Page 24 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

l Peasants paid a tax called tithes to the church.
l The third estate paid a direct tax called taille.
l Indirect tax on salt and tobacco were also levied.

5. How did France see the subsistence crisis during the old regime?
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
Ans. l The rapid increase in population from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789 led to
increase in the demand for food grains. Production of food grains could not keep pace
with the demand.
l Price of bread was increased. Wages also did not keep pace with the rise of prices. So
the gap between poor and rich widened.
l Things became worse whenever drought or hail reduced the harvest. This led to
subsistence crises.

6. What laws did the revolutionary government introduce to improve the lives of women?
Ans. l In the early years the revolutionary government introduced laws that helped to improve
the lives of women.
l 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.
l Divorce was made legal, and could be applied for by both women and men.

7. Why were women disappointed by the Constitution of 1791 in France?
Ans. l Women were disappointed that the Constitution of 1791 reduced them to passive citizens.
They don’t have the right to vote.
l They demanded the right to vote, to be elected to the assembly and to hold political office.
l Only then they felt their interests would be represented in the new government.

8. Highlight the turmoil of the countryside of France, when the National Assembly was busy
at Versailles in drafting a new constitution.
Ans. l In the countryside rumors spread from village to village that the lords of the manor
had hired bands of brigades who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops.
l Caught in a frenzy of fear, peasants in several districts seized hoes and pitchforks and
attacked chateaux.
l They looted hoarded grains and burnt documents containing records of manorial dues.

9. Highlight any three steps taken by Robespierre to establish equality in French Society?
Ans. l Instead of Monsieur (Sir) and Madame (Madam) a more equal form of address Citoyen
and Citoyenne (Citizen) was practiced.
l Churches were shut down and converted into barracks and offices.
l More expensive bread was forbidden- all citizens required to eat the ‘equality bread’.

10. How did France become a constitutional monarchy?
Ans. l The National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791.
l Its main object was to limit the powers of the monarch.
l The powers instead of being concentrated in the hands of one person were now separated
and assigned to different institutions- the legislature, executive and judiciary. This made
France a constitutional monarchy.
11. How could abolition of slavery become possible in France? Explain.
Ans. l Throughout the eighteenth century there was little criticism of slavery in France.
l There were long debates in the National Assembly about whether the right of man

H-22 History Class IX