NCERT 9th Class (CBSE) Social Science: The French Revolution

Question: Mention the privileges enjoyed by the estates.

Answer:

1. The 1st and 2nd estates did not had to pay taxes.
2. The children of the 3rd estates were bound to become what their father/mother we. For eg: Peasant’s son will become a peasant and an artisan’s son will become an artisan only. There was no restriction for the 1st estate. The 3rd state had to pay taxes.

Question: Explain the following: (a) Livres (b) Tithes (c) Taille

Answer:

1. Livres: Unit of currency in France, discontinued in 1794.
2. Tithes: A tax lived by the church, comprising one-tenth of the agriculture produce.
3. Taille: Tax to be paid directly to the state.

Question: Why did the Price of staple diet rose rapidly? What was the staple diet of French in 1789?

Answer: The Price rose rapidly because of increase in population. The population of France in 1715 was 23 million and the staple diet of the majority in France, also due to fixed cuages and reduced havert.

Question: What do you understand by subsistence crisis? You can take help of a diagram.

Answer: Subsistence crisis is an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered.

Question: What was the divide between the third estate?

Answer: The Eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of social groups, termed the middle class which emerged from 3rd estate who earned their wealth through on expanding overseas trade and from the manufacture of goods such as wooden and silk textiles that were either exported bu rich members of society. The middle class emerged from 3rd estate:

3rd estate

Big businessmen merchants court officials, lawyers etc.

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Peasants and artisans

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Small peasants, landless labors, servants etc.

IMPORTANT DATES:

1. 1774 – Louis XVI ascended the throne of France
2. 1715 – Rise in French Population
3. 5 May, 1789 – Louis XVI called an assembly of estates General to pass proposal for for new taxes.
4. 20 June, 1789 – Third estate representatives declared themselves as National Assembly.
5. 14 July, 1789 – Bastille was stormed.
6. 14 August, 1789 – Feudal system was abolished
7. 1791 – National assembly completed the draft of the constitution.