to soaring bread prices and widespread hunger. This economic distress amplified the social and political grievances, pushing the French populace towards revolution.

• Q: What role did women play in the French Revolution?
  A: Step 1: Describe the initial participation of women. Women were active participants in the events of the revolution from the very beginning. They hoped that their involvement would lead to improvements in their lives. For example, women marched to Versailles in October 1789 to demand bread and force the king back to Paris.
  Step 2: Explain their organized efforts. Women formed their own political clubs and newspapers to discuss and voice their interests. The 'Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women' was one of the most famous. Their main demand was for equal political rights, including the right to vote.
  Step 3: Mention the disappointments. The revolutionary government did not grant women equal political rights. The Constitution of 1791 reduced them to 'passive citizens'. During the Reign of Terror, the government banned women's clubs and political activities.
  Step 4: Discuss the long-term legacy. Although their immediate demands were not met, the role of women in the revolution kept the issue of women's rights alive. Some revolutionary laws did improve their lives, such as the creation of state schools and making divorce legal. The fight for the vote, however, continued in France for almost 200 years, finally being won in 1946.
  Final answer: Women were active participants in the French Revolution, forming clubs and demanding equal rights. While the revolutionary governments largely denied them political equality, their struggle laid the foundation for future feminist movements and secured some immediate social improvements.

• Q: What was the 'Reign of Terror' and who was its main architect?
  A: Step 1: Define the period. The 'Reign of Terror' refers to the period from 1793 to 1794 in France when the revolution became extremely radical and violent.
  Step 2: Identify the leader and his policy. The leader of this phase was Maximilien Robespierre, head of the Jacobin club and the powerful Committee of Public Safety. He followed a policy of severe control and punishment to consolidate the revolution.
  Step 3: Describe the methods used. Robespierre saw anyone who disagreed with his methods—ex-nobles, clergy, members of other political parties, and even members of his own party—as 'enemies of the republic'. They were arrested, tried by a revolutionary tribunal, and if found guilty, executed by the guillotine.
  Step 4: Explain the end of the Terror. Robespierre's policies became so extreme that his own supporters turned against him. He was eventually arrested and guillotined in July 1794, which marked the end of the Reign of Terror.
  Final answer: The Reign of Terror (1793-94) was a violent period led by Maximilien Robespierre, where thousands were executed by the guillotine as 'enemies of the republic'. It ended with Robespierre's own execution.

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