CBSE and NCERT Solution

Write a response to the following arguments against democracy : (a) Army is the most disciplined and corruption-free organization in the country. Therefore army should rule the county. (b) Rule of the majority means the rule of ignorant people. What we need is the rule of the wise, even if they are in small numbers. (c) If we want religious leaders to guide us in spiritual matter, why not invite them to guide us in politics as well. The country should be ruled by religious leaders. Ans. A democracy is the government formed by people’s representatives which arc elected in a free and fair election. The Army is integral in protecting the country but it is not elected by the people, hence it cannot form a democratic government. The second statement is not true as all people are intelligent to some extent. The third statement is not true as bringing religion into politics can cause serious conflict.

Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Ans. Following are the legacy of the French Revolution for the people of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. (i) It adopted the inspiring ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity which spread from the France to the rest of Europe and further to rest of the world. These ideals became the basic policy of a democracy for every country in the 19th and 20th century. (ii) It brought to an end the rule of monarch and led to the creation of sovereign nation state. (iii) It freed the peasantry from the despotism of the autocracy and church and signalled the advent of capitalism. (iv) It led to the socio-political changes in other parts of Europe and inspired the world with its ideals. Feudal systems were abolished first in France and spread from France to rest of Europe. Colonised people reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to ...

Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions ? Explain. Ans. Yes, the message of universal rights was beset with many contradictions. The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen with which the Constitution of 1791 began, was the first attempt towards the making of universal rights on a large scale. However it had many ideals which contradicted that being said in the Declaration of Rights : (i) Not all citizens 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 entitled to vote. Thus, it denied the voting rights to majority of the common people who led the revolution. (ii) Women who were the active participants in the revolution did not enjoy the same political rights as men. They were denied the right to vote and even their wages were not equal to those of men. (iii) The French Revolution popularised the ideals of liberty and democratic rights, however it ended in F...

Explain the impact of French Revolution on France in everyday life of the people. Ans. (i) The French Revolution provided new laws granting liberty and equality to the people. (ii) The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen provided for equality of all before law, eligibility of all for public offices, freedom from arrest or punishment without a proven cause and right to freedom of speech and expression. (iii) Burden of taxes was to be borne by all and the people were guaranteed religious freedom. (iv) The right to vote and right to revolt were given to the people. (v) Censorship was abolished and the mass media openly discussed the events and changes taking place in France. Freedom of press meant that opposing views of events could be expressed. (vi) New reforms were introduced in education, administration and the judiciary.

What did the following symbols convey in the Declaration of Rights ? (i) The broken chain (ii) The bundle of rods or fasces (iii) Sceptre (iv) Snake biting its tail to form a ring (v) Red Phrygian cap (vi) The law tablet. Ans. (i) The broken chain : Chain were used to fetter slaves. A broken chain stands for the act of becoming free. (ii) The bundle of rods or fasces : One rod can be easily broken, but not an entire bundle, strength lies in unity. (iii) Sceptre : Symbol of royal power.  (iv) Snake biting its tail to form a ring : Symbol of eternity. A ring has neither beginning nor end. (v) Red Phrygian cap : Cap worn by a slave upon becoming free. (vi) The law tablet : The law is the same for all, and all are equal before it.

Explain the conditions of women in France before and after the revolution Ans. Conditions of women before French Revolution: (i) Most women of the Third Estate had to work for a living. They worked as seamstresses or laundresses, sold flowers, fruits and vegetables at the market, or were employed as domestic servants in the houses of prosperous people.  (ii) Most women did not have access to education or job training. Only daughters of nobles of wealthier members of the third estate could study at a convent. (iii) Working women had also to care for their families, that is, cook, fetch water, queue up for bread, and look after the children. (iv) Their wages were lower than those of men. (v) In order to discuss and voice their interests, women started their own political clubs and newspapers. About 60 women’s clubs came up in different French cities. Condition of women after the French Revolution: (i) Women were disappointed that the Constitution of 1791 reduced them to passive citiz...

Explain the conditions of France before the French Revolution with special reference to women’s status in the society. Ans. The conditions of France before the French Revolution : (i) The French king drove France into useless wars bringing the country to the verge of bankruptcy. (ii) French society was divided into three main classes called ‘estates’. The first estate constituted the clergy, the nobility consisted of the second estate and the rest of the population constituted the third estate. The first two estates were the privileged ones and exempted from all taxes while the third estate shouldered the burden of taxation and had few privileges. (iii) France was a centralized monarchy and the people had no share in decision making. Administration was disorganized, corrupt and inefficient. The defective system of tax collection and oppression created discontentment. The status of women in the society was as follows: (i) Most women had no access to education or any kind of job training...

 Despite various reforms introduced by Robespierre, why was his reign termed as reign of terror? Ans. The Jacobin government under Robespierre abolished monarchy and declared France as a Republic, a form of government where people elect the government, including the head of the state. Inspite of bringing these landmark changes, his period from 1793 to 1794 was referred to as a reign of terror. (i) He followed a policy of severe control and punishment. (ii) All those who opposed him were considered enemies of the republic, were arrested, imprisoned and tried by a revolutionary tribunal. (iii) If found guilty they were guillotined.

 Describe the causes for the fall of Jacobin government in France. Ans. (i) The Jacobin government in France was based on extreme measures. The period from 1793-1794 is referred to as the reign of terror. Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment. (ii) All those he saw as being ‘enemies’ of the republic-ex nobles and clergy, even members of his own party who did not agree with his methods-were arrested, imprisoned and guillotined. This led to chaos and resentment among the people. (iii) Robespierre’s government ordered shutting down of churches and converting church buildings into barricades or offices. Thus the clergy turned against the Jacobin regime and hastened its fall. (iv) Robespierre pursued his policies so relentlessly that even his supporters turned against the Jacobin regime and hastened its fall. (v) They began to demand moderation and a middle path. Finally, he himself was tried by a court in July 1794, arrested and guillotined.

In which manner did insurrection by Parisians revolutionise France? Ans. (i) The Jacobin Club was the most successful political club in revolutionary France. (ii) It was an important rallying point for people who wished to discuss government policies and plan their own form of action. (iii) In the summer of 1792, the Jacobins planned an insurrection of a large number of Parisians who were angered by the short supplies and high prices of food. (iv) On the morning of 10th August, an angry crowd stormed the Palace of the Tuileries. (v) They massacred the king’s guards and held the king himself as hostage for several hours. (vi) Later, the National Assembly voted to imprison the royal family. Then elections were held. (vii) From now on, all men of 21 years and above, regardless of wealth, got the right to vote. (viii) The newly elected assembly was called the Convention. It abolished the monarchy on 21st September, 1792 and declared France a Republic.

List the events leading to the formation of National Assembly. Ans. (i) The National Assembly was formed on June 20, 1789 by representatives of the third estate. (ii) To raise new taxes, Louis XVI had convened the Estate General on May 5, 1789 at Versailles. (iii) All the three estates were represented. Voting was to be conducted on the old principle - each estate having one vote. The Third Estate represented by its 600 educated and prosperous members demanded voting be conducted by the Assembly as a whole where each member would have one vote. (iv) Louis XVI’s rejection of the proposal led to a walk out by the third estate. The representatives regarded themselves as spokesmen for the whole of France. (v) On the tennis grounds of Versailles, they declared themselves a National Assembly.

Discuss the participation of women in political clubs, their activities and  demands. Ans. (i) Women played an important role in various activities. In order to discuss and voice their interests women started their own political clubs and newspapers. About sixty women’s clubs came up in different French cities. (ii) The society of Revolutionary and Republican Women was the most famous of them, their main demands were that (a) Women should be given the same political rights as men. (b) The right to vote, to be elected to the Assembly and to hold political office. (iii) In the early years, the revolutionary government did introduce laws that helped improve the lives of women. Together with the creation of state schools, schooling was made compulsory for all girls. Their fathers could no longer force them into marriage against their will. Marriage was made into a contract entered into freely and registered under civil law. Divorce was made legal, and could be applied for by both women...

 What is the significance of ‘The Tennis Court Oath’ in the French Revolution? Ans . (i) The representatives of the third estate viewed themselves as spokesmen for the whole French nation. (ii) They assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in the grounds of Versailles on 20th June, 1789. They declared themselves as a National Assembly. (iii) They swore not to disperse until they had drafted a Constitution for France which would curtail the power of the monarch. (iv) Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes were the prominent leaders of the National Assembly. (v) Thus, it heralded the awakening of the French people to revolt against the oppression by the privileged classes, which led to the revolution.

Write down the causes of French Revolution and the principles on which it was based.  OR    Explain various causes that led to the outbreak of French Revolution. Ans. (i) Unjust Taxation : The members of the First and Second Estate were exempted from paying taxes to the state. All the taxes were paid by the members of the Third Estate. (ii) Social Disparity : In the 17th century, the French society was divided into three groups, called the estates. The members of the first two estates that is the clergy and the nobility, enjoyed certain privileges by birth. The people belonging to the third estate did not had any privilege. Above all the peasants of this category were obliged to render services to the feudal lords. (iii) The Rise of the Middle Class: The spread of industrial revolution led to the emergence of the middle class. It was the class of businessmen, trader, bankers, manufacturers, scholars, etc. The middle class people became the leaders of the revolution. (iv)...

What was the impact of the French Revolution on France? Ans. Impact: (i) Marked the end of absolute monarchy and paved way for the republican government. (ii) Upheld the theory of popular sovereignty and laid the foundations of democratic principles-government should be based on the consent of the governed. (iii) The slogan of equality, liberty and fraternity became the watchwords of freedom loving people all over the world. (iv) Feudalism and serfdom were abolished and the power of the clergy curbed. (v) The Jacobins gave the people the right to vote. (vi) New reforms were introduced in education, administration and the judiciary.

Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France. Ans. (i) The French government was an absolute monarchy whose ruler Louis XVI was pleasure loving and extravagant. Louis XVI drove France into useless wars bringing the country to the verge of bankruptcy. (ii) French society was divided into 3 main classes called ‘estates’. The first estate constituted the clergy, the nobility constituted the second estate and rest of the population constituted the third estate. The first two estates were the privileged ones, exempted from all taxes while the third estate shouldered the burden of taxation and had few privileges. (iii) In France, people had no share in decision-making. The French Parliament known as the Estates General had not been called for the last 175 years. Administration was corrupt, disorganized and inefficient. (iv) The economic bankruptcy of the French government aggravated the crisis and hastened the revolution. The defective system of t...

What was the impact of the French Revolution on the world? Ans. (i) It was the first national movement that adopted the ideals of “liberty, equality and fraternity*. These ideals became the basic tenets of democracy for every nation in the nineteenth and the twentieth century. (ii) The Revolution espoused the cause of the masses, sought to abolish the idea of divine right, feudal privileges, slavery and censorship, and upheld merit as the basis for social up-gradation. (iii) These tenets are important even in the contemporary world for their emphasis on equality and a world free from prejudice. (iv) Feudal system and later, colonization were abolished by reworking the French Revolution ideals of freedom and equality.

Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution. Ans. The origin of democratic rights we enjoy today can be traced back to the French Revolution. These are : (i) Right to equality (ii) Right to liberty of speech, expression and thought. (iii) Right to vote and be elected for political offices (iv) Right to property (v) Right to security and life

How would you explain the rise of Napoleon? Ans. (i) After the fall of the Jacobin government, a new constitution was introduced which provided for two legislative councils and Directory. However, the Directors often clashed with the legislative councils, who then sought to dismiss them.  (ii) The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte. (iii) In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France and he set out to conquer neighbouring state, dispossessing dynasties and creating kingdoms where he placed members of his family. (iv) He introduced various reforms that carried the revolutionary ideas of liberty and modem laws to other parts of Europe. He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.

Write a short note on French slave trade? Ans. (i) Acute shortage of labour in the French Caribbean colonies led to a triangular slave trade between Europe, America and Africa in the 17th century. (ii) French merchants sailed from Bordeaux or Nantes to the African coasts, where they bought slaves from local chiefs. These slaves were then sold to plantation owners in the Caribbean. (iii) Slave labour enabled the Caribbean colonies to meet the growing demand in European markets for sugar, coffee and indigo. (iv) The Convention of 1794 passed laws freeing slaves in the French colonies. Slavery was however, reintroduced by Napolean but finally abolished in 1848.