Which statement best describes the status of active and passive citizens under the 1791 Constitution?

• A. Active citizens could vote and hold office; passive could not.
• B. Active and passive citizens had equal rights.
• C. Passive citizens could vote but not hold office.
• D. All citizens regardless of status could vote and hold office.

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is the two-tier system the 1791 Constitution created for political participation. Active citizens met certain tax or property qualifications and could vote in elections and stand for public office. Passive citizens did not meet those qualifications, so they could not vote or hold office. This shows political rights were not the same for everyone, even though the Revolution promoted equality under the law. So while all male citizens had equal civil status, political power was limited to active citizens. The phrase “equal rights” is best understood in the civil sense, not in terms of political participation.