History

Year Eight

Topic Four: Revolution

Half Term Four

Lesson One

Aspire: To be able to explain why people in France were unhappy before the

Revolution.

Challenge: To be able to describe the key features of French society before the

Revolution.

Task one:

Write on your paper, a definition for the following words:

Monarch

Revolution

Famine

Aristocrat

Task two:

Read the following information:

In the 1700’s France was ruled by a monarch named Louis XVI. He had

complete control over all aspects of French life, including politics, the

economy and the police.

At this time in France, the were three estates (classes of society).

Estate one was the clergy (religious individuals), estate two was the

nobles (a very wealthy person) and estate three were the peasants.

Task three:

Draw a table, with three columns, on your piece of paper.

Sort the information below into the table to explain the causes of the

French Revolution.

The headings should be: social (to do with people), political (to do

with the King, laws and the government) and economic (to do with

money).

By 1787, the French government was bankrupt. It was 4000 million livres in debt due to costly war.

The tax system was viewed as corrupt; a large proportion of the nobility and clergy did not pay taxes. Louis XVI tried to tax the third estate so that he could have more money.

In 1787, aristocrats refused to help the King by paying him land taxes.

Between 1787 and 1788, there were bad harvests – this meant there were food shortages. The poor were affected the most by the famine.

The Parliament (Estates General) did not represent the people of France. Most of the MPs were nobles or clergymen meaning that the peasants problems were often ignored.

The French Parliament tried to create a constitution – a list of rules that everyone had to follow including the King. Louis XVI did not support this idea and ordered the army to close the meeting.

From 1774, Louis XVI was an unpopular ruler. He was indecisive and would often spend a long time making bad political decisions.

The King and Queen did not understand what the people were experiencing daily. They rarely left the Palace’s so did not recognise the difficulties in society.

Lots of peasants were unemployed; this led to them refusing to pay taxes and committing crimes to support their families.

Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette had expensive tastes and spent a lot of taxpayers money on their luxuries.

Lesson Two

Aspire: To be able to explain why the French might have opposed Louis XVI.

Challenge: To be able to describe the key details about Louis XVI.

Task one:

Write on your paper, what you can infer about these two people.

Think about:

• Who they are?

• What they’re wearing?

• What facial expressions they have?

• What position they might have in society?

Task two:

Use the information below to create a celebrity profile for a magazine

cover about Louis XVI and Marie Antionette.

Things to include:

• Who they are.

• What they like to do in their leisure time.

• Information about their family.

• Their opinion on French society.

Prior to becoming King in 1774, Louis XVI (15) married Marie Antoinette (14) an Austrian princess.

The French began to criticise Marie believing she was vain, extravagant and interfered in politics.

By the mid-1780s, Louis XVI had almost forced France into bankruptcy through his reckless spending habits.

Marie and Louis had three children, Charles, Louis and Marie Therese.

Louis and Marie lived an extravagant lifestyle; they enjoyed buying expensive items, drinking and eating.

Louis XVI became unpopular as he attempted to raise taxes for the poor to avoid an economic crisis.

Louis XVI was born in 1754 in Versailles, France.

At the beginning of their reign, the Louis and Marie were very popular as they were young and attractive.

Later in his reign, Louis XVI received criticism as people began to think he was not a strong enough leader.

Louis and Marie lived in luxury; they were constantly entertained by going to the theatre and opera.

Louis XVI enjoyed physical activities including wrestling and hunting.

Marie Antoinette was framed for stealing a necklace containing 647 diamonds. This affected her reputation.

Lesson Three

Aspire: To be able to explain why the French might have opposed Louis XVI.

Challenge: To be able to describe the event known as the Tennis Court Oath.

Task one:

Write on your paper, what you can infer from this source.

Think about:

• Who the individuals are?

• What they are doing?

• Where they are?

Task two:

Read through the narrative cards.

Write them in chronological order on your piece of paper to show the

events that led to the Tennis Court Oath.

To help you, the first card is in the right place!

By early 1787, France was bankrupt. The economic situation was believed to be caused by costly wars, a corrupt tax system and the monarchs excessive spending.

On the 17th June 1789, the representatives from the third estate declared that they were leading the Parliament as they made up 80% of the population.

In the years 1787 to 1789, the French experienced a poor harvest. This affected mainly the poor who were left starving.

The third estate named the parliament the National Assembly. Louis XVI refused to accept the group and removed them from the meeting.

To combat the economic crisis, Louis XVI asked the nobility to start paying him taxes. The second estate refused.

In 1789, Louis XVI called together the Estates General (the French Parliament). Although the parliament included members from each estate; each section could only vote once.

The National Assembly decided to meet in the tennis courts, following Louis’ decision, to discuss their political views. They decided they wanted France to be ruled fairly and wanted a new set of rules to follow. This was known as the Tennis Court Oath.

Lesson Four

Aspire: To be able to explain why this event might be considered a turning point in

the Revolution.

Challenge: To be able to describe the events of the Storming of the Bastille.

Task one:

Read through the information below and answer the questions

relating to each section.

Causes of the Storming of the Bastille

The storming of the Bastille followed months of unrest and anger in

France. Much of the French population did not think Louis was a strong

enough leader to deal with the problems within France. To try to resolve

the social, political and economic issues in the country, a National

Assembly occurred – this led to the Tennis Court Oath as the third estate

split from the government.

Following the Tennis Court Oath, Louis XVI agreed to create a French

constitution; however, in order to keep his power, he tried to stop the

Assembly on several occasions. Louis fired those who supported the

constitution. The King hoped that this would send a message to those

who opposed him.

The Storming of the Bastille

By 1789, fighting in Paris had increased dramatically. A crowd or 8000

angry Parisians attacked the Hotel des Invalides to gain weapons and

ammunition before they decided to attack the Bastille.

The Bastille was a prison that had been built during the Medieval Period.

The prison housed those who did not pay their taxes or were viewed as

enemies of the King. The Bastille was deemed as significant as it had been

a long-regarded symbol of the monarchy’s power.

Early on July 14th, rioters started demanding that the soldiers inside the

Bastille surrender the weapons and release the seven prisoners that were

inside. Negotiations between the protestors and the soldiers failed; this

led to violence as the protestors attempted to enter the Bastille. The

soldiers were overwhelmed; by mid-afternoon the fortress was forced to

surrender. The soldiers defending the Bastille were dragged through the

streets of Paris and some were beheaded.

Significance

The storming of the Bastille was the first great victory of the French

revolutionaries. It persuaded King Louis to allow the National Assembly

to finish its work. The result of this was the creation of ‘The Declaration

of the Rights of Man and Citizens’, in 1789. The legislation was hugely

influential as it established that all men were equal.

Bastille Day

Since 1790, the French have held a national holiday on the 14th of July to

celebrate the Storming of the Bastille and the first day of democracy and

independence from royal rule.

The day is often marked with military parades, fireworks and processions

in the streets. Bastille Day is celebrated around the globe in Belgium, the

Czech Republic, Hungary, India, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and

the US.

Lesson Five

Aspire: To be able to explain why the Flight to Varennes was a turning point in the

Revolution was.

Challenge: To be able to describe the events of the Flight to Varennes.

Task one:

Read the following information:

The creation of the Nation Assembly (the French Government) altered

the King’s authority. Louis XVI no longer had complete control over

France as the Government began to make political decisions.

Louis and his family essentially became prisoners within their home,

as they had lost support of the majority of the army and people.

Task two:

Create a storyboard using the timeline cards below – you must write

the information under each of your images.

On the 21st of June 1791, Marie begun the families escape by sneaking out of the castle with her children; to prevent suspicion the Queen then returned to her room. Whilst his family was safely getting into a coach, Louis crept out of the castle disguised as a servant. On her way back to the coach the Queen is stopped by a guard; this makes her late for the coach. Following the delay, the coach damages its wheel; this forces the family to wait again. Due to the repeated delays the King’s troops leave without the coach. Without protection the coach was left vulnerable; the King looked out the window for signs of danger and was spotted by a passer-by. After being spotted, witnesses noticed that the family were going to Varennes. The coach was stopped with the family still inside. As a result of the roadblock, the King and his family were taken prisoner. The King’s guard attempted to plot the King’s escape, however he refused to leave without his family. The Royal family were forcibly returned to Paris

Lesson Six

Aspire: To be able to explain whether Louis should have been executed.

Challenge: To be able to describe the key details of Louis’ trail and execution.

Task one:

Read the following information:

On the 21st of January 1793, King Louis was executed at the Place de

la Revolution in Paris. 80,000 troops were ordered to be on guard to

ensure the public did not cause any problems at the event.

Louis was executed by guillotine in front of a crowd of witnesses. Once

he had been beheaded witnesses rushed forward and soaked their

handkerchiefs in his blood. Although he had been executed, the King

was still seen as being close to God and therefore his blood may have

special powers.

Task two:

Read through the information below.

Complete the table on a piece of paper, to explain who supported

(agreed with) and disputed (did not agree with) the execution of Louis.

I am Bishop Charles of Evreux. I do not agree that the King should have been executed by the National Assembly. The King is chosen by God; it is his divine right to rule France. Only God should be able to remove the King once his time is over.

I am worried about what this execution will mean for France. The King looked after the important members of society; without him the peasants will ruin this country.

I am Pierre, a local parish priest. I do not understand the execution of the King! I have supported him throughout his reign. I know that God put Louis and his family on Earth to rule.

A small part of me is happy that the King is gone; I am not high enough in the church to be in the first or second estates. I have been heavily taxed throughout my life so am happy that I will hopefully no longer starve to pay for the King’s wars and lifestyle!

I am Felipe, a lawyer in Paris and I work for the government in the legal system. I support the execution of the King – previously I did not have any power in France, but now I can help make laws and organise how France is ruled.

The new National Assembly will be democratic, meaning that everyone will have the opportunity to have a voice. We have already passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man making everyone in France equal. The hierarchy is beginning to be removed and France is becoming fairer.

I am Claude, a farmer from a village in Northern France. The past few years have been very difficult for me with the failure of my crops and the increase in taxes. A part of me is sad that the King is dead as I know he was selected by God; however, he was a very bad ruler. I hope that this will mean France becomes more equal - I cannot continue to pay these high taxes.

I am Albert, I used to be the Duke of Brittany before Louis’ execution. I cannot believe this has been allowed to happen to my King!

Louis may not have been the best King, but he looked out for people like me. Under the King I did not have to pay taxes and received money for keeping my castles well presented.

Lesson Seven

Aspire: To be able to analyse whether France became a fairer country.

Challenge: To be able to describe the changes brought about by the Revolution.

Task one:

Read the following information:

From 1792, the National Convention (French Government) controlled

France. The National Convention were elected to create a new

constitution following Louis’ execution. The Government was made up

of 749 members, these included businessmen and tradesmen.

Task two:

Write on your paper the cards below, sorting them into two columns

explaining what life was like in France before and after the Revolution.

The king was the only person who had the power to summon or call parliament.

Members of the third estate were forced to pay taxes even if they could not afford it.

Slavery was abolished in France in 1791 but continued in its colonies.

The nobility had several their privileges taken away – this included now having to pay taxes.

Slavery was legal in France and its colonies.

France was now a democracy – important members of society were elected by the people.

Parliament had the right to meet without the permission of the King.

New taxes were calculated on the amount of money an individual had.

Torture and hangings were stopped – everyone now had the right to be guillotined which was much quicker.

The nobility had many privileges – for example they did not have to pay some taxes.

Torture was a common form of punishment; those given the death penalty were often hung.

Important members of society, including judges, were not elected by the people.

Task three:

On your paper, write two diary entries explaining what life was like

living under Louis XVI’s reign and then under the control of the

National Convention.

In your first diary entry you need to explain how France was affected

by Louis’ rule – including the revolution and effects on the third estate.

In your second entry you need to explain how France changed

following Louis’ death – including your opinion on whether there is a

significant difference in society.

Example sentence starters:

Dear diary,

The King has yet again begun punishing the peasants…

Dear diary,

Following the King’s execution, France has begun to change…

Lesson Eight

Aspire: To be able to explain how violence escalated throughout the Revolution.

Challenge: To be able to describe the key events of the Terror.

Task one:

Read the following information:

Following the execution of Louis XVI, the Committee of Public Safety

were given control of France. Maximilien Robespierre, a trained

lawyer who had been involved in the Revolution, was a member of the

committee. Robespierre began a ‘Reign of Terror’ between 1793 and

1795, killing anyone who spoke out against the Government.

Task two:

Read the following information cards below.

Summarise the information to complete a fact file on the Reign of

Terror.

Maximilien Robespierre

• Robespierre was born in Arras on the 6th of May 1758.

• Robespierre became increasingly popular for his attacks on the monarchy and his attempts to enforce democratic reforms.

• In April 1790, he was elected as president of the Jacobin political club.

• Following Louis’ execution, he became the first deputy for Paris for the National Convention. This saw the abolition of the monarchy and declaration of France as a republic.

The Committee of Public Safety

• The Committee of Public Safety was created to protect France against its enemies, foreign and domestic, and to oversee the government.

• Following Louis’ execution, the committee took dictatorial control beginning the reign of terror in France.

• The committee enforced strict laws and punishments in an attempt to end the crisis in France.

• The twelve men focused on prosecution those who spoke out against the revolution.

Causes

• France was under attack from foreign powers including Austria, Britain, Prussia (Germany), Holland and Spain. They needed a strong leader to remove the threat of invasion.

• Those in France were facing food scarcities and rising prices; people were unhappy with how France was being run following Louis’ execution, meaning the government were beginning to lose support.

Executions of the masses

• Following the initiation of the Reign of Terror, 300,000 suspects were arrested: at least 10,000 died in prison and 17,000 were officially executed within the first year.

• Those who were targeted came from each layer of the former hierarchy, not just the first and second estates.

• Often those who were tried were given the toughest sentences without much evidence.

Robespierre’s execution

• Robespierre was arrested for his participation in the Terror – upon this he attempted to commit suicide, however he only injured his jaw.

• In July 1794, Robespierre was finally executed by guillotine.

• The public had turned against the violence of the new government – using Robespierre as a scapegoat to blame.

• Robespierre only ordered the murder of seventy-two of the thousands who died.

• The execution of Robespierre and eighty-two of his followers marked the end of the Reign of Terror.

Robespierre’s successes

• Although Robespierre is remembered for being cruel, he assisted the revolution greatly.

• Robespierre raised a large army to defend France against Austria, Britain, Prussia (Germany), Holland and Spain.

• Robespierre was able to prevent the foreign threat from taking over France.

Lesson Nine

Aspire: To be able to explain whether Napoleon was a successful leader.

Challenge: To be able to describe the key events in Napoleon’s life and career.

Task one:

Read the following information:

Napoleon Bonaparte was born on the 15th of August 1769 in Corsica.

He was a successful military general throughout the French Revolution

who went on to become the first emperor of France in 1804.

Task two:

Read through the information cards below.

Label your map with the information about Napoleon’s life.

Use the map in your planner to help you locate each country.

1769: Napoleon was born in Corsica, an Italian island that had recently been taken over by France.

1784: Napoleon left Corsica for France. Once in Paris he began to study at the Military Academy. Following this Napoleon joined the French Army.

1796: At the age of twenty-six, Napoleon was placed in charge of 30,000 men in Italy. His inspiring leadership won him much of Italy from the Austrians – this expanded the French Empire and made Napoleon a national hero.

1799: Napoleon returned to Paris following further fighting in Egypt. He went on to be chosen as the emperor of France. Napoleon reformed education and legal rights in France.

1804: Napoleon began to expand the French Empire. He won Spain, Italy, Holland and parts of Germany and Austria. In many of these countries he made the leaders friends or family members.

1812: Napoleon invaded Russia; however, this was a massive failure. His army suffered in the winter with only 10,000 out of 600,000 of his men returning alive.

1815: Napoleon lost much of his European Empire. Following this the British, Dutch and Prussians became allies against the French for the Battle at Waterloo in Belgium. The battle resulted in Napoleon’s defeat, and exile.

Task three:

Look at the two images of Napoleon below.

Write on your paper, what the difference are between the two

interpretations.

Then write why you think there may be these differences.