The French Revolution began with key events like the storming of the Bastille. It involved key figures such as Louis XVI and Maximilien Robespierre. It was marked by –
- The formation of the National Assembly by the Third Estate
- Adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
- Eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
Key concepts include –
- Estates-General
- The Reign of Terror
- Ideological shift towards Liberalism
- Struggle for liberty, equality, and fraternity
The key points –
- The French Revolution began in 1789, aiming to overthrow the monarchy and establish equality.
- Key events include the storming of the Bastille and the Reign of Terror.
- Important figures: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and Maximilien Robespierre.
- The Revolution led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Some of the important dates you need to remember as they might come in exams as one marks questions. In addition using them while giving answers can get you full marks.
- 1774: Louis XVI becomes king of France
- 1789: Convocation of Estates General, Third Estate forms National Assembly, the Bastille is stormed, peasant revolts in the countryside
- 1791: A constitution is framed to limit the powers of the king and to guarantee basic rights to all human beings
- 1792-93: France becomes a republic, the king is beheaded
- 1793-94: The Reign of Terror under Robespierre
- 1794: Abolition of slavery in French colonies
- 1799: Overthrow of the Directory, Napoleon seizes power
- 1804: Napoleon becomes emperor of France
- 1815: Napoleon is defeated at Waterloo
- 1848: Slavery is finally abolished in French colonies
- 1946: Women in France win the right to vote
MCQ Questions for Class 9 Social Science with Answers are designed for thorough preparation based on the latest exam format. Let’s now solve the MCQs related to Chapter 1 of Class 9 History on the French Revolution –
MCQ Questions for Class 9 History Chapter 1 The French Revolution
Question 1: What was the primary reason for France’s financial crisis before the French Revolution?
a) High military spending and American War of Independence
b) Agricultural reforms
c) Industrial revolution
d) Abolition of slavery
Answer:
a) High military spending and American War of Independence
Question 2: Which estate in France paid all the taxes under the Old Regime?
a) First Estate
b) Second Estate
c) Third Estate
d) Clergy
Answer:
c) Third Estate
Question 3: What term was used to describe the French society before 1789?
a) New Regime
b) Medieval Era
c) Old Regime
d) Modern Regime
Answer:
c) Old Regime
Question 4: Who proposed the idea of a ‘Social Contract’ as the basis for government?
a) Montesquieu
b) John Locke
c) Rousseau
d) Voltaire
Answer:
c) Rousseau
Question 5: Which group benefited the most from the French Revolution?
a) The Nobles
b) The Clergy
c) The Middle Class (Third Estate)
d) The Monarchy
Answer:
c) The Middle Class (Third Estate)
Question 6: On which date was the Bastille stormed?
a) 4th August 1789
b) 14th July 1789
c) 5th May 1789
d) 21st September 1792
Answer:
b) 14th July 1789
Question 7: Why was the Bastille hated by the French people?
a) It symbolized the king’s authority
b) It was a grain storage facility
c) It was a military camp
d) It was a tax collection center
Answer:
a) It symbolized the king’s authority
Question 8: What was the Estates General?
a) A court of justice
b) A political body representing three estates
c) A tax collection agency
d) A military assembly
Answer:
b) A political body representing three estates
Question 9: Where did the members of the Third Estate swear the Tennis Court Oath?
a) Palace of Versailles
b) Tuileries Palace
c) Hall of Mirrors
d) An indoor tennis court
Answer:
d) An indoor tennis court
Question 10: Who were the leaders of the National Assembly formed in June 1789?
a) Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
b) Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès
c) Robespierre and Danton
d) Voltaire and Rousseau
Answer:
b) Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès
Question 11: What event forced Louis XVI to recognize the National Assembly?
a) The storming of the Bastille
b) The Women’s March to Versailles
c) The execution of nobles
d) The Tennis Court Oath
Answer:
b) The Women’s March to Versailles
Question 12: What role did rumors play in the countryside during the French Revolution?
a) They led to peasant revolts and attacks on manors
b) They caused the king to flee Paris
c) They brought foreign armies into France
d) They increased taxes on peasants
Answer:
a) They led to peasant revolts and attacks on manors
Question 13: Which event marked the abolition of feudal privileges in France?
a) The National Assembly’s decree on 4th August 1789
b) The Constitution of 1791
c) The storming of the Bastille
d) The Tennis Court Oath
Answer:
a) The National Assembly’s decree on 4th August 1789
Question 14: What was the immediate impact of food scarcity in France during the revolution?
a) Women organized protests
b) Farmers grew more crops
c) The monarchy distributed free bread
d) People abandoned cities
Answer:
a) Women organized protests
Question 15: What slogan became famous during the French Revolution?
a) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
b) Bread, Land, and Peace
c) Justice, Freedom, and Power
d) Strength through Unity
Answer:
a) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
Question 16: What type of government was established by the Constitution of 1791 in France?
a) Absolute monarchy
b) Republic
c) Constitutional monarchy
d) Military dictatorship
Answer:
c) Constitutional monarchy
Question 17: Who were the Jacobins?
a) Supporters of the monarchy
b) A radical political group
c) French nobles
d) Foreign invaders
Answer:
b) A radical political group
Question 18: What was the Reign of Terror?
a) A period of economic prosperity
b) A time when Robespierre ruled with extreme measures
c) The collapse of the monarchy
d) Napoleon’s conquest of Europe
Answer:
b) A time when Robespierre ruled with extreme measures
Question 19: Which device became a symbol of the Reign of Terror?
a) The sword
b) The cannon
c) The guillotine
d) The musket
Answer:
c) The guillotine
Question 20: Who led the Jacobin Club during the Reign of Terror?
a) Robespierre
b) Mirabeau
c) Danton
d) Napoleon
Answer:
a) Robespierre
Question 21: What happened to Louis XVI during the Revolution?
a) He fled to Austria
b) He was executed for treason
c) He abdicated the throne
d) He was sent into exile
Answer:
b) He was executed for treason
Question 22: Why were many nobles and clergy executed during the Reign of Terror?
a) They supported foreign invasions
b) They were accused of being enemies of the republic
c) They refused to pay taxes
d) They led peasant uprisings
Answer:
b) They were accused of being enemies of the republic
Question 23: What reforms were introduced during Robespierre’s rule?
a) Churches were reopened
b) Feudal taxes were reimposed
c) Prices and wages were fixed by law
d) The monarchy was restored
Answer:
c) Prices and wages were fixed by law
Question 24: What led to the fall of Robespierre?
a) Foreign invasion
b) His excessive use of terror alienated supporters
c) The return of Louis XVI
d) Economic reforms
Answer:
b) His excessive use of terror alienated supporters
Question 25: What was a key demand of the sans-culottes?
a) Restoration of the monarchy
b) Equality and lower bread prices
c) Free education
d) Universal healthcare
Answer:
b) Equality and lower bread prices
Question 26: When was France declared a republic?
a) 14th July 1789
b) 5th May 1789
c) 21st September 1792
d) 4th August 1789
Answer:
c) 21st September 1792
Question 27: What was the Directory?
a) A group of 5 men who ruled France
b) A legislative council
c) The new Constitution
d) Napoleon’s supporters
Answer:
a) A group of 5 men who ruled France
Question 28: Why did the Directory fail?
a) It was overthrown by foreign armies
b) It could not manage political and economic instability
c) It abolished feudal taxes
d) It was supported by the nobles
Answer:
b) It could not manage political and economic instability
Question 29: Who took control of France after the fall of the Directory?
a) The Jacobins
b) Napoleon Bonaparte
c) The National Assembly
d) Louis XVI
Answer:
b) Napoleon Bonaparte
Question 30: What system of government did Napoleon establish in France?
a) Republic
b) Constitutional monarchy
c) Military dictatorship
d) Democracy
Answer:
c) Military dictatorship
Question 31: Which legal reform is Napoleon best remembered for?
a) Declaration of the Rights of Man
b) Civil Code of 1804 (Napoleonic Code)
c) Abolition of monarchy
d) Establishment of estates
Answer:
b) Civil Code of 1804 (Napoleonic Code)
Question 32: What was a key feature of the Napoleonic Code?
a) Restoration of feudal privileges
b) Equality before the law
c) Granting special rights to nobles
d) Censorship of all newspapers
Answer:
b) Equality before the law
Question 33: Which battle marked Napoleon’s final defeat?
a) Battle of Trafalgar
b) Battle of Leipzig
c) Battle of Austerlitz
d) Battle of Waterloo
Answer:
d) Battle of Waterloo
Question 34: How did the French Revolution influence the world?
a) It abolished all monarchies globally
b) It introduced the ideas of liberty and equality
c) It created a global republic
d) It ended colonialism
Answer:
b) It introduced the ideas of liberty and equality
Question 35: What was the legacy of the French Revolution?
a) Rise of socialism
b) Spread of revolutionary ideas
c) Decline of European colonies
d) End of industrialization
Answer:
b) Spread of revolutionary ideas
Question 36: What was the role of women in the French Revolution?
a) They formed their own political clubs
b) They became passive citizens
c) They supported the monarchy
d) They led foreign invasions
Answer:
a) They formed their own political clubs
Question 37: When did women in France finally gain the right to vote?
a) 1791
b) 1848
c) 1946
d) 1804
Answer:
c) 1946
Question 38: What significant reform did Olympe de Gouges demand?
a) Abolition of slavery
b) Political rights for women
c) Restoration of the monarchy
d) Rights for the clergy
Answer:
b) Political rights for women
Question 39: What was abolished in the French colonies by the Convention in 1794?
a) Feudal privileges
b) Monarchy
c) Slavery
d) Religious freedom
Answer:
c) Slavery
Question 40: Why was censorship abolished during the revolution?
a) To promote the king’s propaganda
b) To ensure freedom of speech and press
c) To control revolutionary ideas
d) To ban foreign literature
Answer:
b) To ensure freedom of speech and press
Question 41: Which group of society felt most disappointed by the French Revolution?
a) The clergy
b) The peasants
c) The sans-culottes
d) The women
Answer:
d) The women
Question 42: What was a significant result of the revolutionary wars in France?
a) France gained colonies
b) France became a global superpower
c) Rise of nationalism in France
d) End of feudal taxes
Answer:
c) Rise of nationalism in France
Question 43: How did the revolution affect the church in France?
a) It became wealthier
b) Its lands were confiscated
c) It expanded its influence
d) It declared independence
Answer:
b) Its lands were confiscated
Question 44: What did the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen emphasize?
a) Equality, liberty, and fraternity
b) Divine right of kings
c) Restoration of feudal privileges
d) Equality only for nobles
Answer:
a) Equality, liberty, and fraternity
Question 45: What type of bread were French citizens required to eat during the Reign of Terror?
a) White bread
b) Equality bread
c) Artisan bread
d) Peasant bread
Answer:
b) Equality bread
Question 46: Which law ensured the separation of powers in France?
a) The Constitution of 1791
b) The Napoleonic Code
c) The Declaration of Rights
d) The Directory
Answer:
a) The Constitution of 1791
Question 47: What impact did the French Revolution have on Europe?
a) Immediate abolition of all monarchies
b) Spread of ideas of liberty and democracy
c) Unification of European nations
d) End of feudalism across Europe
Answer:
b) Spread of ideas of liberty and democracy
Question 48: Who was most inspired by the ideas of the French Revolution in India?
a) Raja Rammohan Roy
b) Tipu Sultan
c) Mahatma Gandhi
d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Answer:
a) Raja Rammohan Roy
Question 49: What marked the beginning of the Napoleonic era?
a) Fall of the Jacobins
b) Coup of 1799
c) Battle of Waterloo
d) Constitution of 1795
Answer:
b) Coup of 1799
Question 50: What was the tricolor used during the French Revolution meant to symbolize?
a) Monarchy
b) Nobility
c) Equality
d) Revolution
Answer:
c) Equality
Match the following Class 9 History Chapter 1 The French Revolution
Questions
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Convocation of Estates General | (a) Overthrow of the Jacobin republic |
| (ii) Third Estate forms National Assembly | (b) France becomes a republic, the king is beheaded |
| (iii) The Bastille is stormed | (c) Napoleon becomes emperor of France |
| (iv) Peasant revolts in the countryside | (d) A constitution is framed |
| (v) A Directory rules France | (e) Napoleon defeated at Waterloo |
Answers
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Convocation of Estates General | (d) A constitution is framed |
| (ii) Third Estate forms National Assembly | (b) France becomes a republic, the king is beheaded |
| (iii) The Bastille is stormed | (a) Overthrow of the Jacobin republic |
| (iv) Peasant revolts in the countryside | (e) Napoleon defeated at Waterloo |
| (v) A Directory rules France | (c) Napoleon becomes emperor of France |
Fill in the Blanks Questions for Class 9 History Chapter 1 The French Revolution
Now lets solve 12 fill-in-the-blank questions from 1st chapter:
1. The French Revolution led to the end of ___ in France.
Answer:
monarchy
2. The society of estates in France was part of the ___ system.
Answer:
feudal
3. In France, the clergy and the nobility enjoyed certain privileges by ___.
Answer:
birth
4. The Third Estate was composed of big businessmen, merchants, court officials, ___, peasants, artisans, and small peasants.
Answer:
lawyers
5. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proclaimed freedom of speech and ___.
Answer:
expression
6. The storming of the ___ marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Answer:
Bastille
7. The National Assembly was formed by the representatives of the ___ Estate.
Answer:
Third
8. The revolutionary government issued laws placing a maximum ceiling on ___ and prices.
Answer:
wages
9. The ___ was a device consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person was beheaded.
Answer:
guillotine
10. The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the ___ of Terror.
Answer:
Reign
11. The Jacobins were led by ___ Robespierre.
Answer:
Maximilian
12. The fall of the ___ government allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize power.
Answer:
Jacobin
