History Worksheet - 1

Chapter-1 (The French Revolution)

Answer the following questions on the basis of your reading of the Chapter:

Q1. The French society in the eighteenth century was divided into ________, ________ and ________
estates.

Q2. From among the three estates, only the members of the ________ estate paid taxes, while ________
and ________ enjoyed certain privileges by birth.

Q3. Fill the blanks by identifying the terminologies:

a. ________ was the unit of currency in France which got discontinued in 1794.
b. Taille was the ________.
c. ________ was the group of persons invested with special functions in the church.
d. Tithe was the ________.

Q4. Upon becoming the new king, ________ (mention name) in ________ (mention year) found that the
long years of war had drained the financial resources of France.

Q5. The term ‘Old Regime’ is usually used to describe the society and institutions of France before the
year ________.

Q6. The increase in population of France from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789 led to a
rapid increase in the demand for ________.

Q7. A situation called ________ crisis occurred frequently in France during Old Regime as the gap
between the rich and poor widened when even the price of bread could not be afforded by the poor.

Q8. In the eighteenth century social groups termed as ________ emerged, who earned their wealth
through expanding overseas trade.
Q9. Describe the conditions of France before French Revolution.

Q10. Describe the system of estates in the French society in eighteenth century.

Q11. What were the various taxes paid by the French people?

Q12. What do you mean by subsistence crisis? What were the various reasons of this crisis in France
before the revolution?

Q13. Give a brief description of the middle class in French society.

Q14. What were the ideas of philosophers spread in France before the revolution?

Q15. How did the idea of philosophers spread in the French society?

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Answers

Q1.

1. 1st Estate – Clergy

Q2. 3rd Estate. 1st Estate and 2nd Estate

Q3.

a) Livre
b) Tax to be paid directly to the state
c) Clergy
d) Tax imposed by the church, comprising 1/10th of the agricultural produce

Q4. Louise XVI in 1774

Q5. 1789

Q6. Food grains

Q7. Subsistence crisis

Q8. Middle class

Q9. Describe the conditions of France before French Revolution.

Ans Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. Added to this was the cost of
maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles. Under Louis XVI, France helped the
thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from the common enemy, Britain. The war added
more than a billion livres to a debt that had already risen to more than 2 billion livres. Lenders who gave
the state credit, now began to charge 10 per cent interest on loans. To meet its regular expenses, such as
the cost of maintaining an army, the court, running government offices or universities, the state was
forced to increase taxes. French society in the eighteenth century was divided into three estates, and only
members of the third estate paid taxes.

Q10. Describe the system of estates in the French society in eighteenth century.
Ans
1st Estate
Clergy

2nd Estate
Nobility
 3rd Estate
Big businessmen,
merchants, court officials,
lawyers etc.

Peasants and artisans

Small peasants, landless

The system of estates in French society was organized Peasants made up about 90 per cent of the
population. However, only a small number of them owned the land they cultivated. About 60 per cent of
the land was owned by nobles, the Church and other richer members of the third estate. The members of
the first two estates, that is, the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed certain privileges by birth. The most
important of these was exemption from paying taxes to the state. The nobles further enjoyed feudal
privileges. Peasants were obliged to render services to the lord – to work in his house and fields – to serve
in the army or to participate in building roads.

Q11. What were the various taxes paid by the French people?

Ans The Church 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.

Tithes – A tax levied by the church, comprising one-tenth of the agricultural produce.

Taille – Tax to be paid directly to the state.

Q12. What do you mean by subsistence crisis? What were the various reasons of this crisis in France
before the revolution?

Ans Subsistence crisis – An extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood are endangered.

The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. This led to a rapid
increase in the demand for foodgrains. Production of grains could not keep pace with the demand. So the
price of bread which was the staple diet of the majority rose rapidly. Most workers were employed as
labourers in 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 a subsistence crisis.
Q13. Give a brief description of the middle class in French society.

Ans The eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of social groups, termed the middle class, who
earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and from the manufacture of goods such as
woollen and silk textiles that were either exported or bought by the richer members of society. In addition
to merchants and manufacturers, the third estate included professions such as lawyers or administrative
officials. All of these were educated and believed that no group in society should be privileged by birth.
Rather, a person’s social position must depend on his merit.

Q14. What were the ideas of philosophers spread in France before the revolution?

Ans Ideas of French philosophers envisaged a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities
for all. Philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau spread such ideas. In his Two Treatises
of Government, Locke sought to refute the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.
Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on a social

contract between people and their representatives. In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu proposed a
division of power within the government between the legislative, the executive and the judiciary. This

model of government was put into force in the USA, after the thirteen colonies declared their
independence from Britain.

Q15. How did the idea of philosophers spread in the French society?
Ans The ideas of the philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee-houses and spread
among people through books and newspapers. These were frequently read aloud in groups for the benefit
of those who could not read and write. The news that Louis XVI planned to impose further taxes to be
able to meet the expenses of the state generated anger and protest against the system of privileges.
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