Page 7 - Understanding NCERT Histroy 09th

Activity (Page no. 8)

Q. Representatives of the Third Estate take the oath raising their arms in the direction of
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
Bailly, the President of the Assembly, standing on a table in the centre. Do you think
that during the actual event Bailly would have stood with his back to the assembled
deputies? What could have been David’s intention in placing Bailly the way he has
done?
Ans. No, during the actual event, Bailly would not have stood with his back to the assembled
deputies.
The artist was actually trying to show that the constitution framed in 1791, after the
revolution of 1789, had “turned its back” on the desires and aspirations of the peasants,
workers and women, instead of meeting them. Despite the Declaration of Rights of Man
and Citizen, the right to vote and contest in elections remained with the rich and propertied
class, known as active citizens. The others were considered just as passive citizens.

2.1 France Becomes a Constitutional Monarchy
l In 1791, the National Assembly completed the draft of the Constitution, and its main
object was to limit the powers of the monarch.
• France became a constitutional monarchy.

• These powers were now separated and assigned to different institutions – the legislature,
executive and judiciary.
• Citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the Assembly.
• Men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage
were entitled to vote. The remaining men and all women did not have the right to vote
and were grouped as passive citizens.
• The Constitution began with a Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
• Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality
before the law were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights.

Source B (Page no. 11)
The revolutionary journalist Jean-Paul Marat commented in his newspaper L’Ami
du peuple (The friend of the people) on the Constitution drafted by the National
Assembly: ‘The task of representing the people has been given to the rich …
the lot of the poor and oppressed will never be improved by peaceful means
alone. Here we have absolute proof of how wealth influences the law. Yet laws
will last only as long as the people agree to obey them. And when they have
managed to cast off the yoke of the aristocrats, they will do the same to the
other owners of wealth.’ Source: An extract from the newspaper L’Ami du peuple.
Source C (Page no. 11)
The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.
2. The aim of every political association is the preservation of the natural and inalienable
rights of man; these are liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression.
3. The source of all sovereignty resides in the nation; no group or individual may exercise
authority that does not come from the people.

History Class IX H-5