French Revolution Assertion And Reason Questions
The French Revolution: Assertion & Reason Questions
The French Revolution and its Impact
Question 1
Assertion (A): The French Revolution was a significant event in the making of the modern world.
Reason (R): It led to the end of monarchy in France and introduced ideas of liberty, freedom, and equality.
Answer: A
Explanation: The text explicitly states that the French Revolution was important in shaping the modern world and led to the end of monarchy, introducing ideas like liberty, freedom, and equality.
Question 2
Assertion (A): The ideas of liberty, freedom, and equality were universally accepted and implemented immediately after the French Revolution.
Reason (R): These notions were reinterpreted and rethought in different countries and faced resistance.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** because the text mentions these ideas were reinterpreted and rethought, implying they weren’t universally accepted or immediately implemented. The reason is **true** as stated.
Question 3
Assertion (A): The anti-colonial movements in India and China were entirely independent of the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): These movements spoke in a language that gained currency from the late eighteenth century, the period of the French Revolution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** because the text suggests a connection by stating these movements spoke a language gaining currency from the late eighteenth century, implying an influence from the French Revolution era. The reason is **true**.
Question 4
Assertion (A): The Russian Revolution aimed for economic equality and the well-being of workers and peasants.
Reason (R):): The Soviet government, established after the revolution, consistently upheld the rights of citizens essential to a democratic society.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **true** as the source mentions the Russian Revolution raised questions of economic equality and worker/peasant well-being. However, the reason is **false** as the text states Soviet Russia denied essential rights to citizens.
Question 5
Assertion (A): Nazism in Germany championed democratic principles and the rights of minorities.
Reason (R):): Nazism denied various minorities a right to live and waged a battle against democracy and socialism.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The source clearly states Nazism denied rights to minorities and fought against democracy and socialism. The reason is **true** and accurately reflects the nature of Nazism.
Question 6
Assertion (A): The history of the modern world has solely been a progression towards freedom and democracy.
Reason (R):): The modern world has also witnessed violence, tyranny, death, and destruction.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** as the source directly contradicts it by stating the history of the modern world has also been a story of violence and tyranny. The reason is **true**.
The Storming of the Bastille and its Antecedents
Question 7
Assertion (A): The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, was a planned military operation by revolutionaries.
Reason (R):): Rumours spread in Paris that the king would order the army to open fire on the citizens, leading to people forming a militia and searching for arms.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is likely **false** based on the description of events. The text suggests it was a reaction to rumours and a spontaneous gathering rather than a planned military operation. The reason is **true**.
Question 8
Assertion (A): The Bastille was hated because only seven prisoners were held there.
Reason (R):): The Bastille stood for the despotic power of the king.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the number of prisoners was not the primary reason for the hatred. The reason is **true**; the text explicitly states that the Bastille symbolized the king’s despotic power.
Question 9
Assertion (A): The execution of the king in France was anticipated by most people at the time of the storming of the Bastille.
Reason (R):): The storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of a chain of events that ultimately led to the king’s execution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the text notes that most people at the time did not anticipate the king’s execution. The reason is **true**; historians later saw the storming of the Bastille as the start of the events leading to the execution.
France’s Financial Crisis and Social Structure
Question 10
Assertion (A): Louis XVI inherited a prosperous treasury upon becoming king in 1774.
Reason (R):): Long years of war and the cost of maintaining an extravagant court had drained the financial resources of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the text clearly states that the new king found an empty treasury. The reason is **true** and provides the reasons for the empty treasury.
Question 11
Assertion (A): France’s involvement in the American Revolution improved its financial situation.
Reason (R):): The war added more than a billion livres to France’s existing debt.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; France’s involvement worsened its finances. The reason is **true** and explains why the assertion is false.
Question 12
Assertion (A): Under Louis XVI, lenders decreased the interest rates on loans to the French state.
Reason (R):): Lenders began to charge 10 percent interest on loans due to the increasing debt.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; interest rates increased. The reason is **true** and explains why.
Question 13
Assertion (A): In 18th-century French society, all three estates paid taxes equally.
Reason (R):): Only members of the third estate paid taxes, while the clergy and nobility were exempt by birth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and accurately describes the tax system in 18th-century France.
Question 14
Assertion (A): The feudal system in France originated after 1789.
Reason (R):): The society of estates was part of the feudal system that dated back to the Middle Ages.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct historical context of the feudal system.
Question 15
Assertion (A): The term “Old Regime” refers to the system of governance in France after the revolution of 1789.
Reason (R):): The term “Old Regime” is usually used to describe the society and institutions of France before 1789.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct definition of the Old Regime.
Question 16
Assertion (A): Peasants in 18th-century France generally owned the land they cultivated.
Reason (R):): About 60 percent of the land was owned by nobles, the Church, and richer members of the third estate.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and indicates the land ownership patterns.
Question 17
Assertion (A): Nobles in pre-revolutionary France had no obligations towards the peasants.
Reason (R):): Nobles enjoyed feudal privileges, including feudal dues and the obligation of peasants to render services.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the obligations peasants had towards the nobles.
Question 18
Assertion (A): The Church in France did not impose any financial burdens on the peasants.
Reason (R):): The Church extracted tithes, which were one-tenth of the agricultural produce, from the peasants.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the Church’s financial extraction.
Question 19
Assertion (A): The taille was an indirect tax levied on articles of everyday consumption.
Reason (R):): The taille was a direct tax to be paid directly to the state, while indirect taxes were levied on goods like salt and tobacco.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason correctly distinguishes between the taille and indirect taxes.
Question 20
Assertion (A): The clergy and nobility were the primary taxpayers in French society before 1789.
Reason (R):): The burden of financing the state through taxes was borne by the third estate alone.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and accurately describes who paid taxes.
Economic Conditions and Social Disparity
Question 21
Assertion (A): The population of France decreased significantly between 1715 and 1789.
Reason (R):): The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct population figures.
Question 22
Assertion (A): The rapid increase in population between 1715 and 1789 led to a surplus of foodgrains in France.
Reason (R):): This population increase led to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains, which production could not match, causing the price of bread to rise.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the consequences of the population increase on food supply and prices.
Question 23
Assertion (A): Wages of workers in 18th-century France kept pace with the rising prices of essential goods.
Reason (R):): Wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices, widening the gap between the poor and the rich.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the economic disparity.
Question 24
Assertion (A): Drought or hail had minimal impact on the lives of ordinary people in pre-revolutionary France.
Reason (R):): Drought or hail reduced the harvest, leading to subsistence crises where basic means of livelihood were endangered.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the severe impact of bad harvests.
Question 25
Assertion (A): Peasants and workers in the Old Regime successfully brought about a change in the social and economic order through their revolts.
Reason (R):): While they participated in revolts against taxes and food scarcity, they lacked the means and programmes to carry out full-scale measures for social and economic change.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains why their revolts didn’t lead to fundamental change.
The Rise of the Middle Class and Enlightenment Ideas
Question 26
Assertion (A): The middle class that emerged in the 18th century primarily consisted of nobles and clergy.
Reason (R):): This middle class earned their wealth through overseas trade and the manufacture of goods and included professions like lawyers and officials.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the composition of the emerging middle class.
Question 27
Assertion (A): The 18th-century middle class believed in privileges based on birth.
Reason (R):): They believed that a person’s social position should depend on their merit and advocated for a society based on freedom and equal laws.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their beliefs.
Question 28
Assertion (A): Philosophers like John Locke supported the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.
Reason (R):): In his *Two Treatises of Government*, Locke sought to refute this doctrine.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains Locke’s political philosophy.
Question 29
Assertion (A): Rousseau advocated for a form of government with absolute power vested in a single ruler.
Reason (R):): Rousseau proposed a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes Rousseau’s idea of government.
Question 30
Assertion (A): Montesquieu proposed concentrating all governmental power in one body.
Reason (R):): Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative, executive, and judiciary.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains Montesquieu’s concept of the separation of powers.
Question 31
Assertion (A): The American Constitution, with its guarantee of individual rights, had no influence on political thinkers in France.
Reason (R):): The American Constitution was an important example for political thinkers in France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and states the influence of the American Constitution.
Question 32
Assertion (A): The ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers remained confined to the educated elite in France.
Reason (R):): These ideas were discussed in salons and coffee-houses and spread through books and newspapers, often read aloud for those who couldn’t read.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes how these ideas spread.
The Estates General and the National Assembly
Question 33
Assertion (A): Louis XVI had the sole authority to impose new taxes in France without any consultation.
Reason (R):): The monarch had to call a meeting of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the process for imposing taxes.
Question 34
Assertion (A): The Estates General had been convened annually in France before 1789.
Reason (R):): The last time the Estates General was called before 1789 was in 1614.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct frequency of its convocation.
Question 35
Assertion (A): At the meeting of the Estates General in 1789, all representatives were seated together without any distinction.
Reason (R):): The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each who were seated facing each other, while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the seating arrangement.
Question 36
Assertion (A): Peasants, artisans, and women actively participated as voting members in the Estates General of 1789.
Reason (R):): The third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members, and peasants, artisans, and women were denied entry to the assembly.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains who was excluded.
Question 37
Assertion (A): Voting in the Estates General was traditionally based on the principle of “one member, one vote.”
Reason (R):): Voting had been conducted according to the principle that each estate had one vote.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the traditional voting system.
Question 38
Assertion (A): The third estate’s demand for voting by the assembly as a whole was readily accepted by Louis XVI.
Reason (R):): When the king rejected this proposal, members of the third estate walked out of the assembly in protest.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the king’s reaction and the third estate’s response.
Question 39
Assertion (A): The representatives of the third estate considered themselves to represent only a small fraction of the French population.
Reason (R):): They viewed themselves as spokesmen for the whole French nation.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their self-perception.
Question 40
Assertion (A): The Tennis Court Oath pledged that the National Assembly would disperse immediately after meeting.
Reason (R):): They swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution for France that would limit the powers of the monarch.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the oath taken.
Question 41
Assertion (A): Mirabeau was a commoner who rose to prominence through his revolutionary activities.
Reason (R):): Mirabeau was born into a noble family but was convinced of the need to do away with feudal privileges.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is partially **false** as Mirabeau was born noble. The reason is **true** and provides his background.
Question 42
Assertion (A): Abbé Sieyès’s pamphlet argued in favour of maintaining the privileges of the first two estates.
Reason (R):): Abbé Sieyès wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate?’.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the pamphlet would have likely advocated for the Third Estate. The reason is **true**; he did write such a pamphlet.
Turmoil, Abolition of Feudalism, and the 1791 Constitution
Question 43
Assertion (A): The drafting of the constitution by the National Assembly proceeded smoothly without any disturbances in the rest of France.
Reason (R):): While the Assembly was busy in Versailles, the rest of France experienced turmoil due to a severe winter, bad harvests, and high bread prices, leading to events like the storming of the Bastille.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the unrest in France.
Question 44
Assertion (A): The storming of the Bastille on 14 July was primarily motivated by the release of a large number of political prisoners.
Reason (R):): The crowd hoped to find hoarded ammunition in the Bastille, and it was hated as a symbol of the king’s despotic power, even though only seven prisoners were released.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the search for ammunition and the symbolic significance were more important. The reason is **true** and provides a more accurate explanation.
Question 45
Assertion (A): The rumours of lords hiring brigands to destroy crops led to widespread panic among the nobility.
Reason (R):): Caught in a frenzy of fear, peasants attacked chateaux, looted grain, and burnt records of manorial dues, leading many nobles to flee.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the panic was among the peasants. The reason is **true** and describes the peasant revolts.
Question 46
Assertion (A): Louis XVI initially resisted all the demands of the National Assembly.
Reason (R):): Faced with the power of the revolting subjects, Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would be checked by a constitution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the king’s eventual concession.
Question 47
Assertion (A): The decree passed on the night of 4 August 1789, strengthened the feudal system of obligations and taxes.
Reason (R):): This decree abolished the feudal system of obligations and taxes, and tithes were abolished while Church lands were confiscated.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the abolition of feudalism.
Question 48
Assertion (A): The lands confiscated from the Church were returned to them shortly after 1789.
Reason (R):): As a result of the confiscation, the government acquired assets worth at least 2 billion livres.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the lands were not returned at that time. The reason is **true** and explains the consequence of the confiscation.
Question 49
Assertion (A): The primary aim of drafting the constitution in 1791 was to centralise all power in the hands of the monarch.
Reason (R):): Its main object was to limit the powers of the monarch and separate them among the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the constitution’s objective.
Question 50
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 granted voting rights to all citizens of France, regardless of their wealth or gender.
Reason (R):): Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the status of active citizens with the right to vote; women and other men were classed as passive citizens.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the limitations on voting rights.
Question 51
Assertion (A): According to the Constitution of 1791, judges were elected directly by all citizens.
Reason (R):): Citizens voted for electors, who in turn chose the National Assembly; the constitution shows a system of indirect election and appointed ministers and judges.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the political system under the constitution.
Rights, Symbols, and Political Divisions
Question 52
Assertion (A): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen established rights as granted by the state.
Reason (R):): Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, and equality before law were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights belonging to each human being by birth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the nature of these rights.
Question 53
Assertion (A): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen stated that these natural rights could be taken away by the state under certain circumstances.
Reason (R):): It was considered the duty of the state to protect each citizen’s natural rights.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the rights were inalienable. The reason is **true** and describes the state’s duty.
Question 54
Assertion (A): Jean-Paul Marat, in his newspaper, praised the Constitution drafted by the National Assembly for equally representing all social classes.
Reason (R):): Marat commented that the task of representing the people had been given to the rich and that the lot of the poor would not be improved by peaceful means alone, criticizing the influence of wealth on the law.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reflects Marat’s criticism.
Question 55
Assertion (A): The political symbols used during the French Revolution primarily represented the continuity of the monarchy.
Reason (R):): Symbols like the broken chain, red Phrygian cap, and the bundle of rods represented liberty, freedom from slavery, and unity.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the meaning of some revolutionary symbols.
Question 56
Assertion (A): The snake biting its tail to form a ring symbolized the beginning and end of royal power.
Reason (R):): This symbol represented Eternity, as a ring has neither beginning nor end.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 57
Assertion (A): The sceptre in revolutionary symbolism stood for the power of the common people.
Reason (R):): The sceptre was a symbol of royal power.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 58
Assertion (A): The eye within a triangle radiating light represented the darkness and ignorance of the Old Regime.
Reason (R):): The all-seeing eye stood for knowledge, and the rays of the sun were meant to drive away the clouds of ignorance.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 59
Assertion (A): The broken chain symbolized the strengthening of feudal bonds.
Reason (R):): A broken chain stood for the act of becoming free from the chains used to fetter slaves.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 60
Assertion (A): The colours blue, white, and red were the colours of the royal family during the revolution.
Reason (R):): Blue-white-red were the national colours of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and identifies the colours.
Contradictions, War, and Political Clubs
Question 61
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen were entirely contradictory in their principles regarding rights.
Reason (R):): The Constitution limited voting rights based on wealth, while the Declaration proclaimed equality in rights for all men.
Answer: B
Explanation: Both are **true**, but the limitation of voting rights in the Constitution doesn’t make them entirely contradictory in all principles of rights, even though they are inconsistent on the issue of political participation.
Question 62
Assertion (A): All groups in French society benefited equally from the Constitution of 1791.
Reason (R):): Active citizens (wealthy men) gained political rights, while passive citizens (including most men and all women) did not.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the unequal distribution of benefits.
Question 63
Assertion (A): Marat anticipated a future where the poor and oppressed would peacefully accept their limited rights under the new constitution.
Reason (R):): Marat anticipated that once the people had cast off the yoke of the aristocrats, they would do the same to the other owners of wealth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reflects Marat’s prediction of further upheaval.
Question 64
Assertion (A): The absolute monarchies in neighbouring countries like Prussia and Austria-Hungary welcomed the events of the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): Rulers of these countries were worried by the developments in France and planned to send troops to suppress the revolution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their reaction.
Question 65
Assertion (A): Louis XVI fully supported the new constitutional monarchy established in France.
Reason (R):): Although he signed the Constitution, he entered into secret negotiations with the King of Prussia.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reveals his true intentions.
Question 66
Assertion (A): The National Assembly unanimously voted against declaring war on Prussia and Austria in 1792.
Reason (R):): The National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war against Prussia and Austria.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and states the decision.
Question 67
Assertion (A): The war against Prussia and Austria was solely supported by the French monarchy.
Reason (R):): Thousands of volunteers joined the army, seeing it as a war of the people against kings and aristocracies all over Europe.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the popular support.
Question 68
Assertion (A): The Marseillaise was initially unpopular among the French revolutionaries.
Reason (R):): The Marseillaise, composed by Roget de L’Isle, became a patriotic song sung by volunteers and is now the national anthem of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes its history and significance.
Question 69
Assertion (A): The revolutionary wars had no impact on the economic situation and the lives of ordinary people in France.
Reason (R):): The wars brought losses and economic difficulties, leaving women to cope with earning a living and looking after families while men were away fighting.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the impact.
Question 70
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 was widely considered to be a fully democratic and egalitarian document by all sections of French society.
Reason (R):): Large sections of the population were convinced that the revolution needed to go further as the Constitution gave political rights only to the richer sections.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the dissatisfaction.
Question 71
Assertion (A): Political clubs during the French Revolution were exclusive to the nobility and clergy.
Reason (R):): Political clubs became rallying points for people who wished to discuss government policies and plan actions, with the Jacobins being a successful example.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their function and membership.
Question 72
Assertion (A): Women played a negligible role in the events of the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): Women were active throughout this period and formed their own clubs.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and highlights their participation.
Question 73
Assertion (A): The Jacobin club primarily consisted of wealthy landowners and merchants.
Reason (R):): The members mainly belonged to the less prosperous sections of society, including small shopkeepers, artisans, and wage workers.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their social background.
Question 74
Assertion (A): Jacobins adopted knee breeches as a symbol of their association with the fashionable sections of society.
Reason (R):): They started wearing long striped trousers to set themselves apart from the nobles who wore knee breeches, becoming known as sans-culottes (‘those without knee breeches’).
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the origin of their name.
Question 75
Assertion (A): Sans-culottes men and women both wore the red cap as a symbol of liberty.
Reason (R):): Sans-culottes men wore the red cap, but women were not allowed to do so.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and clarifies the gender difference in this practice.
The French Revolution: Assertion & Reason Questions
The French Revolution and its Impact
Question 1
Assertion (A): The French Revolution was a significant event in the making of the modern world.
Reason (R): It led to the end of monarchy in France and introduced ideas of liberty, freedom, and equality.
Answer: A
Explanation: The text explicitly states that the French Revolution was important in shaping the modern world and led to the end of monarchy, introducing ideas like liberty, freedom, and equality.
Question 2
Assertion (A): The ideas of liberty, freedom, and equality were universally accepted and implemented immediately after the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): These notions were reinterpreted and rethought in different countries and faced resistance.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** because the text mentions these ideas were reinterpreted and rethought, implying they weren’t universally accepted or immediately implemented. The reason is **true** as stated.
Question 3
Assertion (A): The anti-colonial movements in India and China were entirely independent of the French Revolution.
Reason (R): These movements spoke in a language that gained currency from the late eighteenth century, the period of the French Revolution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** because the text suggests a connection by stating these movements spoke a language gaining currency from the late eighteenth century, implying an influence from the French Revolution era. The reason is **true**.
Question 4
Assertion (A): The Russian Revolution aimed for economic equality and the well-being of workers and peasants.
Reason (R):): The Soviet government, established after the revolution, consistently upheld the rights of citizens essential to a democratic society.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **true** as the source mentions the Russian Revolution raised questions of economic equality and worker/peasant well-being. However, the reason is **false** as the text states Soviet Russia denied essential rights to citizens.
Question 5
Assertion (A): Nazism in Germany championed democratic principles and the rights of minorities.
Reason (R):): Nazism denied various minorities a right to live and waged a battle against democracy and socialism.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The source clearly states Nazism denied rights to minorities and fought against democracy and socialism. The reason is **true** and accurately reflects the nature of Nazism.
Question 6
Assertion (A): The history of the modern world has solely been a progression towards freedom and democracy.
Reason (R):): The modern world has also witnessed violence, tyranny, death, and destruction.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false** as the source directly contradicts it by stating the history of the modern world has also been a story of violence and tyranny. The reason is **true**.
The Storming of the Bastille and its Antecedents
Question 7
Assertion (A): The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, was a planned military operation by revolutionaries.
Reason (R):): Rumours spread in Paris that the king would order the army to open fire on the citizens, leading to people forming a militia and searching for arms.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is likely **false** based on the description of events. The text suggests it was a reaction to rumours and a spontaneous gathering rather than a planned military operation. The reason is **true**.
Question 8
Assertion (A): The Bastille was hated because only seven prisoners were held there.
Reason (R):): The Bastille stood for the despotic power of the king.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the number of prisoners was not the primary reason for the hatred. The reason is **true**; the text explicitly states that the Bastille symbolized the king’s despotic power.
Question 9
Assertion (A): The execution of the king in France was anticipated by most people at the time of the storming of the Bastille.
Reason (R):): The storming of the Bastille marked the beginning of a chain of events that ultimately led to the king’s execution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the text notes that most people at the time did not anticipate the king’s execution. The reason is **true**; historians later saw the storming of the Bastille as the start of the events leading to the execution.
France’s Financial Crisis and Social Structure
Question 10
Assertion (A): Louis XVI inherited a prosperous treasury upon becoming king in 1774.
Reason (R):): Long years of war and the cost of maintaining an extravagant court had drained the financial resources of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the text clearly states that the new king found an empty treasury. The reason is **true** and provides the reasons for the empty treasury.
Question 11
Assertion (A): France’s involvement in the American Revolution improved its financial situation.
Reason (R):): The war added more than a billion livres to France’s existing debt.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; France’s involvement worsened its finances. The reason is **true** and explains why the assertion is false.
Question 12
Assertion (A): Under Louis XVI, lenders decreased the interest rates on loans to the French state.
Reason (R):): Lenders began to charge 10 percent interest on loans due to the increasing debt.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; interest rates increased. The reason is **true** and explains why.
Question 13
Assertion (A): In 18th-century French society, all three estates paid taxes equally.
Reason (R):): Only members of the third estate paid taxes, while the clergy and nobility were exempt by birth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and accurately describes the tax system in 18th-century France.
Question 14
Assertion (A): The feudal system in France originated after 1789.
Reason (R):): The society of estates was part of the feudal system that dated back to the Middle Ages.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct historical context of the feudal system.
Question 15
Assertion (A): The term “Old Regime” refers to the system of governance in France after the revolution of 1789.
Reason (R):): The term “Old Regime” is usually used to describe the society and institutions of France before 1789.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct definition of the Old Regime.
Question 16
Assertion (A): Peasants in 18th-century France generally owned the land they cultivated.
Reason (R):): About 60 percent of the land was owned by nobles, the Church, and richer members of the third estate.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and indicates the land ownership patterns.
Question 17
Assertion (A): Nobles in pre-revolutionary France had no obligations towards the peasants.
Reason (R):): Nobles enjoyed feudal privileges, including feudal dues and the obligation of peasants to render services.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the obligations peasants had towards the nobles.
Question 18
Assertion (A): The Church in France did not impose any financial burdens on the peasants.
Reason (R):): The Church extracted tithes, which were one-tenth of the agricultural produce, from the peasants.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the Church’s financial extraction.
Question 19
Assertion (A): The taille was an indirect tax levied on articles of everyday consumption.
Reason (R):): The taille was a direct tax to be paid directly to the state, while indirect taxes were levied on goods like salt and tobacco.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason correctly distinguishes between the taille and indirect taxes.
Question 20
Assertion (A): The clergy and nobility were the primary taxpayers in French society before 1789.
Reason (R):): The burden of financing the state through taxes was borne by the third estate alone.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and accurately describes who paid taxes.
Economic Conditions and Social Disparity
Question 21
Assertion (A): The population of France decreased significantly between 1715 and 1789.
Reason (R):): The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct population figures.
Question 22
Assertion (A): The rapid increase in population between 1715 and 1789 led to a surplus of foodgrains in France.
Reason (R):): This population increase led to a rapid increase in the demand for foodgrains, which production could not match, causing the price of bread to rise.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the consequences of the population increase on food supply and prices.
Question 23
Assertion (A): Wages of workers in 18th-century France kept pace with the rising prices of essential goods.
Reason (R):): Wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices, widening the gap between the poor and the rich.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the economic disparity.
Question 24
Assertion (A): Drought or hail had minimal impact on the lives of ordinary people in pre-revolutionary France.
Reason (R):): Drought or hail reduced the harvest, leading to subsistence crises where basic means of livelihood were endangered.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the severe impact of bad harvests.
Question 25
Assertion (A): Peasants and workers in the Old Regime successfully brought about a change in the social and economic order through their revolts.
Reason (R):): While they participated in revolts against taxes and food scarcity, they lacked the means and programmes to carry out full-scale measures for social and economic change.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains why their revolts didn’t lead to fundamental change.
The Rise of the Middle Class and Enlightenment Ideas
Question 26
Assertion (A): The middle class that emerged in the 18th century primarily consisted of nobles and clergy.
Reason (R):): This middle class earned their wealth through overseas trade and the manufacture of goods and included professions like lawyers and officials.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the composition of the emerging middle class.
Question 27
Assertion (A): The 18th-century middle class believed in privileges based on birth.
Reason (R):): They believed that a person’s social position should depend on their merit and advocated for a society based on freedom and equal laws.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their beliefs.
Question 28
Assertion (A): Philosophers like John Locke supported the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.
Reason (R):): In his *Two Treatises of Government*, Locke sought to refute this doctrine.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains Locke’s political philosophy.
Question 29
Assertion (A): Rousseau advocated for a form of government with absolute power vested in a single ruler.
Reason (R):): Rousseau proposed a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes Rousseau’s idea of government.
Question 30
Assertion (A): Montesquieu proposed concentrating all governmental power in one body.
Reason (R):): Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative, executive, and judiciary.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains Montesquieu’s concept of the separation of powers.
Question 31
Assertion (A): The American Constitution, with its guarantee of individual rights, had no influence on political thinkers in France.
Reason (R):): The American Constitution was an important example for political thinkers in France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and states the influence of the American Constitution.
Question 32
Assertion (A): The ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers remained confined to the educated elite in France.
Reason (R):): These ideas were discussed in salons and coffee-houses and spread through books and newspapers, often read aloud for those who couldn’t read.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes how these ideas spread.
The Estates General and the National Assembly
Question 33
Assertion (A): Louis XVI had the sole authority to impose new taxes in France without any consultation.
Reason (R):): The monarch had to call a meeting of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the process for imposing taxes.
Question 34
Assertion (A): The Estates General had been convened annually in France before 1789.
Reason (R):): The last time the Estates General was called before 1789 was in 1614.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and provides the correct frequency of its convocation.
Question 35
Assertion (A): At the meeting of the Estates General in 1789, all representatives were seated together without any distinction.
Reason (R):): The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each who were seated facing each other, while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the seating arrangement.
Question 36
Assertion (A): Peasants, artisans, and women actively participated as voting members in the Estates General of 1789.
Reason (R):): The third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members, and peasants, artisans, and women were denied entry to the assembly.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains who was excluded.
Question 37
Assertion (A): Voting in the Estates General was traditionally based on the principle of “one member, one vote.”
Reason (R):): Voting had been conducted according to the principle that each estate had one vote.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the traditional voting system.
Question 38
Assertion (A): The third estate’s demand for voting by the assembly as a whole was readily accepted by Louis XVI.
Reason (R):): When the king rejected this proposal, members of the third estate walked out of the assembly in protest.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the king’s reaction and the third estate’s response.
Question 39
Assertion (A): The representatives of the third estate considered themselves to represent only a small fraction of the French population.
Reason (R):): They viewed themselves as spokesmen for the whole French nation.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their self-perception.
Question 40
Assertion (A): The Tennis Court Oath pledged that the National Assembly would disperse immediately after meeting.
Reason (R):): They swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution for France that would limit the powers of the monarch.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the oath taken.
Question 41
Assertion (A): Mirabeau was a commoner who rose to prominence through his revolutionary activities.
Reason (R):): Mirabeau was born into a noble family but was convinced of the need to do away with feudal privileges.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is partially **false** as Mirabeau was born noble. The reason is **true** and provides his background.
Question 42
Assertion (A): Abbé Sieyès’s pamphlet argued in favour of maintaining the privileges of the first two estates.
Reason (R):): Abbé Sieyès wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate?’.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the pamphlet would have likely advocated for the Third Estate. The reason is **true**; he did write such a pamphlet.
Turmoil, Abolition of Feudalism, and the 1791 Constitution
Question 43
Assertion (A): The drafting of the constitution by the National Assembly proceeded smoothly without any disturbances in the rest of France.
Reason (R):): While the Assembly was busy in Versailles, the rest of France experienced turmoil due to a severe winter, bad harvests, and high bread prices, leading to events like the storming of the Bastille.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the unrest in France.
Question 44
Assertion (A): The storming of the Bastille on 14 July was primarily motivated by the release of a large number of political prisoners.
Reason (R):): The crowd hoped to find hoarded ammunition in the Bastille, and it was hated as a symbol of the king’s despotic power, even though only seven prisoners were released.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the search for ammunition and the symbolic significance were more important. The reason is **true** and provides a more accurate explanation.
Question 45
Assertion (A): The rumours of lords hiring brigands to destroy crops led to widespread panic among the nobility.
Reason (R):): Caught in a frenzy of fear, peasants attacked chateaux, looted grain, and burnt records of manorial dues, leading many nobles to flee.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the panic was among the peasants. The reason is **true** and describes the peasant revolts.
Question 46
Assertion (A): Louis XVI initially resisted all the demands of the National Assembly.
Reason (R):): Faced with the power of the revolting subjects, Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the principle that his powers would be checked by a constitution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the king’s eventual concession.
Question 47
Assertion (A): The decree passed on the night of 4 August 1789, strengthened the feudal system of obligations and taxes.
Reason (R):): This decree abolished the feudal system of obligations and taxes, and tithes were abolished while Church lands were confiscated.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the abolition of feudalism.
Question 48
Assertion (A): The lands confiscated from the Church were returned to them shortly after 1789.
Reason (R):): As a result of the confiscation, the government acquired assets worth at least 2 billion livres.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the lands were not returned at that time. The reason is **true** and explains the consequence of the confiscation.
Question 49
Assertion (A): The primary aim of drafting the constitution in 1791 was to centralise all power in the hands of the monarch.
Reason (R):): Its main object was to limit the powers of the monarch and separate them among the legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the constitution’s objective.
Question 50
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 granted voting rights to all citizens of France, regardless of their wealth or gender.
Reason (R):): Only men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the status of active citizens with the right to vote; women and other men were classed as passive citizens.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the limitations on voting rights.
Question 51
Assertion (A): According to the Constitution of 1791, judges were elected directly by all citizens.
Reason (R):): Citizens voted for electors, who in turn chose the National Assembly; the constitution shows a system of indirect election and appointed ministers and judges.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the political system under the constitution.
Rights, Symbols, and Political Divisions
Question 52
Assertion (A): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen established rights as granted by the state.
Reason (R):): Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, and equality before law were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights belonging to each human being by birth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the nature of these rights.
Question 53
Assertion (A): The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen stated that these natural rights could be taken away by the state under certain circumstances.
Reason (R):): It was considered the duty of the state to protect each citizen’s natural rights.
Answer: C
Explanation: The assertion is **false**; the rights were inalienable. The reason is **true** and describes the state’s duty.
Question 54
Assertion (A): Jean-Paul Marat, in his newspaper, praised the Constitution drafted by the National Assembly for equally representing all social classes.
Reason (R):): Marat commented that the task of representing the people had been given to the rich and that the lot of the poor would not be improved by peaceful means alone, criticizing the influence of wealth on the law.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reflects Marat’s criticism.
Question 55
Assertion (A): The political symbols used during the French Revolution primarily represented the continuity of the monarchy.
Reason (R):): Symbols like the broken chain, red Phrygian cap, and the bundle of rods represented liberty, freedom from slavery, and unity.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the meaning of some revolutionary symbols.
Question 56
Assertion (A): The snake biting its tail to form a ring symbolized the beginning and end of royal power.
Reason (R):): This symbol represented Eternity, as a ring has neither beginning nor end.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 57
Assertion (A): The sceptre in revolutionary symbolism stood for the power of the common people.
Reason (R):): The sceptre was a symbol of royal power.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 58
Assertion (A): The eye within a triangle radiating light represented the darkness and ignorance of the Old Regime.
Reason (R):): The all-seeing eye stood for knowledge, and the rays of the sun were meant to drive away the clouds of ignorance.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 59
Assertion (A): The broken chain symbolized the strengthening of feudal bonds.
Reason (R):): A broken chain stood for the act of becoming free from the chains used to fetter slaves.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the symbol’s meaning.
Question 60
Assertion (A): The colours blue, white, and red were the colours of the royal family during the revolution.
Reason (R):): Blue-white-red were the national colours of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and identifies the colours.
Contradictions, War, and Political Clubs
Question 61
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen were entirely contradictory in their principles regarding rights.
Reason (R):): The Constitution limited voting rights based on wealth, while the Declaration proclaimed equality in rights for all men.
Answer: B
Explanation: Both are **true**, but the limitation of voting rights in the Constitution doesn’t make them entirely contradictory in all principles of rights, even though they are inconsistent on the issue of political participation.
Question 62
Assertion (A): All groups in French society benefited equally from the Constitution of 1791.
Reason (R):): Active citizens (wealthy men) gained political rights, while passive citizens (including most men and all women) did not.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the unequal distribution of benefits.
Question 63
Assertion (A): Marat anticipated a future where the poor and oppressed would peacefully accept their limited rights under the new constitution.
Reason (R):): Marat anticipated that once the people had cast off the yoke of the aristocrats, they would do the same to the other owners of wealth.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reflects Marat’s prediction of further upheaval.
Question 64
Assertion (A): The absolute monarchies in neighbouring countries like Prussia and Austria-Hungary welcomed the events of the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): Rulers of these countries were worried by the developments in France and planned to send troops to suppress the revolution.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their reaction.
Question 65
Assertion (A): Louis XVI fully supported the new constitutional monarchy established in France.
Reason (R):): Although he signed the Constitution, he entered into secret negotiations with the King of Prussia.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and reveals his true intentions.
Question 66
Assertion (A): The National Assembly unanimously voted against declaring war on Prussia and Austria in 1792.
Reason (R):): The National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war against Prussia and Austria.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and states the decision.
Question 67
Assertion (A): The war against Prussia and Austria was solely supported by the French monarchy.
Reason (R):): Thousands of volunteers joined the army, seeing it as a war of the people against kings and aristocracies all over Europe.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the popular support.
Question 68
Assertion (A): The Marseillaise was initially unpopular among the French revolutionaries.
Reason (R):): The Marseillaise, composed by Roget de L’Isle, became a patriotic song sung by volunteers and is now the national anthem of France.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes its history and significance.
Question 69
Assertion (A): The revolutionary wars had no impact on the economic situation and the lives of ordinary people in France.
Reason (R):): The wars brought losses and economic difficulties, leaving women to cope with earning a living and looking after families while men were away fighting.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the impact.
Question 70
Assertion (A): The Constitution of 1791 was widely considered to be a fully democratic and egalitarian document by all sections of French society.
Reason (R):): Large sections of the population were convinced that the revolution needed to go further as the Constitution gave political rights only to the richer sections.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes the dissatisfaction.
Question 71
Assertion (A): Political clubs during the French Revolution were exclusive to the nobility and clergy.
Reason (R):): Political clubs became rallying points for people who wished to discuss government policies and plan actions, with the Jacobins being a successful example.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their function and membership.
Question 72
Assertion (A): Women played a negligible role in the events of the French Revolution.
Reason (R):): Women were active throughout this period and formed their own clubs.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and highlights their participation.
Question 73
Assertion (A): The Jacobin club primarily consisted of wealthy landowners and merchants.
Reason (R):): The members mainly belonged to the less prosperous sections of society, including small shopkeepers, artisans, and wage workers.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and describes their social background.
Question 74
Assertion (A): Jacobins adopted knee breeches as a symbol of their association with the fashionable sections of society.
Reason (R):): They started wearing long striped trousers to set themselves apart from the nobles who wore knee breeches, becoming known as sans-culottes (‘those without knee breeches’).
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and explains the origin of their name.
Question 75
Assertion (A): Sans-culottes men and women both wore the red cap as a symbol of liberty.
Reason (R):): Sans-culottes men wore the red cap, but women were not allowed to do so.
Answer: D
Explanation: The assertion is **false**. The reason is **true** and clarifies the gender difference in this practice.