Download the chapter from the link below

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MDG9blAtfB8zAknGUa_XneauwheT7dRw/view

Part- 1( includes lessons 1,2, 3, 4 and 5)

(Lesson 2 is in ppt)

Today we often take the ideas of liberty, equality and freedom

forgranted. But we need to remind ourselves that these ideas also
have a history.By looking at the French Revolution you will read a
small part of that history.
The French Revolution was a period of time in France when the
people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government.
The Revolution began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s. Before the
French Revolution started, the people of France were divided into
social groups or “Estates”. The social and political structure of
France changed completely after the French Revolution. In this
chapter we will explore the various social, economic and political
causes of the revolution, the important events and how did the
revolution contribute towards the spread of democratic principles
across the world.
LESSON 1 : (Sections 1-1.2, pages 4-6)

Louis XVI ascended the throne of France in the year 1774.

He belonged to the Bourbon family of kings.

Upon his accession, the new King found an empty treasury. The reasons being:

• Long years of war.

• Cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the palace in Versailles.
• Helping thirteen American colonies in their war of independence against
Britain.
• Rising debt, to which the war added more. Lenders charging increased
rates of interest. Major expenditure was on repaying the increased rates
of interest.
+

Other expenditures—army, court, government offices or universities.

The state was thus forced to increase taxes. (Empty treasury + other
expenditures)
FRENCH SOCIETY

The French society was divided into three estates (groups/classes).

First estate (the clergy) - exempted from paying taxes. Extracted tithes (tax)
from the peasants.

Second estate (thenobility) - exempted from paying taxes. Extracted feudal dues
and various services from the peasants.

Third estate- paid taxes to the first estate, rendered services and paid feudal
dues to the second estate (the peasants). All members of the third estate also
paid a direct tax called taille to the state+ indirect taxes levied on articles of
everyday consumption like salt or tobacco.

Thus the burden of financing the activities of the state through taxes fell on the
third estate, and the burden was heavy especially for the majority of poor
peasants.
(Please refer to the link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqEgz-xq_2Q

Subsistence Crisis

Population increase in France ( year 1715-1789) ➔ Increase in demand for food

grains.

Production of food grains could not match the rising demands➔an increase in
the prices of bread.

Wages of workers did not increase➔ the gap between the rich and poor
widened.

Natural calamities too affected harvest leading to subsistence crisis. It occurred

frequently in France during the Old regime.

( Subsistence crisis-an extreme situation where the basic means of livelihood

are endangered)

Please Note

( Study the boxes of ‘ New words’ on pages 4 and 5, meaning of the term Old
Regime from page 4)

Test Your Understanding ( To be self corrected)

1) What were the reasons behind an empty French treasury?

2) Why do you think that the system of taxation in France during the Old
Regime was unjust?
 [Hint: elaborate on the privileges of the first two estates, the burden on
the third estate and give a concluding sentence]
3) What were the factors behind an increasing gap between the rich and the
poor in France during 1789?
4) Define the following terms:
a) Livre
b) Clergy
c) Tithe
d) Taille
e) Old Regime
f) Subsistence crisis

ACTIVITIES ( To be self corrected)

1.

Explain why the artist has portrayed the nobleman as the spider and the
peasant as the fly?
2. Complete the chart (refer to the activity box on page 6 of the Text Book

For Lesson 2 Refer to PPT 1

LESSON 3- Section 2( Pg 8)

Faulty system of voting at the Estates General

To increase taxes the monarch called an assembly of the Estates General.

(political body)

The system of voting had inherent defects.

Thus it is evident that the first and second estates despite being numerically
small would always get decisions in their favour.
The third estate demanded voting on the basis of democratic principles. This
demand was rejected by the King and the members of the third estate walked
out of the assembly in protest.

Members of the third estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in
the grounds of Versailles. They declared themselves a National Assembly and
swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution for France that would
limit the powers of the monarch. Even some members of the first and second
estate joined their cause( Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes ).

(Refer to the link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA6k5rD3mxw&t=8s

Test your Understanding( To be self corrected)

1) Why did the king call for a meeting of the Estates General?
2) ‘The principle of voting in the Estates General was undemocratic’-Justify
the statement.
LESSON 4 – Section 2(pg 9-pg 13)

Spread of Great Fear and fall of Bastille

A severe winter in France resulted in a bad harvest. There was an increase in

prices. Angry women often stormed bakeries after standing in long queues.

In such a situation of turmoil, the King ordered troops to move into Paris.

On 14th July 1789, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille.

Why did the crowd suddenly attack Bastille? Why did they choose Bastille?

Refer to the first page of the Chapter for details.

Refer to the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L6IQcqwkek

In the countryside the peasants started attacking the chateaux of the nobles.
They looted hoarded grains and burnt down documents containing records of
manorial dues. Their action was instigated by a rumour, according to which the
lords had hired armed men to destroy their crops.
France becomes a Constitutional Monarchy and Declaration of Rights of Man
and Citizen

Facing opposition from revolting subjects, the King finally gave recognition to
the National Assembly. The National Assembly completed the draft of the
Constitution in 1791.The main objective was to limit the powers of the monarch
, which instead of being concentrated in the hands of one person , were now
separated and assigned to the legislature, executive and judiciary .
Constitution of 1791

1. Laws were made by the National Assembly. It was indirectly elected.

2. Not all citizens had the right to vote. Men above 25 years of age and
paying good amount of taxeswere entitled to voting rights.
3. The remaining men and women were classed as ‘passive citizens’.
4. To become a member of the National Assembly one had to belong to the
highest bracket of taxpayers.

The most important part of the Constitution

Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen

(Refer to the paragraph in page 11 for details on Declaration of Rights. Source B

and Source C to be studied)

Refer to the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrQ-CZ9DfGM

( The video is in French, but provided with English subtitles)

POLITICAL SYMBOLS- to be studied from pg 12-pg13

Test your understanding( To be self corrected)

1) Why did the people attack Bastille?

2) What made the peasants in the countryside destroy the properties of the
feudal lords?
3) Define the following terms:-
a) Chateaux
b) Manor
4) State the features of a Constitutional Monarchy.
5) Analyze the defects in the voting rights granted by the National Assembly.
6) What was the significance of the Declaration of Rights of Man and
Citizen?

Activity
Match the following
1. The broken chain a. Symbol of royal power
2. The winged woman b. Becoming free
3.Sceptre c. Equality before law
4. The law tablet d. Personification of law
LESSON 5 : Section 3 (pg 14-pg 16, before Reign of Terror)

REVOLUTIONARY WARS
Louis the XVI entered into secret negotiations with the King of Prussia.
Rulers of neighbouring countries who were worried about the spread of
turmoil from France planned to send troops .Before this could happen,
the National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war against Prussia
and Austria. The revolutionary wars brought economic difficulties for the
people.
POLITICAL CLUBS
Large sections of the population were convinced that the revolution had
to be carried further, as the Constitution of 1791 denied political rights to
many. Political clubs became important rallying point for people who
wished to discuss government policies and plan their own forms of action.
The most successful of these clubs was that of the Jacobins. Women too
formed their own clubs.

JACOBINS
Members- less prosperous sections of the society
Leader- Robespierre
Also know as: Sans-culottes (for the way they dressed)

On the morning of August 10th 1792, the Jacobins stormed the Palace of
the Tuileries and held the king as a hostage.
Elections were held. All men of 21 years of age and above got voting
rights irrespective of their economic status. Women, however, were not
given any voting rights.
The newly elected assembly was called the Convention. On September
1792, the convention abolished monarchy and declared France a republic.
 Estates General--- Monarchy
National Assembly ---Constitutional Monarchy
Convention -----Republic

On 21st January 1793, Louis XVI was executed publicly on the charge of
treason.

Refer to the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvJCnwkFJ1M

Test your Understanding (To be self corrected)

1) What is the national anthem of France? How did it get its name?
2) Who were the members of the Jacobin club?
3) Why did the Jacobins have a distinct style of dressing?
4) Who were the sans-culottes?
5) Who were excluded from newly revised voting rights?
6) What do you mean by a Republic?
7) Define the following terms:
a) Convent
b) Treason

PLEASE NOTE
1) Test your understanding questions to be self
corrected
2) Assignment will be set at the end of Part II,
students are required to solve the assignment in a
word document and mail it to the teacher.