🔥 French Revolution: Complete Learning Guide & 80-Mark Exam
📝 Part 2: 80-Mark Question Paper
Comprehensive practice exam covering all aspects of the French Revolution. Time limit: 2.5 hours (150 minutes).
MCQ Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)
Q1.
1 Mark
In which year did the storming of the Bastille take place?
Q2.
1 Mark
Which of the following was NOT a cause of the French Revolution?
Q3.
1 Mark
The Declaration of the Rights of Man was proclaimed in which year?
Q4.
1 Mark
The period from 1793-1794 is known as:
Q5.
1 Mark
Sans-culottes literally means:
Q6.
1 Mark
Who led the Jacobin club during the Reign of Terror?
Q7.
1 Mark
The Bastille was hated because it represented:
Q8.
1 Mark
Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of:
Q9.
1 Mark
Which estate paid all taxes in the Old Regime?
Q10.
1 Mark
What was the Tennis Court Oath?
SHORT Section B: Answer in 30-50 words (2 marks each - Answer ANY 6)
Q11.
2 Marks
Medium
What was the Tennis Court Oath? Why was it significant?
Q12.
2 Marks
Easy
Define "subsistence crisis" and explain how it contributed to the French Revolution.
Q13.
2 Marks
Medium
What was the Old Regime? Name two major problems it faced.
Q14.
2 Marks
Easy
Who were the sans-culottes? What did their name signify?
Q15.
2 Marks
Medium
What was the significance of storming the Bastille on July 14, 1789?
Q16.
2 Marks
Medium
Name two rights proclaimed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
Q17.
2 Marks
Easy
What was the role of philosophers like Rousseau and Locke in the Revolution?
Q18.
2 Marks
Medium
How did the Constitution of 1791 limit the monarch's power?
SHORT Section C: Answer in 80-100 words (3 marks each - Answer ANY 6)
Q19.
3 Marks
Medium
Explain the three-estate system of French society. How was taxation distributed among them?
Q20.
3 Marks
Hard
Discuss the role of the middle class in starting the French Revolution. Why were they discontent with the Old Regime?
Q21.
3 Marks
Medium
What happened during the Reign of Terror (1793-1794)? Who was executed and why?
Q22.
3 Marks
Medium
Describe the contradiction between the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Constitution of 1791 regarding voting rights.
Q23.
3 Marks
Hard
Explain the Reign of Terror. What methods did Robespierre use to enforce equality?
Q24.
3 Marks
Medium
What was women's role in the French Revolution? Why were they disappointed with the outcome?
Q25.
3 Marks
Medium
Explain the concept of "natural rights" introduced in the Declaration of the Rights of Man.
Q26.
3 Marks
Hard
How did Louis XVI's financial crisis contribute to the outbreak of the Revolution?
LONG Section D: Answer in 250-300 words (10 marks each - Answer ANY 2)
Q27.
10 Marks
Hard
"The French Revolution resulted from financial, social, and intellectual factors." Justify this statement with examples and explain how each factor contributed to the outbreak.
Q28.
10 Marks
Hard
Analyze the impact of the Reign of Terror on the French Revolution. Was Robespierre's use of terror justified in pursuit of creating a just society? Discuss both positive and negative consequences.
Q29.
10 Marks
Hard
Discuss the legacy of the French Revolution on the modern world. How did it inspire democratic and anti-colonial movements? Give specific examples.
Q30.
10 Marks
Hard
Compare and contrast the ideals proclaimed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man with their actual implementation in the Constitution of 1791. Why did the Revolution fail to deliver universal rights?
✓ Part 3: COMPLETE Answer Key & Detailed Explanations
MCQ ANSWERS Section A: Answer Key (Q1-Q10)
Q1: (B) 1789 - July 14, 1789 is France's National Day (Bastille Day)
Q2: (D) Discovery of colonies - Happened centuries earlier, not a cause of 1789 revolution
Q3: (C) 1791 - Officially part of the 1791 Constitution
Q4: (A) Reign of Terror - Robespierre's period of execution and fear
Q5: (B) Without knee breeches - Symbol of rejecting aristocracy
Q6: (C) Maximilian Robespierre - Led the Jacobins during Terror
Q7: (B) Despotic power of the king - Symbolized absolute royal authority
Q8: (B) Woman and Citizen - Olympe de Gouges' declaration
Q9: (C) Third Estate - First and Second estates were exempt
Q10: (B) Oath not to leave until drafting constitution - June 20, 1789
SECTION B ANSWERS (2 Marks) Q11-Q18
Q11 Answer
Answer:
The Tennis Court Oath (June 20, 1789): When King Louis XVI rejected the Third Estate's demand for voting equality in the Estates General, 600 Third Estate representatives walked out and assembled in an indoor tennis court at Versailles. They took a solemn oath not to disperse until they had drafted a constitution limiting the king's absolute power.
Significance: This oath marked a turning point—it showed the Third Estate's determination to challenge royal absolutism and formed the National Assembly. It demonstrated ordinary people could organize against monarchy, leading to constitutional reforms.
Q12 Answer
Answer:
Definition: A subsistence crisis is when basic necessities (food, shelter) become unaffordable or impossible to obtain. It occurs when essential commodity prices soar while wages remain stagnant.
Contribution: France's population grew from 23 to 28 million (1715-1789), but grain production couldn't keep pace. Bread prices soared; workers' wages stagnated. Poor families couldn't afford bread. This widespread hunger and desperation made people angry and ready for revolutionary change.
Q13 Answer
Answer:
Old Regime: The Old Regime was France's social, political, and economic system before 1789, based on feudalism and privileges determined by birth.
Two Major Problems: (1) Financial Crisis: Government faced bankruptcy—debt exceeded 2 billion livres from wars and Versailles maintenance. (2) Social Inequality: First and Second Estates (clergy, nobility—0.5 million people) were tax-exempt and owned 70% of land, while Third Estate (27 million people) paid all taxes and owned 30% of land.
Q14 Answer
Answer:
Sans-Culottes: Poor and working-class revolutionaries—small shopkeepers, artisans (shoemakers, printers), servants, daily-wage workers. They became the most radical and active revolutionaries.
Name Significance: "Sans-culottes" means "those without knee breeches." They wore long striped trousers (like dock workers) instead of fashionable knee breeches worn by nobles. This deliberately proclaimed an end to aristocratic privilege and symbolized their identity as representatives of common people.
Q15 Answer
Answer:
Event: Thousands of Parisians attacked the Bastille fortress-prison after rumors spread the king had ordered troops to fire on citizens.
Significance: (1) Bastille symbolized the king's despotic power and his ability to imprison people without trial. (2) Its destruction showed people's power against royal authority. (3) It marked violent revolution's beginning. (4) It forced the king to recognize the National Assembly and accept constitutional reforms. (5) July 14 is now France's national holiday.
Q16 Answer
Answer:
Any TWO rights: (1) Right to Life: Every person has the right to exist and live safely. (2) Liberty: Freedom to act and live without oppression. (3) Equality Before Law: Law treats all people equally regardless of wealth or status. (4) Freedom of Speech & Opinion: People can express thoughts without government punishment. (5) Property Rights: People have right to own and keep property safe.
Q17 Answer
Answer:
Role: Enlightenment philosophers provided intellectual foundation for the Revolution by challenging absolute monarchy.
Locke: Argued against "divine right of kings"—challenged the idea that monarchs had absolute God-given power. He championed natural rights belonging to all humans.
Rousseau: Introduced "social contract" concept—government should be based on agreement between rulers and ruled, not on absolute royal power. Legitimate government needs people's consent.
Impact: These ideas spread through salons and coffeehouses, inspiring educated middle-class people to demand constitutional government and equal rights.
Q18 Answer
Answer:
How Constitution of 1791 Limited Monarchy: (1) Separation of Powers: Power divided into Legislative (National Assembly), Executive (King), and Judicial branches—rather than king having all power. (2) Legislative Power: National Assembly, not king, had power to make laws. (3) Tax Approval: King could not impose taxes alone; taxes required legislative approval. (4) Declaration of Rights: Constitution included Declaration establishing citizens had natural rights the king must respect. (5) Constitutional Monarchy: Transformed France from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy where king's power was limited by law.
SECTION C ANSWERS (3 Marks) Q19-Q26
Q19 Answer
Answer:
The Three-Estate System:
First Estate (Clergy): Comprised approximately 130,000 religious persons. They owned about 10% of all land in France. They were completely exempt from paying taxes to the state, yet they extracted tithes (10% of agricultural produce) from peasants for church revenue.
Second Estate (Nobility): Consisted of approximately 400,000 nobles. They owned roughly 60% of all land in France. Like the clergy, they enjoyed tax exemption from the state despite their wealth. They also collected feudal dues and various payments from peasants who worked on their lands.
Third Estate: Included 27 million people (90% of the population)—merchants, lawyers, peasants, servants, laborers, artisans. They owned only 30% of land. Crucially, ALL members of the Third Estate had to pay taxes: direct taxes like the taille and indirect taxes on salt (gabelle) and tobacco.
Taxation Distribution: This system was fundamentally unjust and illogical. The privileged First and Second Estates paid nothing to the state despite controlling most of the nation's wealth (70% of land). The burdened Third Estate paid all taxes despite owning the least land. This extreme inequality and unfair taxation created deep resentment that directly fueled the Revolution.
Q20 Answer
Answer:
The Middle Class in the Revolution: The prosperous middle class—merchants, manufacturers, lawyers, doctors, bankers—were educated, wealthy, and ambitious. Yet despite their success and contributions to the economy, they had no political power because they belonged to the Third Estate. This made them natural leaders and organizers of revolutionary change.
Why They Were Discontent: (1) Political Powerlessness: Wealth and intelligence didn't guarantee political power; only birth as nobility did. They were excluded from government positions. (2) Career Barriers: High government and military positions were reserved exclusively for nobles. Talented middle-class people hit a "glass ceiling" based on birth. (3) Unequal Taxation: They paid significant taxes while nobles paid nothing. They subsidized the state while nobles benefited from tax exemptions. (4) Belief in Merit: They believed society should reward talent, hard work, and education, not birth privilege. (5) Economic Growth: Rising trade and commerce made the middle class increasingly prosperous and powerful economically, making their political exclusion more intolerable.
Revolutionary Leadership: The middle class possessed education, organizational skills, access to enlightenment ideas, and networks through salons and coffeehouses. They read philosophers like Rousseau and Locke, discussed reforms, and possessed the literacy and articulation to translate philosophical ideals into political action. They led the National Assembly, drafted the Declaration of Rights, and wrote the Constitution.
Impact: Without the middle class's leadership and intellectual contribution, the Revolution would not have succeeded. They transformed philosophical ideas about natural rights and social contracts into practical governmental structures.
Q21 Answer
Answer:
What Happened: From 1793-1794, Robespierre led a campaign of terror against "enemies of the republic." Approximately 40,000 people were executed, including King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, many nobles, clergy, and ordinary citizens accused of counter-revolutionary activities.
Who Was Executed: Aristocrats, clergy, nobles, moderate revolutionaries, wealthy merchants, and sans-culottes who disagreed with Robespierre. Even fellow revolutionaries like Danton were guillotined.
Why: Robespierre believed terror was necessary to purge the republic of enemies and achieve his vision of equality. He saw enemies everywhere—both in the nobility who wanted to restore the old system and among revolutionaries who were not radical enough.
Q22 Answer
Answer:
The Declaration Proclaimed: "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights." It declared universal human rights to life, liberty, equality before law, and freedom of speech.
Constitution's Reality: The 1791 Constitution created two categories of people: (1) Active Citizens—men over 25 who paid taxes. Only they could vote and hold office. (2) Passive Citizens—everyone else, including poor men and ALL women. They had NO voting rights.
Contradiction: The Declaration promised universal equality, but the Constitution limited voting to wealthy men. This betrayed women and poor people. The Revolution claimed to champion universal rights while denying rights to most of the population.
Q23 Answer
Answer:
The Reign of Terror: (1793-1794) Robespierre's period of dictatorship using fear and execution to pursue his vision of revolutionary justice. He believed terror was necessary to purge enemies and achieve complete equality.
Robespierre's Methods: (1) Mass Executions: The guillotine executed 40,000+ people. (2) Wage Controls: Maximum prices and wages set by government to enforce equality. (3) Bread Rationing: All citizens given same "equality bread" regardless of status. (4) Language Control: "Monsieur" and "Madame" banned; everyone called "Citizen." (5) Church Closure: Religious buildings shut down; clergy executed. (6) Informants: Citizens encouraged to spy and report each other, creating a climate of terror and suspicion.
Impact: These methods created absolute equality through absolute fear. Eventually, even Robespierre's allies became terrified. In July 1794, they arrested and guillotined him.
Q24 Answer
Answer:
Women's Role: Women actively participated in the Revolution—they stormed the Bastille, led the March on Versailles, attended National Assembly debates, and participated in political clubs. Working-class women suffered most from bread shortages and food prices, motivating their revolutionary participation.
Why Disappointed: Despite their participation, women gained NO new rights. The Declaration proclaimed universal rights, but the Constitution denied voting rights to women and poor people. Olympe de Gouges wrote her own Declaration of Women's Rights in 1791, but the National Assembly ignored it. She was executed during the Terror for her feminist demands. Women had to wait until the 20th century for voting rights.
Q25 Answer
Answer:
Natural Rights Concept: Natural rights are rights that all humans possess simply by being human—not granted by governments. These rights exist before government and no government can legitimately take them away.
Examples in Declaration: Life, Liberty, Equality Before Law, Freedom of Speech and Opinion, Property Rights, Resistance to Oppression.
Revolutionary Impact: This concept challenged absolute monarchy. Kings could no longer claim unlimited power—they were bound to respect citizens' natural rights. Natural rights theory became foundation for modern human rights, democracy, and constitutions worldwide.
Q26 Answer
Answer:
Financial Crisis Details: Louis XVI inherited massive debt in 1774. France had spent billions on wars, the Palace of Versailles, and helping American colonists. By 1789, national debt exceeded 2 billion livres with 10% interest rates.
Contribution to Revolution: (1) Forced Action: Desperate financial situation forced the king to call the Estates General in May 1789—the first assembly in 175 years. (2) Opened Platform: This assembly became the platform where revolutionary forces mobilized. (3) Confrontation: When the Third Estate demanded voting equality to discuss tax reforms, the king refused, forcing the Tennis Court Oath and National Assembly formation. (4) Catalyst: Without financial crisis needing tax reforms, there would be no Estates General, no Third Estate assembly, no revolutionary platform.
Conclusion: The financial crisis was the immediate trigger that forced the confrontation between the king and the Third Estate, igniting revolutionary change.
SECTION D ANSWERS (10 Marks) Q27-Q30
Q27 Answer - Full Model Answer
Model Answer (280-300 words):
THESIS: The French Revolution resulted from the simultaneous occurrence of three interconnected crises: financial bankruptcy, social injustice, and new intellectual ideas—all converging to create revolutionary conditions.
FINANCIAL FACTORS (80 words): Louis XVI inherited an empty treasury in 1774 because France had spent billions on wars, the Palace of Versailles, and help to American colonies. By 1789, the national debt exceeded 2 billion livres. With lenders charging 10% interest, much government revenue went only to interest payments. This desperate situation forced the king to call the Estates General (1789)—the first assembly in 175 years. This assembly became the platform where revolutionary forces mobilized.
SOCIAL FACTORS (80 words): French society operated under a brutal three-estate system. The First and Second Estates (clergy and nobility—only 500,000 people total) owned 70% of land and paid ZERO taxes. The Third Estate (27 million people—90% of population) owned 30% and paid ALL taxes. Additionally, a subsistence crisis gripped the country. Population grew from 23 to 28 million (1715-1789), but grain production didn't increase proportionally. Bread prices soared while worker wages remained stagnant. Poor families couldn't afford bread. This combination of extreme inequality and widespread hunger created mass discontent.
INTELLECTUAL FACTORS (60 words): Enlightenment philosophers provided revolutionary ideology. John Locke argued against divine right of kings and for natural rights. Jean-Jacques Rousseau proposed the "social contract"—that government needs people's consent. Montesquieu introduced separation of powers. These ideas spread through salons, coffeehouses, books, and newspapers. Educated middle-class people embraced these ideas, believing society should reward merit, not birth.
CONVERGENCE (40 words): Without financial crisis, there'd be no Estates General. Without social injustice, there'd be no grievances. Without new ideas, there'd be no vision for change. All three occurred simultaneously. Financial need forced the king to call the assembly. The Third Estate arrived with grievances rooted in social inequality and inspired by enlightenment philosophy. When the king rejected democratic demands, these three factors combined explosively.
CONCLUSION (20 words): The Revolution required this perfect storm: economic desperation + social injustice + intellectual alternatives. This combination transformed 1789 into a watershed moment that changed world history.
Q28 Answer - Full Model Answer
Model Answer (280-300 words):
ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION: The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) was Robespierre's campaign of mass execution aimed at purging the republic of perceived enemies. While it succeeded in consolidating revolutionary power, it ultimately undermined the Revolution's ideals and created more victims than justice.
ROBESPIERRE'S JUSTIFICATION: Robespierre believed terror was necessary because: (1) The republic faced internal enemies—nobles wanting to restore the monarchy, clergy opposing secularization, moderate revolutionaries insufficiently radical. (2) He sought absolute equality, believing fear and coercion could force society into equality. (3) He saw himself as protecting the Revolution from counter-revolutionary forces.
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES (140 words): Terror's impact was catastrophic. Approximately 40,000 people were executed—many innocent—including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. Nobles, clergy, moderate revolutionaries, even sans-culottes who disagreed with Robespierre were guillotined. This created a climate of fear where citizens were encouraged to spy on neighbors. Talented leaders like Danton were executed. Revolutionary unity fractured as factions turned against each other. The Terror achieved equality through absolute fear—not through justice or voluntarily embraced values. Eventually, even Robespierre's supporters became terrified. In July 1794, they arrested and guillotined him, ironically making him victim of his own system.
POSITIVE ARGUMENTS: Some historians argue the Terror: (1) Protected the Revolution from foreign invasion and internal counter-revolution, allowing revolutionary ideals to survive. (2) Redistributed aristocratic and church property to poorer citizens. (3) Attempted to create radical equality by eliminating traditional privileges.
CONCLUSION: While Terror temporarily protected the Revolution, it was NOT justified. It betrayed the Revolution's founding ideals of human rights and natural justice. Violence cannot create true equality. The Terror's legacy was trauma, not liberty—ultimately undermining the Revolution's promise.
Q29 Answer - Full Model Answer
Model Answer (280-300 words):
LEGACY DEFINITION: The French Revolution's legacy was the spread of ideas about human rights, democracy, equality, and individual liberty from France to the entire world, fundamentally transforming political systems.
DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS (90 words): Revolutionary ideals inspired democratic movements across Europe. German and Italian unification movements drew on revolutionary nationalism. Polish revolutionaries fought for independence inspired by revolutionary ideals. Latin American independence fighters (Simón Bolívar, José San Martín) explicitly quoted the Declaration of Rights. Latin American constitutions adopted revolutionary principles of representative government and rights. The idea that people could overthrow tyranny and create their own governments spread from Paris throughout the Western world.
ANTI-COLONIAL MOVEMENTS (100 words): The Revolution inspired independence movements in colonized regions. In India, Rammohan Roy adopted revolutionary principles of rationality and reform. Tipu Sultan, fighting against British colonization, drew on revolutionary ideals of national independence and equality. In the 19th and 20th centuries, independence movements across Africa and Asia—from Algeria to Vietnam to Nigeria—invoked the Declaration of Rights and revolutionary nationalism to justify independence from European colonial powers. Anti-colonial leaders argued that if French people could overthrow monarchy and claim natural rights, why couldn't colonized peoples claim the same rights and overthrow colonialism?
BROADER IMPACT (60 words): The Revolution established that: (1) Government should serve people, not exploit them. (2) Rights are natural and universal, not privileges granted by birth. (3) People can change their government through revolution. (4) Constitutions should limit government power. These ideas became the foundation for modern democratic systems worldwide and inspired millions to fight for liberty and self-determination.
CONCLUSION: The French Revolution's greatest legacy was not French domination but the spread of the idea that human beings have inherent rights that no government can violate and that ordinary people can create just societies.
Q30 Answer - Full Model Answer
Model Answer (280-300 words):
DECLARATION'S IDEALS (70 words): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789) proclaimed revolutionary ideals: (1) All men are born free and equal in rights. (2) Rights include life, liberty, equality, freedom of speech, and property. (3) Legitimate government requires people's consent through representation. (4) No one should be arbitrarily imprisoned. (5) Citizens have the right to resist oppression. These ideals were radical—they directly challenged absolute monarchy and feudal privilege.
CONSTITUTION'S REALITY (80 words): The 1791 Constitution severely limited the Declaration's promises. It created "Active Citizens" (only men over 25 who paid taxes) who could vote—only 3% of the population. Women, poor men, and servants were "Passive Citizens" with NO voting rights. The monarchy retained significant power—the king could veto laws and maintain an army. Aristocratic property rights were protected. Slavery continued in French colonies despite Declaration's "universal" principles. In practice, the Constitution replaced absolute monarchy with limited monarchy benefiting the wealthy.
WHY THE CONTRADICTION (80 words): Several factors explain this failure: (1) The Revolution was controlled by middle-class men who feared true democracy. (2) Many revolutionaries believed property ownership and education (which excluded women and poor) qualified one for politics. (3) Practical compromises—the Revolution needed to maintain order and property rights to function. (4) Conservative forces resisted radical change. (5) Traditional beliefs about women and poor people's political capacity persisted despite revolutionary ideology.
CONSEQUENCE (40 words): The gap between ideals and reality created disappointment. Women, poor men, and sans-culottes—who had fought the Revolution—felt betrayed. This disappointment fueled radicalism, contributing to the Reign of Terror as revolutionaries pursued complete equality.
CONCLUSION: The Revolution's greatest tragedy was that ideals of universal rights proved incompatible with revolutionary leaders' unwillingness to truly share power. True universal rights took centuries to achieve.
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