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Social Studies 9 NCERT - New

French Revolution

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Quiz

French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century

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Recap:

Political and Financial Crisis

  1. Louis XVI became king in 1774 at age 20.
  2. He was married to Marie Antoinette, an Austrian princess.
  3. He inherited an empty treasury.
  4. Long years of war had drained France’s finances.
  5. Maintaining the court at Versailles added huge expenses.
  6. France supported the American War of Independence, increasing debt.
  7. National debt exceeded 3 billion livres.
  8. Lenders charged about 10% interest on loans.
  9. A large part of the budget went to interest payments.
  10. The state tried to increase taxes to meet expenses.

Social Structure (Old Regime)

  1. French society was divided into three estates.
  2. This system was part of the feudal system (Old Regime).
  3. Only the Third Estate paid taxes.
  4. Peasants formed about 90% of the population.
  5. Only a small number of peasants owned land.
  6. About 60% of land was owned by nobles, Church, and rich elites.

Privileges and Exploitation

  1. Clergy and nobility enjoyed privileges by birth.
  2. They were exempt from paying taxes.
  3. Nobles collected feudal dues from peasants.
  4. Peasants were forced to provide labour and services.
  5. The Church collected tithes (1/10 of produce).
  6. The Third Estate also paid taille (direct tax) and indirect taxes.
  7. Thus, the entire tax burden fell on the Third Estate.

Economic Hardships

  1. Population grew from 23 million (1715) to 28 million (1789).
  2. Food demand increased but grain production did not keep pace.

Crisis and Social Change

  1. Bread prices rose sharply while wages remained low.
  2. The gap between rich and poor widened.
  3. Natural calamities led to frequent subsistence crises.
  4. A middle class emerged (merchants, lawyers, officials).
  5. They believed in merit, equality, and end of privileges.

Intellectual Influence

  1. Thinkers like John Locke rejected absolute monarchy.
  2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau proposed the social contract.
  3. Montesquieu suggested separation of powers.
  4. These ideas spread through salons, books, and newspapers.
  5. News of new taxes created anger and protest against privilege.
  • Questions count: 3
  • Passing grade: 3
  • Time limit: 30 minutes
Start Quiz
1.

Match the following:

Livre
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Clergy
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Tithe
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Taille
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A tax levied by the church.
Tax to be paid directly to the state.
Church authorities.
Unit of currency in France until 1794.
2.

Select all the correct statements.

  • This will help you memorize the information.
  • Retake if your scores were not good.
When Louis XVI became king in 1774, France was in big financial crisis.
Long years of war had weakened France’s financial condition.
The middle class believed that privileges should be based on birth.
The palace of Versailles was expensive to maintain.
France supported the American War of Independence, increasing debt.
The national debt rose to more than 3 billion livres.
Grain production increased faster than population growth.
Lenders charged about 10% interest on loans.
A large part of the budget was spent on interest payments.
French society was divided into three estates.
The First Estate paid the highest taxes to the state.
Montesquieu supported absolute monarchy without division of power.
The system of estates belonged to the Old Regime.
Only the Third Estate paid taxes to the state.
Most peasants owned the land they cultivated.
Peasants made up about 90% of the population.
The Church collected tithes from peasants.
Bread prices rose while wages remained low, worsening inequality.
3.

Select all the correct information:

Louis XVI was only 20 years old when he became king.
The debt increased by more than a billion livres due to war support.
Wages of workers rose faster than the price of bread.
The government needed money to maintain the army and run offices.
Increasing taxes alone was not enough to solve the financial crisis.
The majority of land in France was owned by peasants.
The Old Regime refers to the system before 1789.
Only a small number of peasants owned land.
About 60% of land belonged to nobles, Church, and wealthy elites.
The Church paid taxes to the state regularly.
Nobles had the right to collect feudal dues from peasants.
Peasants had to work in the lord’s fields and household.
Peasants were required to participate in building roads.
The term Old Regime refers to the period after 1789.
The Third Estate paid both direct and indirect taxes.
Indirect taxes were levied on goods like salt and tobacco.
Peasants were free from all forms of forced labour.
Population growth caused a rapid increase in food demand.
Workers were mostly employed as labourers in workshops.
Subsistence crises occurred frequently during the Old Regime.
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