French Revolution Unit Plan

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French Revolution Unit Plan

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This  unit  plan  was  designed  during  my  methods  class  in  my  last  semester  of  college  before  beginning  
my  student  teaching  semester.  The  assignment  was  to  plan  a  whole  unit  over  the  course  of  the  
semester.  Working  in  partners,  we  had  to  each  create  a  unit  overview  and  design  five  detailed  lessons  
plans  each  and  then  five  filler  lessons    (for  a  total  of  20  planned  lessons).  Over  the  course  of  the  unit  
we  had  to  have  two  geography  lessons,  two  economics  lesson,  two  primary  source  lessons,  two  
media  lessons,  and  two  jigsaw  activities.  The  detailed  lesson  plans  had  to  include    all  the  essential  
parts  of  a  lesson  such  as  the  rationale,  standards/NCSS  Themes/common  core,  the  essential  question,  
objectives,  lesson  opener,  step-­‐by-­‐step  procedure,  a  closure,  assessment,  and  modifications.  Any  
worksheets,  graphic  organizers,  or  assignments  were  included  in  our  final  submission.    
 
Below  you  will  find  the  unit  plan  proposal,  as  well  as  my  five  detailed  lesson  plans  and  the  
lesson  plan  fillers.  It  should  be  noted  that  these  lessons  were  created  in  theory  and  have  
not  been  implemented  in  a  real  classroom  situation,  though  that  was  their  intention.  
Unit  Plan  Proposal  
 
Unit  Topic/Title:  The  French  Revolution  
 
Length  of  Unit:  16  days  (15  lessons  and  1  Unit  Test)  
 
Unit  Description:  
 
In  the  aftermath  of  the  American  Revolution,  France  was  in  a  state  of  social  and  economic  unrest.  The  
desire  for  political  reform,  as  well  as  economic  troubles,  became  the  catalyst  for  what  would  be  
deemed  at  one  of  the  most  influential  and  important  event  in  history.  This  period  of  history  should  be  
studied  so  that  students  can  understand  the  different  parts  of  a  revolution  such  as  the  causes  and  the  
impacts  they  have  on  different  components  of  everyday  life.    Throughout  this  lesson,  students  will  
learn  about  the  French  Revolution  through  a  variety  of  ways.  As  often  as  possible,  students  will  use  
primary  sources  to  come  to  their  own  conclusions  on  topics  that  we  cover.  They  will  also  be  engaging  
in  group  work,  such  as  a  jigsaw  activity,  which  deepens  their  knowledge  of  the  subject.  This  lesson  
will  also  incorporate  economics  and  geography  to  give  students  a  well-­‐rounded  understanding  of  not  
only  this  event,  but  this  event  in  the  context  of  history.    
 
 
Desires  Outcomes  and  Goals  
After  completion  of  this  unit,  students  will  be  able  to-­‐  
• Extract  important  ideas  from  a  reading.  
• Recall  basic  information  regarding  the  French  Revolution.  
• Demonstrate  their  ability  to  convey  information  to  other  students.  
• Understand  and  describe  debt,  supply  and  demand,  and  taxation  and  use  these  ideas  
outside  of  the  classroom.  
• Recognize  why  France  was  in  the  economic  state  that  it  was  in  prior  to  the  French  
Revolution  and  why  it  was  a  contributing  factor  to  the  causes  of  the  Revolution.  
• Identify  and  analyze  the  components  of  a  primary  source  document  (what  it  is,  who  wrote  
it,  when  was  it  written,  why  was  it  written,  what  is  the  authors  point  of  view,  etc.)    
• Take  a  stance  on  an  issue  and  defend  their  position  
• Compare  and  Contrast  the  post-­‐  revolutionary  governments  of  France  with  one  another  as  
well  as  with  other  post-­‐revolutionary  governments  previously  studied.      
• Compare  and  contrast  different  perspectives  of  the  same  historical  event    
• Infer  how  experience  plays  a  role  in  perspective  
• Analyze  the  effect  climate  had  on  Napoleon  and  his  troops  
• Identify  the  significance  of  the  Congress  of  Vienna  
• Analyze  different  forms  of  media  in  the  context  of  a  lesson  
• Compare  and  Contrast  the  maps  of  Europe  after  the  Congress  of  Vienna  and  today  
• Cite  evidence  to  support  his/her  conclusion.  
• Analyze  how  effective  the  revolution  was  in  helping  the  less  privileged  citizens  of  France  
advance  to  a  better  economic  station.  
 
 
Essential/Guiding  Questions:  
 
1. What  is  a  revolution?  What  are  the  factors  that  cause  a  revolution?  
2. Does  philosophy  and  ideology  play  a  role  in  political  change?  
3. How  can  the  economic  climate  of  a  country  precipitate  a  move  for  change?  
4. At  what  point  does  the  desire  for  change  move  from  an  assembly  to  the  streets?  
5. How  do  citizens,  civic  ideals,  and  government  institutions  interact  to  balance  the  needs  of  
individuals  and  the  common  good  (i.e.  the  needs  of  society)?  
6. Is  violence  an  effective  methods  for  achieving  change?  
7. Did  the  people  of  France  truly  rid  themselves  of  absolute  rule  and  authoritative  government  
with  the  French  Revolution?    
8. How  does  perspective  effect  the  way  in  which  we  view  historical  events?  
 
Enduring  Understandings:  
 
1. Social  unrest,  economic  troubles,  and  the  desire  for  political  reform  led  to  the  French  
Revolution.  
2. The  pre-­‐revolution  government  failed  to  meet  the  political  and  economic  needs  of  the  people.  
3. The  Enlightenment  influenced  the  French  to  view  their  government  in  different  ways,  as  well  
as  contribute  to  the  actions  they  took.  
4. Louis  XIV  left  France  in  debt  with  involvement  in  the  Seven  Years  War  and  the  American  
Revolution.    
5. A  poor  harvest  and  general  economic  decline  added  to  the  poor  state  of  the  economy  on  the  
eve  of  the  French  Revolution.      
1. To  decrease  French  debt,  financial  advisors  proposed  to  cut  back  on  spending  and  suggested  
taxing  the  first  and  second  estates.    
6. Allegiances  and  goals  of  particular  groups  of  people  changed  over  the  course  of  the  
revolution.  
7. The  National  Assembly  instituted  political  and  social  reforms  in  the  moderate  first  stage  of  the  
revolution.    
8. Throughout  the  revolution,  the  government  transitioned  from  an  absolute  monarch,  to  a  
constitutional  monarchy,  to  a  republic,  and  finally  an  oligarchy.    
9. The  French  middle  class  gained  more  power  as  a  result  of  the  revolution.  
10. The  revolution  created  a  sense  of  Nationalism  across  France,  as  evident  by  the  adoption  of  a  
national  hymn  and  a  national  flag  that  was  separate  from  the  monarch.    
11. The  French  supported  Napoleon  Bonaparte  after  the  revolution  because  they  saw  him  as  a  
strong  leader  who  would  provide  stability  after  years  of  turmoil.    
 
NJCC  Standards  (CPIs),  NCSS  Themes,  and  Common  Core  Standards  
 
• Standards:  
 
6.2  World  History/Global  Studies  All  students  will  acquire  the  knowledge  and  skills  to  think  
analytically  and  systematically  about  how  past  interactions  of  people,  cultures,  and  the  
environment  affect  issues  across  time  and  cultures.  Such  knowledge  and  skills  enable  students  to  
make  informed  decisions  as  socially  and  ethically  responsible  world  citizens  in  the  21st  century.  
6.3  Active  Citizenship  in  the  21st  Century  All  students  will  acquire  the  skills  needed  to  be  active,  
informed  citizens  who  value  diversity  and  promote  cultural  understanding  by  working  
collaboratively  to  address  the  challenges  that  are  inherent  in  living  in  an  interconnected  world.  
 
 
 
6.2.12.B.1.b   Determine  the  role  of  natural  resources,  climate,  and  
topography  in  European  exploration,  colonization,  and  
settlement  patterns.                  
6.2.12.B.1.a   Explain  major  changes  in  world  political  boundaries  between  
1450  and  1770,  and  assess  the  extent  of  European  political  and  
military  control  in  Africa,  Asia,  and  the  Americas  by  the  mid-­‐
18th  century.  
6.2.12.A.3.a   Explain  how  and  why  various  ideals  (e.g.,  liberty,  popular  
sovereignty,  natural  rights,  democracy,  and  nationalism)  
became  driving  forces  for  reforms  and  revolutions.  
6.2.12.D.3.a   Explain  how  individuals  and  groups  promoted  revolutionary  
actions  and  brought  about  change  during  this  time  period.  
6.2.12.A.2.a   Determine  how  the  principle  ideas  of  the  Enlightenment  (e.g.,  
rationalism,  secularism,  tolerance,  empiricism,  natural  rights,  
contractual  government,  laissez-­‐faire  economics,  promotion  by  
merit,  and  new  theories  of  education)  altered  political  thought  
in  Europe,  and  trace  the  impact  of  these  ideas  over  time.          
6.2.12.D.3.a   Explain  how  individuals  and  groups  promoted  revolutionary  
actions  and  brought  about  change  during  this  time  period.  
6.2.12.A.3.d   Assess  the  extent  to  which  revolutions  during  this  time  period  
resulted  in  the  expansion  of  political,  social,  and  economic  
rights  and  opportunities  
6.2.12.A.3.c   Relate  the  responses  of  various  governments  to  pressure  for  
self-­‐government  or  self-­‐determination  to  subsequent  reform  or  
revolution.  
6.2.12.A.2.c   Determine  the  reasons  for,  and  the  consequences  of,  the  rise  of  
powerful,  centralized  nation  states  in  Europe  (i.e.,  the  French  
absolute  monarchy  and  the  English  limited  monarchy).        
 
• NCSS  Themes:  
1. Time,  Continuity,  and  Change:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  
level  for  the  study  of  Time,  Continuity,  and  Change.    
 
2. People,  Places,  and  Environment:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  
level  for  the  study  of  People,  Place,  and  Environment.    
 
3. Individuals,  Groups  and  Institutions:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  
level  for  the  study  of  Individuals,  Groups,  and  Institutions.    
 
4. Power,  Authority,  and  Governance:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  
level  for  the  study  of  Power,  Authority  and  Governance.  
 
5. Global  Connections:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  capabilities,  
and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  level  for  the  
study  of  Global  Connections.  
 
6. Civic  Ideals  and  Practices:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  
level  for  the  study  of  Civics  Ideals  and  Practices.  
 
• Common  Core:  
• RH3.2.  Analyze  in  detail  a  series  of  events  described  in  a  text;  determine  whether  earlier  
events  caused  later  ones  or  simply  preceded  them.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.2  Determine  the  central  ideas  or  information  of  a  primary  or  secondary  source;  
provide  an  accurate  summary  of  how  key  events  or  ideas  develop  over  the  course  of  the  
text.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.4  Determine  the  meaning  of  words  and  phrases  as  they  are  used  in  a  text,  
including  vocabulary  describing  political,  social,  or  economic  aspects  of  history/social  
science.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.6  Compare  the  point  of  view  of  two  or  more  authors  for  how  they  treat  the  same  
or  similar  topics,  including  which  details  they  include  and  emphasize  in  their  respective  
accounts.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.7  Integrate  quantitative  or  technical  analysis  (e.g.,  charts,  research  data)  with  
qualitative  analysis  in  print  or  digital  text.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.8  Assess  the  extent  to  which  the  reasoning  and  evidence  in  a  text  support  the  
author's  claims.  
 
• RH.9-­‐10.9  Compare  and  contrast  treatments  of  the  same  topic  in  several  primary  and  
secondary  sources.  
 
• RST.11-­‐12.7.  Integrate  and  evaluate  multiple  sources  of  information  presented  in  diverse  
formats  and  media  (e.g.,  quantitative  data,  video,  multimedia)  in  order  to  address  a  
question  or  solve  a  problem.  
How  will  outcomes/goals,  essential  questions,  and  NJCSSS  standards  be  achieved?  
 
The  goals,  standards,  essential  questions,  and  standards  presented  in  this  unit  will  be  achieved  in  a  
variety  of  ways.  By  looking  at  what  our  ultimate  end  goals  were  and  what  standards  we  had  to  
achieve,  we  constructed  a  unit  plan  overview  with  lessons,  assignments,  and  assessments  that  will  
help  students  reach  our  goals.  Through  our  class  lessons,  which  will  include  a  variety  of  teaching  
strategies,    students  will  gain  the  knowledge  to  understand  our  essential  questions  and  participate  in  
discussing  those  questions.  Over  the  course  of  the  unit,  multiple  DBQ  packets  will  be  distributed  (1-­‐3  
documents,  with  questions  to  help  students  analyze  the  accompanying  documents)  and  two  essays  
will  be  assigned  based  on  these  packets.    The  short-­‐term  goal  of  the  packets  is  to  scaffold  the  process  
of  writing  a  full  DBQ.  By  guiding  the  students  through  documents,  this  creates  the  framework  for  the  
final  essay  that  they  will  hand  in.  These  assignments  will  help  students  to  meet  many  standards,  as  
well  as  achieve  the  goals  we  have  laid  out  for  the  unit.  After  the  first  section  of  the  unit  (The  National  
Assembly),  students  will  be  given  a  quiz  to  cover  the  material.  In  addition  to  the  quiz,  there  will  be  a  
unit  test  so  students  can  show  that  they  have  mastered  the  material.    
 
Lesson  Plans  
1. What  is  a  Revolution?  [An  introduction  to  unit]  Discussion  on  what  the  recipe  for  a  
revolution  is.  Students  will  draw  from  previous  knowledge  of  the  American  Revolution  to  draw  
conclusions  and  parallels.  To  give  students  a  working  knowledge  of  the  whole  unit,  they  will  
participate  in  an  jigsaw  activity  that  covers  the  causes  of  the  Revolution,  major  events  of  the  
Revolution,  and  the  Era  of  Napoleon.  
 
2. Causes  of  the  Revolution  (Day  1)  This  lesson  will  cover  two  of  the  main  causes  of  the  
Revolution:  the  Ancien  Régime  and  the  influence  of  the  Enlightenment.  Students  will  
participate  in  a  jigsaw  to  understand  the  different  European  monarchies.  
 
3. Causes  of  the  Revolution  (Day  2)  This  lesson  deals  with  the  economic  climate  of  pre-­‐
Revolutionary  France.  To  begin,  students  will  complete  a  graphic  organizer  in  which  they  
determine  what  they  think  they  know  about  a  few  economic  concepts.  Through  a  simulation,  
students  will  gain  a  deeper  understanding  of  these  concepts.    
 
4. The  French  Revolution  in  an  Assembly  Before  the  French  Revolution  hit  the  streets,  those  
who  desired  change  congregated  to  enact  change.  This  lesson  will  use  a  station  activity  to  
learn  about  the  less  radical  early  steps  of  the  Revolution,  such  as  the  calling  of  the  Estates  
General  and  the  Tennis  Court  Oath.    
 
5. The  French  Revolution  Hits  the  Streets  At  one  point,  the  revolutionists  bring  their  grievances  
onto  the  streets,  instead  of  inside.  This  lesson  will  explore  these  reasons  through  the  use  of  
artwork  from  the  period.  Students  will  look  at  pictures  and  analyze  them  to  try  and  
understand  why  the  revolutionists  took  their  cause  to  the  next  step.    
 
6. Towards  a  Constitution  This  lesson  aims  to  show  students  how  the  Declaration  of  Rights  of  
Man  and  Citizen  had  similar  statements  as  the  American  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  
the  Vietnamese  Declaration  of  Independence  (albeit  it,  over  a  century  later).  Students  will  
jigsaw  these  documents  and  come  to  find  that  their  findings  were  similar.      
 
7. The  Reign  of  Terror  (Day  1)  The  first  day  of  this  topic  will  cover  the  origins  of  the  reign  of  
terror  and  the  committee  of  public  safety.  Using  primary  sources,  students  will  decide  if  the  
needs  of  the  individual  or  the  needs  of  the  group  are  more  important.  They  will  be  asked  to  
defend  their  position.  
 
8. The  Reign  of  Terror  (Day  2)  This  lesson  will  be  a  lecture  on  the  beginnings  of  the  directory  and  
other  governments.  Students  will  complete  a  Venn  diagram  to  see  that  they  understand  the  
differences  and  similarities.    
 
9. Identity  Crisis  This  lesson  will  take  a  look  at  the  rapid  change  in  government  that  France  
underwent  throughout  the  entire  revolution.  This  constant  sense  of  confusion  and  uncertainty  
allowed  for  more  oppressive  governments  to  rise  to  power  and  continue  to  spiral  the  nation  
into  tyranny.  In  this  lesson,  students  complete  a  jigsaw  of  the  varying  forms  of  government  in  
order  to  see  how  the  transition  of  French  government  at  times  went  from  bad  to  worse.  Also,  
it  allows  for  a  more  complete  knowledge  of  the  political  climate  of  France  during  this  period.    
 
10. The  French  Revolutionary  Wars:  The  War  of  the  First  Coalition  In  this  lesson,  students  will  
learn  about  the  geography  of  Europe  and  the  political  situation  that  surrounded  the  war.  After  
a  short  lecture,  students  will  use  what  they  learned  to  identify  places  on  a  list  and  plot  them  
on  a  map.  
 
11. Exchange  of  Power  Students  will  continue  learning  about  the  Directory,  as  well  as  the  coup  
d’état  that  put  Napoleon  in  power.  After  the  Revolution,  the  French  yearned  for  a  stable  
figurehead.  A  lecture  with  a  lecture  guide  and  video  clip  will  teach  this  lesson.  
 
12. Napoleon  Bonaparte  This  lesson  uses  primary  sources  to  paint  a  picture  of  the  Napoleonic  
code  and  how  it  was  different  from  the  previous  governmental  codes  of  conduct.  It    uses  a  
jigsaw  of  various  primary  sources.  The  students  get  a  full  picture  of  who  Napoleon  was  and  
how  he  was  able  to  rise  to  power.  His  code,  which  is  one  of  the  handouts,  paints  a  picture  of  a  
safe,  free  France.  The  students  are  responsible  for  reading  this  code  along  with  other  codes  
and  comparing  and  contrasting  them  to  one  another.    
 
13. French  Territorial  Expansion  (Day  1)  In  this  lesson,  the  students  will  be  lectured  on  the  
various  causes  and  effects  of  the  Haitian  revolution  and  the  invasion  of  Russia.  This  is  
primarily  a  geography  lesson  which  emphasizes  the  physical  geography  of  Europe,  and  how  
the  climate  plays  a  role  in  this  defeat.  Also,  this  shows  the  extent  of  the  French  Imperial  
movement  within  this  century.  The  students  will  watch  as  the  lecture  is  supplemented  by  
various  maps,  both  physical  and  topographical  maps.    
 
14. French  Territorial  Expansion  (Day  2)  This  lesson  focuses  on  the  Congress  of  Vienna  which  is  
the  meeting  of  European  powers  to  divide  the  French  empire  after  their  defeat.  Eventually  
they  were  left  with  most  of  what  is  now  France.  This  lesson  uses  media  to  help  illustrate  the  
impact  of  the  congress  of  Vienna  and  how  it  was  viewed  by  the  French  and  other  European  
nations.  It  also  looks  at  territorial  gains  and  losses.    
 
 
15. After  the  Revolution  This  is  an  economic  lesson.  The  idea  behind  this  lesson  is  that  it  shows  
the  economic  motivations  behind  beginning  the  Revolution.  Also,  it  looks  at  the  outcome  of  
the  Revolution  and  tries  to  inform  the  students  so  they  can  decide  for  themselves  whether  or  
not  the  Revolution  was  successful  or  not,  in  terms  of  economics.  It  uses  an  opening  activity  to  
help  bring  them  from  economic  motivations  to  the  closure  which  is  economic  outcomes.  IT  
attempts  to  trace  the  role  of  economics  through  the  Revolution  up  until  Napoleon.    
 
Major  Assignments  
The  major  assignments  in  this  unit  are  what  we  call  “DBQ  Packets.”  Five  packets  will  be  assigned  for    
students  to  complete  for  homework.  Each  Packet  will  have  one-­‐three  documents  (predominantly  
primary  sources)  with  questions  to  help  them  understand  and  analyze  the  documents.  See  attached  
calendar  for  the  day  they  are  assigned  and  the  day  they  are  due.  Packets  will  cover  the  following  
themes/events:  Causes  of  the  Revolution,  the  Bastille/Great  Fear,  Declaration  of  the  Rights  of  Man  
and  Citizen,  the  Directory,  and  the  rise  of  Napoleon.    
 
Major  Assessments  
There  will  be  three  major  assessments  in  this  unit:  two  essays  and  a  unit  test.  The  two  essays  will  be  
document  based  essays,  based  on  the  DBQ  packets  that  they  will  complete  as  homework  prior  to  the  
essay.  Students  will  be  expected  to  draw  from  the  information  they  gleaned  from  the  packets  to  
answer  the  essay  prompt.  One  essay  will  deal  with  the  origins  and  events  of  the  Revolution,  and  the  
other  will  deal  with  the  aftermath  and  the  Napoleonic  wars.  Lastly,  there  will  be  a  unit  test  that  will  
cover  all  the  material.  The  test  will  be  identification,  matching,  short  answer,  and  essay  based.  
 
 
   
Jigsaw  Activity  Lesson  Plan  
 
Unit  Topic:  French  Revolution  
 
Lesson:  What  is  a  Revolution?  (Introduction  to  the  unit)  
 
Rationale  for  the  Lesson:  This  lesson  will  provide  students  with  an  overview  of  the  unit.  Students  will  
become  “experts,”  on  a  particular  time  of  the  revolution,  and  then  pass  on  their  knowledge  to  other  
students.  They  will  also  be  exposed  to  new  vocabulary  words  in  a  textual  context.  Through  this  
activity,  students  will  be  able  to  possess  a  working  knowledge  of  the  Revolution  to  guide  them  
through  the  entirety  of  this  unit.      
 
 
Standards/NCSS  Themes/Common  Core:  
• Standards:  
6.2.12.A.3.a   Explain  how  and  why  various  ideals  (e.g.,  liberty,  popular  
sovereignty,  natural  rights,  democracy,  and  nationalism)  
became  driving  forces  for  reforms  and  revolutions.  
6.2.12.D.3.a   Explain  how  individuals  and  groups  promoted  revolutionary  
actions  and  brought  about  change  during  this  time  period.  
6.2.12.A.2.a   Determine  how  the  principle  ideas  of  the  Enlightenment  (e.g.,  
rationalism,  secularism,  tolerance,  empiricism,  natural  rights,  
contractual  government,  laissez-­‐faire  economics,  promotion  by  
merit,  and  new  theories  of  education)  altered  political  thought  
in  Europe,  and  trace  the  impact  of  these  ideas  over  time.          
 
• NCSS  Themes:  
• Individuals,  Groups  and  Institutions:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  
knowledge,  capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  
appropriate  school  level  for  the  study  of  Individuals,  Groups,  and  Institutions.  
• Power,  Authority,  and  Governance:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  
knowledge,  capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  
appropriate  school  level  for  the  study  of  Power,  Authority  and  Governance.  
 
• Common  Core:  
• RH.9-­‐10.2  Determine  the  central  ideas  or  information  of  a  primary  or  secondary  
source;  provide  an  accurate  summary  of  how  key  events  or  ideas  develop  over  the  
course  of  the  text.  
• RH.9-­‐10.4  Determine  the  meaning  of  words  and  phrases  as  they  are  used  in  a  text,  
including  vocabulary  describing  political,  social,  or  economic  aspects  of  history/social  
science.  

Essential  Question/Guiding  Question:    


 
What  are  the  factors  that  cause  a  revolution?    
Objectives:  
• Students  will  be  able  to:  
• Extract  important  ideas  from  a  reading.  
• Recall  basic  information  regarding  the  French  Revolution.  
• Demonstrate  their  ability  to  convey  information  to  other  students.  
• Formulate  a  basic  outline  of  the  French  Revolution  that  they  can  pull  from  throughout  
the  unit.  
 
Do  Now:    
Students  will  come  into  class  and  address  the  activity  posted  on  the  board:  
 
If a revolution was a cake, what would the recipe look like?  
 
How long would the prep time be: Five, ten, fifty years?  
 
What about the ingredients: a harsh ruler, lack of freedom, poverty?
 
What would the directions look like?  
 
 
Create a recipe card that reflects your answers to the question above  
 
 
 
Step-­‐By-­‐Step  Procedures:    
1. (5  minutes)  Students  complete  their  “do  now,”  on  the  board.    
 
2. (3-­‐4  minutes)  Students  share  their  “recipes.”    
 
3. (6-­‐8  minutes)  Discussion  on  revolutions.  
a. Open  with  a  narrative  that  illustrates  the  situation  in  France  on  the  eve  of  the  
revolution,  but  disguise  it  as  though  it  was  happening  in  school.    
b.  Ask  students  what  they  would  do  in  that  situation.    
 
4. (1-­‐2  minutes)  Teacher  explains  the  purpose  of  the  lesson  and  explains  what  the  students  will  
be  doing.  
 
5. (<1  minute)  Students  break  into  their  jigsaw  groups  (three  people  to  each  group).  There  will  
be  two  groups  for  each  group,  group  A  and  group  B    *groups  will  be  previously  established  and  
they  will  consist  of  diverse  learners.    
 
6. (1  minute)  Teacher  distributes  the  readings.  Each  student  within  the  group  will  have  a  
different  reading  (Causes,  Events,  or  Napoleon).  
 
7. (6-­‐8  minutes)  Students  read  over  their  reading  (Causes,  Events,  or  Napoleon),  highlighting  and  
marking  it  up  as  the  go.  They  do  not  need  to  memorize  it,  but  just  become  familiar  with  the  
text.  Teacher  should  be  available  for  clarification  *reading  length  ranges  from  1  ½  pages  to  
3/4th  a  page  
 
8. (3  minutes)  Students  break  into  groups  that  have  the  same  reading  to  discuss  the  main  points  
of  the  segment  and  come  up  with  a  “script,”  that  they  will  teach  to  their  jigsaw  group.  Their  
notes  should  go  in  the  top  three  boxes  of  their  jigsaw  activity  graphic  organizer.  
 
9. (<1  minute)  After  finishing  their  “script,”  students  move  back  with  their  original  jigsaw  group  
(of  three  students)    
 
10. (6-­‐8  minutes,  2  minutes  per  student)  Each  student  presents  his  or  her  segment  to  their  jigsaw  
group.  While  one  student  is  presenting,  the  other  two  students  will  write  down  the  
information  in  their  graphic  organizer.  
 
11. (>1  minute)  Students  break  out  of  their  groups  and  go  back  to  their  seats  
 
12. (6-­‐8  minutes)  Discussion  on  the  Do  Now  Activity  in  the  context  of  students  newly  acquired  
knowledge.  How  did  their  recipes  match  up  with  what  they  learned  in  this  snapshot  lesson  of  
the  Revolution?  
 
13. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Students  will  complete  a  credit  card  as  their  closure  activity.    
 
Closuring  Activity:    
 
“Credit  Card,”  students  write  down  what  the  objective  of  the  lesson  was  (would  come  either  from  the  
board,  or  the  introduction  [step  4  in  the  procedure])  and  whether  or  not  they  thought  it  was  met.  
They  could  also  write  down  questions  they  might  have  if  they  believed  that  the  objective  was  not  
met.    
 
Materials  and  Equipment  Needed:  
• Jigsaw  Activity  graphic  organizer  
• Three  readings  
• White/chalk  board  
• Expo  markers/chalk  
• Computer  
• Projector    
 
Assignment:    
Students  will  be  asked  to  research  another  revolution  (preferably  not  the  American  Revolution)  and  
fill  out  a  Venn  Diagram    comparing  and  contrasting  the  causes.    
 
Assessment:  (how  will  I  evaluate  student  learning?)    
 
Student  learning  will  be  evaluated  based  on  their  participation  during  the  discussion,  as  well  as  the  
jigsaw  activity.  The  whiteboard  activity  will  provide  the  teacher  with  a  clearer    understating  of  how  
much  of  the  information  the  students  have  retained.  Finally,  students  will  hand  in  a  “Credit  Card,”  
that  will  allow  for  the  teacher  to  see  if  their  goals  were  met  through  the  eyes  of  the  students.  Any  
issues  can  be  cleared  up  or  addressed  the  next  day.    
 
 
Modifications  for  diverse  learners  (how  does  this  lesson  make  accommodations?):  vocabulary  
sheet,  modified  reading  (or  given  the  shorter  reading),  pair-­‐share,  additional  time  for  DBQ  packet
Name:________________________________________Period:______________Date:_____________  
 
Jigsaw  Activity  Worksheet    
As  you  read  and  discuss  with  your  group,  fill  out  the  chart  below  with  important  facts  about  your  
topic  After  you  have  become  an  expert  on  your  own  topic,  you  will  share  your  findings  with  a  group  
of  classmates,  and  learn  about  their  topics  as  well.    
 
Important  Ideas:  
1.      
 
2.      
 
3.      
 
Summary  

Other  Facts  

 
 
   

   

 
Causes  of  the  French  Revolution  
 
In  the  1780s,  long-­‐standing  resentments  against  the  French  monarchy  fueled  anger  throughout  
France.  The  source  of  the  French  people’s  ill  will  could  be  found  in  the  unequal  structure  of  French  
government  and  society.  
 
Social  Inequalities  
 
A  social  and  political  structure  called  the  Old  Order  created  inequalities  in  French  society.  Under  the  
Old  Order,  the  king  was  at  the  top,  and  three  social  groups  called  estates  were  under  him.  The  First  
Estate  was  made  up  of  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy,  which  comprised  about  1%  of  the  population.  They  
had  held  several  privileges  since  the  Middle  Ages.  For  
example,  neither  the  clergy  not  the  church  had  to  pay   ß  First  Estate  
taxes.  In  addition,  the  church  owned  10%  of  the  land,  
which  produced  vast  sums  of  money  in  rents  and  fees.  The   Second  Estate  
Second  Estate  was  made  up  of  the  nobility,  which  was  less  
than  2%  of  the  population.  They  controlled  much  of  the  
country’s  wealth,  but,  like  the  First  Estate,  they  paid  few  
taxes.  Many  members  of  the  Second  Estate  help  key  
positions  in  the  government  and  military.  They  lived  on   Third   Estate  
Third  
country  estates  where  peasants  did  all  of  the  work  and  
were  forced  to  pay  high  fees  and  rents  to  the  landowner.  
The  Third  Estate  was  the  largest  estate,  comprising  97%  of  
the  population.  Within  this  estate,  there  were  several  groups.  At  the  top  were  the  bourgeoisie,  which  
were  the  city-­‐dwelling  merchants,  factory  owners,  and  professionals  (lawyers,  doctors,  etc.).  Under  
the  bourgeoisie  were  the  artisans  and  workers  of  the  cities.  These  were  the  shoemakers,  carpenters,  
bricklayers,  dressmakers,  and  laborers.  These  workers  were  also  known  as  the  sans  culottes,  or  those  
“without  knee  breeches.”  If  these  people  had  no  work,  they  went  hungry.  At  the  bottom  of  the  Third  
Estate  were  the  peasants  who  farmed  the  nobles’  fields.  Not  only  did  they  pay  rent  and  fees  to  the  
landowners,  but  they  also  paid  a  tenth  of  their  income  to  the  church.  They  had  to  perform  labor,  such  
as  working  on  road,  without  pay.  Many  peasants  were  miserably  poor  and  had  no  hope  for  a  better  
life.      
 
Influence  of  the  American  Revolution  and  Enlightenment  
 
While  social  inequalities  were  driving  poor  people  toward  revolt,  new  ideas  
from  the  Enlightenment  were  also  inspiring  the  French  Revolution.  Many  
educated  members  of  the  bourgeoisie  knew  about  the  writings  of  the  great  
Enlightenment  philosophers  John  Locke,  Baron  de  Montesquieu,  and  Jean-­‐
Jacques  Rousseau.  Members  of  the  bourgeoisie  also  knew  that  Great  
Britain’s  government  limited  the  king’s  power.  More  recently,  they  had  
learned  that  American  colonists,  inspired  by  Enlightenment  ideas,  had  
successfully  rebelled  against  Britain’s  king.  Ideas  from  the  Enlightenment  like,  
Life,  Liberty,  and  Property,  inspired  the  French  Revolution’s  slogan:  Liberte,  egalite,  fraternite,  which  
means  “Liberty,  Equality,  and  Brotherhood.”  Seeing  how  these  ideas  were  transforming  government  
and  society  in  other  countries,  some  of  the  bourgeoisie  began  to  consider  how  these  ideas  might  be  
used  in  France.  
 
 
Financial  Crisis  and  Famine  
On  the  eve  of  the  Revolution,  France  was  in  a  state  of  financial  crisis,  severe  economic  problems  that  
affected  much  of  the  country.  France  was  deeply  in  debt.  Over  the  previous  centuries,  they  had  
borrowed  huge  sums  of  money  to  spend  on  wars,  including  the  American  Revolution.  But  the  king  
and  his  court  continued  to  spend  lavishly,  leading  to  even  
more  borrowing  and  debt.  Marie  Antoinette  was  called  
“Madame  Deficit,”  making  fun  of  how  much  money  she  lost  
gambling.  Louis  XVI  further  added  fuel  to  the  fire  by  
dismissing  financial  ministers  who  tried  to  bring  about  
reform.  By  the  1780s,  this  pattern  of  spending  and  
borrowing  had  taken  the  country  deeply  into  debt.  By  1787  
King  Louis  XVI  was  desperate  for  money.  He  tried  to  tax  the  
Second  Estate,  but  the  nobles  refused  to  pay.  The  king,  
incapable  of  the  strong  leadership  the  situation  required,  
backed  down.  A  year  later  the  country  faced  bankruptcy.  
Half  the  taxes  collected  were  needed  just  to  pay  the  country’s  debt.  At  the  same  time,  nature  was  
creating  other  economic  problems.  First,  a  hailstorm  and  a  drought  ruined  the  harvest.  Then  the  
winter  of  1788  was  the  worst  in  80  years.  Frozen  rivers  prevented  waterwheels  from  powering  the  
mills  that  ground  wheat  into  flour.  Food  and  firewood  were  scarce  and  expensive.  As  hunger  and  cold  
made  life  wretched  for  thousands  of  French  citizens,  misery  grew  into  anger.  The  country  was  broke,  
and  people  were  hungry  and  angry.  Eliminating  the  tax  exemptions  for  the  First  and  Second  Estates  
could  have  helped  the  situation,  but  the  clergy  and  the  nobility  resisted  all  such  efforts.    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Events  of  the  Revolution  
 
One  of  the  first  events  of  the  Revolution  was  a  meeting  that  nobility  pressed  Louis  to  call.  The  nobles  
wanted  a  meeting  of  the  Estates-­‐General,  an  assembly  made  up  of  the  three  estates,  to  approved  new  
taxes  on  the  Third  Estate.  Each  of  the  three  estates  had  always  had  only  one  vote  in  the  Estates-­‐General.  
Usually  the  First  and  Second  Estates  voted  together,  outvoting  the  Third  Estate.    
 
Inspired  by  ideas  of  the  Enlightenment,  members  of  the  Third  Estate  wanted  to  change  how  the  Estates  
General  worked  in  France.  They  voted  to  create  the  National  Assembly,  which  would  pass  laws  in  the  
name  of  the  French  people.  The  National  Assembly  effectively  eliminated  
the  monarchy  and  was  the  first  real  act  of  the  revolution.  That  National  
Assembly  was  different  from  the  Estates  General  because  it  gave  the  
power  to  the  majority  group  in  France,  instead  of  the  nobility  and  
members  of  the  Church.  The  National  Assembly  reformed  France  by  
eliminating  the  Estates  System  and  creating  the  Declaration  of  the  Rights  
of  Man.  The  declaration  outlines  the  ideas  of  liberty,  equality,  and  
fraternity.  A  few  days  later,  members  of  the  third  estate  were  locked  out  
of  their  meeting  room.  They  broke  down  a  door  to  the  tennis  court  at  the  palace  of  Versailles.  They  
vowed  to  stay  until  they  had  a  new  constitution.  This  became  known  as  the  Tennis  Court  Oath.  Some  
Nobles  and  members  of  the  Clergy  who  favored  reform  also  joined  the  Third  Estate  delegates.  
 
Rumors  began  to  spread  that  King  Louis  XVI  was  going  to  use  
the  army  to  stop  the  uprising.  In  response,  the  people  of  
France  began  to  gather  weapons  and  gunpowder.  On  July  14th,  
1789  a  group  of  citizens  stormed  the  Bastille,  a  prison  that  also  
served  as  a  weapons  stockpile.  The  fall  of  the  bastille  became  a  
great  symbolic  act  of  Revolution.  Before  long,  the  rebellion  
spread,  causing  a  wave  a  senseless  panic  called  the  Great  Fear.  
They  feared  that  the  king  would  punish  them  and  end  the  
Revolution.  Violence  spread  across  France  during  the  Great  
Fear  and  angry  mobs  forced  Marie  Antoinette  and  Louis  XVI  to  
return  to  Paris  from  Versailles.  It  was  the  last  time  that  the  King  
and  his  wife  would  see  Versailles.    
 
Other  countries  in  Europe  were  fearful  of  the  ideas  of  the  French  
Revolution  spreading  to  their  own  countries.  Austria  and  Prussia  wanted  
France  to  go  back  to  an  absolute  monarchy.  In  July  1792,  they  issued  a  
declaration  warning  against  harming  the  French  monarchs  and  hinting  
that  any  such  action  would  provoke  war.  In  response,  the  Legislative  
Assembly  declared  war.  Due  to  their  disarrayed  army,  however,  France  
was  defeated.  In  the  chaos,  National  assembly’s  constitution  was  
removed  and  a  group  called  the  Jacobins  (radicals  in  France  who  wanted  
a  Republic,  not  a  Democracy),  took  control.  The  Jacobins  were  led  by  
Maximilien  Robespierre.  Robespierre  led  as  a  dictator  and  used  fear  to  
control  the  people  of  France.  His  rule  became  known  as  the  Reign  of  Terror.  Robespierre  killed  anyone  
who  opposed  his  ideas.  Approximately  40,000  people  were  killed  during  the  Reign  of  Terror.  Robespierre  
was  also  responsible  for  the  execution  of  King  Louis  XVI  and  Marie  Antoinette.      
Rise  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte  and  the  Congress  of  Vienna  
 
What  emerged  from  the  ruins  of  the  Revolution  was  an  empire  under  
Napoleon  I.  The  revolution  had  caused  the  citizens  a  great  deal  of  pain  and  
suffering.  They  had  witnessed  the  fall  of  a  weak  king  and  the  rise  of  a  dictator  
who  reigned  with  fear  and  terror.    The  people  were  ready  for  a  new  leader.  A  
popular  general,  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  came  to  power  after  a  coup  d'état  in  
1799.  A  coup  d’état  is  a  sudden  seizure  and/or  shift  of  power  in  a  country.  In  
this  case,  Napoleon  seized  control  of  France  from  the  Jacobins.  Napoleon  was  
considered  a  national  hero  for  his  efforts  defending  the  delegates  of  the  
National  Convention  during  the  early  states  of  the  French  Revolution.  His  is  
considered  to  be  a  military  genius  because  of  his  ability  to  outsmart  and  
outmaneuver  his  enemies  during  battle.  
 
He  was  made  first  consul,  then  consul  for  life  in  1802,  and  then  Emperor  in  
1804.  Traditionally,  the  pop  would  palace  the  crown  on  an  emperor’s  head,  
but  Napoleon  placed  the  crown  on  his  own  head.  By  1812,  Napoleon  
controlled  most  of  Europe,  with  Russia,  Britain,  and  Portugal  being  exceptions.  
Napoleon’s  dynasty  did  not  last  quite  as  long  as  the  monarchy  that  had  come  
before  it—his  collapsed  in  1814  after  a  series  of  military  defeats,  including  a  
failed  invasion  of  Russia.  He  was  briefly  restored  the  following  year,  after  
escaping  from  his  island  exile  at  Elba.  But,  with  his  famous  defeat  at  the  Battle  
of  Waterloo,  Napoleon  was  exiled  once  more—this  time  to  an  island  much  
further  away,  St.  Helena.  
 
With  Napoleon’s  defeat,  Europe  and  France  
were  left  with  no  clear  leader.  In  order  to  create  stability  in  Europe,  a  
convention  was  held  in  Vienna,  Austria.  This  became  known  as  the  
Congress  of  Vienna.  The  congress  set  out  to  prevent  future  French  
aggression,  restore  a  balance  of  power  in  Europe,  and  restore  royal  
families  in  places  where  there  had  been  revolutions,  including  France.  
By  creating  similarly  sized  and  powerful  kingdoms,  the  representatives  
at  the  Congress  hoped  to  keep  Europe  peaceful  for  as  long  as  possible.  
With  the  defeat  of  Napoleon  France  was  once  again  a  Monarchy  in  
1814,  just  25  years  after  the  start  of  the  French  Revolution.    
 
 
   
Filler  Lesson    
Ancien  Regime  and  Enlightened  Thought  
 
Objective,  Students  Will  Be  Able  To…  
• Understand  the  political  climate  of  France  at  the  time  of  the  revolution  
• Analyze  the  different  factors  that  led  the  people  to  revolt  
• Determine  whether  or  not  the  people  were  right  in  rising  up  against  the  monarchy  
 
Description:  Within  this  lesson,  students  will  get  the  feel  of  the  political  atmosphere  in  pre-­‐
revolutionary  France.  The  background  that  this  lesson  will  give  will  help  put  into  perspective  the  need  
of  the  people  to  revolt.  They  will  do  a  jigsaw  between  the  French  Monarchy  and  the  other  European  
monarchies  to  show  why  they  were  the  first  of  the  monarchies  to  be  overthrown  and  how  they  
differed  from  the  rest  of  Europe,  and  how  they  were  similar.  They  will  work  in  groups.    
   
Economic  Lesson  Plan  |  Erin  Slack  
 
Unit  Topic:    French  Revolution  
 
Lesson:  The  Economic  Climate  of  France  on  the  Eve  of  Revolution  
 
 
Rationale  for  the  Lesson:  This  lesson,  which  contains  a  simulation,  provides  students  with  the  
knowledge  to  understand  the  economic  climate  on  the  eve  of  the  revolution.  Since  the  state  of  the  
economy  was  a  core  cause  of  the  revolution,  it  is  important  for  students  to  understand  why  and  how  
the  economy  was  in  the  state  that  it  was.  This  lesson  will  also  demonstrate  some  common  economic  
concepts,  such  as  debt,  taxation,  and  supply  and  demand.    
 
Standards/NCSS  Themes/Common  Core:  
! Standards:    
6.2.12.D.3.a   Explain  how  individuals  and  groups  promoted  revolutionary  
actions  and  brought  about  change  during  this  time  period.  
6.2.12.A.3.d   Assess  the  extent  to  which  revolutions  during  this  time  period  
resulted  in  the  expansion  of  political,  social,    
 
 
• NCSS  Themes:  
 
7.  Production,  Distribution,  and  Consumption:  Social  Studies  teacher  should  possess  the  
knowledge,  capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  
appropriate  school  level  fro  the  study  of  Production,  Distribution,  and  Consumption.    
 
• Common  Core:    
 
RH.9-­‐10.7  Integrate  quantitative  or  technical  analysis  (e.g.,  charts,  research  data)  with  
qualitative  analysis  in  print  or  digital  text.  
 
 
Essential  Question/Guiding  Question:    
 
How  can  the  economic  climate  of  a  country  precipitate  a  move  for  change?    
 
 
Objectives:  
• Students  will  be  able  to:  
• Understand  and  describe  debt,  supply  and  demand,  and  taxation  and  use  these  ideas  
outside  of  the  classroom.  
• Recognize  why  France  was  in  the  economic  state  that  it  was  in  prior  to  the  French  
Revolution  and  why  it  was  a  contributing  factor  to  the  causes  of  the  Revolution.  
 
Do  Now:    
 
 
Revenue  Paid  By  Estates    
Considering what you already  
 
know about the Ancien
 
Regime and who makes up the  
 
estates, what does this chart  
tell you? How do you think it  
 
will contribute to the economic  
climate of France before the  
 
  revolution?  
 
 
 
 
Step-­‐By-­‐Step  Procedures:    
*To  see  detailed  procedures  regarding  the  simulation,  please  see  attached  
 
1. (2  minutes)  Students  complete  the  Do  Now  on  the  board.  
While  students  are  working  on  that,  the  teacher  gets  materials  ready  for  the  simulation    
 
2. (2  minutes)  Discussion  about  the  Do  Now.  Ask  a  few  students  to  share  what  they  wrote.    
 
3. (3-­‐5  minutes)  Distribute  “Economic  Concept  Self  Assessment”  and  have  students  fill  out  
 
4. (5  minutes)  Pass  out  simulation  identities  and  explain  the  simulation  to  the  students.  Arrange  
them  throughout  the  room.  
 
5. (8-­‐10  minutes)  Begin  Phase  One  of  the  simulation.  Remind  students  to  pay  attention  to  what  
is  happening.    
 
6. (2  minutes)  Ask  students  if  their  experience  was  fair  and  why  or  why  not.  Make  sure  that  
someone  from  each  identity  participates  to  get  a  variety  of  answers.  
 
7. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Watch  this  clip  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrEbvwLxOQ)  on  the  tax  
reforms  that  were  proposed  and  why  they  did  not  pass.  Start  clip  at  1:00  and  end  at  3:00.    
 
8. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Ask  students,  still  in  their  identities,  if  they  would  be  happy  with  the  proposed  
tax  reforms.    
 
9. (8-­‐10  minutes)  Begin  Phase  Two  of  the  simulation.  Remind  students  to  pay  attention  to  what  
is  happening.  
 
10. (2  minutes)  Ask  students  what  they  experienced.  Make  sure  that  someone  from  each  identify  
participates  to  get  a  variety  of  answers.  
 
11. (>1  minute)  Instruct  students  to  sit  back  in  their  seats.  
 
12. (4-­‐5  minutes)  Working  in  pairs,  students  update  their  “Economic  Concept  Self  Assessment”  
   
13. (2  minutes)  To  close  the  class,  students  complete  an  exit  ticket.  They  should  write  down  what  
they  learned  during  the  simulation.  
 
 
Closuring  Activity:    
 
Exit  ticket.  Ask  students  what  they  learned  about  debt,  taxation,  and  supply  and  demand.    
 
 
Materials  and  Equipment  Needed:  
• White/Chalkboard  
• Expo  markers/chalk  
• Computer  
• Projector  
• Plastic  counters  
• Baggies  
• Name  tags  
 
 
Assignment:  
Economic  Concepts  worksheet  (see  attached)  
 
 
Assessment:  (how  will  I  evaluate  student  learning?)  
Students  will  be  assessed  based  on  their  participation  in  the  simulation.  They  will  also  turn  in  the  
“Economic  Concepts  Self  Assessment,”  and  their  homework  to  be  graded.  The  exit  ticket  that  they  
will  complete  will  also  be  considered  in  the  participation  grade.      
 
Modifications  for  diverse  learners  (how  does  this  lesson  make  accommodations?):  Vocabulary  
sheet,  word  bank,  extended  time,  pair  share,  
Name:_______________________________________________Period:_____________Date:___________  
 
Directions:  For  each  concept,  write  down  what  you  think  it  means.  After  the  lesson,  use  what  you  learned  
to  complete  the  chart.  
 
   
Concept   What  I  think  it  means:   What  it  means:   I  know  this  because…  

       
Supply  

       
Demand  

       
Debt  

       
Taxation  

       
Unemployment  
Pre-­‐Revolution  French  Economy  Simulation  
 
Creator:  Erin  Slack  
 
This  simulation  aims  to  show  students  how  the  social  and  economic  situation  in  France  led  to  the  
Revolution.  Throughout  this  simulation,  students  will  learn  about  taxation,  debt,  and  supply  and  demand.    
 
Setup:  All  students  will  be  given  an  identity  based  on  the  social  hierarchy  in  pre-­‐revolutionary  France.  This  
is  the  breakdown:*  
 
1  Student  to  represent  King  Louis  XVI  
1  Student  to  represent  Marie  Antoinette    
1  Student  to  represent  the  First  Estate  
1  Student  to  represent  the  Second  Estate  
21  Students  to  represent  the  Third  Estate  
  5  of  these  students  to  represent  the  Bourgeoisie  
  6  of  these  students  to  represent  the  Sans-­‐culottes    
  12  of  these  students  to  represent  the  peasants  
 
Students  will  be  given  a  nametag  with  their  identity  as  well  as  small  plastic  discs  to  represent  money.  This  is  
the  breakdown  of  money:*  
 
King  Louis  XVI  and  Marie  Antoinette:  Starts  off  with  a  bag  of  plastic  counters    (about  100  or  so,  or  at  
least  enough  to  visually  represent  a  difference  from  everyone  else),  as  well  as  many  paper  IOUs  to  
represent  their  debt  from  the  Seven  Years  war  and  the  American  Revolution.    
 
  First  Estate:    Starts  off  with  small  bag  of  plastic  counters    
 
  Second  Estate:  Starts  off  with  small  bag  of  plastic  counters    
 
  Third  Estate,  Bourgeoisie:  Starts  off  with  50  plastic  counters    
 
  Third  Estate,  Sans-­‐culottes:  Starts  off  with  25  plastic  counters    
 
  Third  Estate,  peasants:  Starts  off  with  10  plastic  counters    
 
After  everything  is  given  to  the  students,  arrange  them  in  the  classroom  by  group.  The  King  and  Queen  
should  have  a  large  portion  of  the  classroom  to  represent  the  palace.  The  First  Estate  should  have  a  
sizeable  portion  of  the  classroom  since  the  clergy  owned  10%  of  the  land.  The  Second  Estate  should  also  
have  a  sizeable  amount  of  land  since  they  lived  on  land  that  was  maintained  by  peasants.  The  Third  Estate  
should  be  noticeably  crowded  in  the  classroom  since  they  made  up  97%  of  the  population.    
 
 
*To  cut  down  on  class  time,  the  name  tags  and  plastic  counters    can  be  pre-­‐separated  and  put  into  bags  so  
that  they  just  have  to  be  distributed.  
Phase  One,  Taxes:  The  teacher  will  act  as  a  tax  collector  and  employer  for  this  phase  of  the  simulation.  Use  
this  chart  to  properly  move  money:  (8-­‐10minutes)  
 
Identity   Pays  (in  taxes  and  fees)   Receives  
Monarchy   No  taxes,  but  spend  money*   Taxes  from  third  estate  
Pays  off  debts  with  large  sums  of  
money  
First  Estate   No  taxes     Taxes  from  peasants  (10%)  
Second  Estate   A  small  %  in  taxes   Taxes  from  Peasants  
Bourgeoisie   Taxes   Money  from  working  
(merchants,  factory  owners,  
professionals)**  
Sans-­‐culottes   Taxes   Money  from  working  (when  they  
were  able  to  get  work)**  
Peasants     10%  to  church,  rent  and  fees  to   Nothing  
second  estate  
 
*The  Monarchy  should  often  give  the  teacher  money,  especially  Marie  Antoinette,  to  represent  their  
overspending.  They  should  also  be  paying  off  debt  with  large  sums  of  plastic  counters    to  represent  the  fact  
that  by  1780,  they  had  to  spend  half  of  what  they  collected  in  taxes  to  pay  off  their  debts.  The  teacher  
should  continue  to  give  them  paper  IOUs  when  they  run  out  of  money  
**The  teacher  should  give  the  Bourgeoisie  and  some  of  the  Sans-­‐culottes  (not  all)  money  from  working  in  
the  form  2-­‐3  plastic  counters  .    
 
Once  this  phase  is  complete,  watch  clip  on  financial  reforms:    
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrEbvwtLx0Q    
 
Start  clip  at  1:00,  which  begins  with  proposed  financial  reforms  up  to  the  calling  of  the  estates  general  and  
the  issues  with  taxing  the  poorest.  Stop  clip  at  3:00.  
   
 
Phase  Two,  Supply  and  Demand:  This  phase  aims  to  represent  how  the  poor  harvests  added  to  the  
economic  climate  by  driving  up  the  price  of  bread.  (8-­‐10  minutes)  
 
Open  up  a  bakery  at  the  front  of  the  classroom,  using  tootsie  rolls  (or  other  small  candies/items)  as  a  
substitute  for  bread.  Ask  students  to  form  a  line  to  buy  “bread.”  They  will  use  the  plastic  counters    they  
have  from  phase  one  to  buy  at  the  price.  If  they  choose  to  purchase,  they  take  their  “bread”  and  get  back  
on  line.  Continue  until  all  tootsie  rolls  have  run  out.    
 
You  will  start  with  50  tootsie  rolls  in  a  container.  Once  the  shelf  is  empty,  refill  from  the  container.  The  less  
tootsie  rolls,  the  higher  the  price.  
 
Back  Stock   For  Sale   Price  
30   20   2  plastic  counters    
15   25   3  plastic  counters    

5   10   5  plastic  counters    
0   5   10  plastic  counters    

 
 
After  all  of  the  “bread,”  has  been  sold,  ask  students  what  they  experienced  during  the  this  phase  of  the  
simulation.  
   
Name:_______________________________________Period:______________Date:________________________  
Economics  homework  assignment  
 
Directions:  Answer  the  questions  below  based  on  previous  lessons,  as  well  as  what  you  experienced  during  todays  
simulation.  
 
1. What  wars  did  France  participate  in  that  depleted  their  treasury?_____________________________________  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
2. How  did  the  ideology  of  divine  right  explain  why  previous  French  monarchs  had  no  problem  spending  
money?______________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
3. What  was  Marie  Antoinette’s  nickname  among  the  poor  French  and  why?_____________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
4.  What  Estate  paid  the  most  taxes?  Was  this  a  problem?  Why  or  why  not?_______________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
5. What  Estate  was  exempt  from  paying  taxes?______________________________________________________  
 
6. Why  didn’t  any  financial  reforms  pass?  Who  opposed  them?_________________________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
   
7. How  did  nature  contribute  to  the  economic  problems?_______________________________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
8. What  can  you  assume  about  the  price  of  bread  and  why?______________________________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
9. What  is  the  relationship  between  supply  and  demand?________________________________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
 
10. In  your  opinion,  were  there  any  short  term  fixes  to  the  financial  crisis  to  avoid  revolution?  Could  anything  be  
done?____________________________________________________________________________________  
_________________________________________________________________________________________  
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________________  
   
Filler  Lesson    
The  Revolution  in  an  Assembly:  Estates  General  and  the  Tennis  Court  Oath  
 
 
 
Objective,  Students  Will  Be  Able  To…  
• Collect  and  organized  information  gathered  from  each  station  
• Understand  the  revolutionaries  desire  for  change  
• Identify  different  groups  of  the  revolution  
 
Description:  In  this  lesson,  students  will  learn  about  the  first  stages  of  revolutionary  organization.  The  
lesson  will  cover  the  calling  of  the  Estates  General  and  the  Tennis  Court  Oath.  To  teach  this  lesson,  a  station  
activity  will  be  used.    
   
Media  Lesson  Plan  
 
Unit  Topic:    French  Revolution  
 
Lesson:  “The  French  Revolution  Hits  the  Streets”  
 
 
Rationale  for  the  Lesson:  In  this  lesson,  students  will  learn  about  how  the  events  moved  from  the  tennis  court  to  the  
streets  of  Paris  and  the  countryside.  Students  have  previously  studied  the  meeting  of  the  Estates  General  and  the  
Tennis  Court  Oath,  so  they  will  now  learn  how  a  revolution  can  exchanges  hands.  Throughout  the  lesson,  students  
will  examine  three  paintings  and  interpret  the  meaning  behind  each  of  them.  At  the  end  of  the  lesson,  students  will  
be  able  to  identify  three  events  that  represent  the  French  Revolution  on  the  streets  and  who  led  those  events.  For  
homework,  students  will  reflect  on  the  what  led  to  these  events  and  recall  what  happened  in  a  creative  writing  
assignment.      
 
 
Standards/NCSS  Themes/Common  Core:  
! Standards:    
6.2.12.D.3.a   Explain  how  individuals  and  groups  promoted  revolutionary  
actions  and  brought  about  change  during  this  time  period.  
6.2.12.A.3.c   Relate  the  responses  of  various  governments  to  pressure  for  
self-­‐government  or  self-­‐determination  to  subsequent  reform  or  
revolution.  
6.2.12.A.3.a   Explain  how  and  why  various  ideals  (e.g.,  liberty,  popular  
sovereignty,  natural  rights,  democracy,  and  nationalism)  
became  driving  forces  for  reforms  and  revolutions.  
! NCSS  Themes:  
• 5.  Individuals,  Groups  and  Institutions:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  
knowledge,  capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  
appropriate  school  level  for  the  study  of  Individuals,  Groups,  and  Institutions.    
 
! Common  Core:  
• RH  3.2.  Analyze  in  detail  a  series  of  events  described  in  a  text;  determine  whether  earlier  
events  caused  later  ones  or  simply  preceded  them.  
 
 
Essential  Question/Guiding  Question:    
 
At  what  point  does  the  desire  for  change  move  from  an  assembly  to  the  streets?  
 
 
Objectives:  
• Students  will  be  able  to…  
• Examine  primary  source  paintings  in  the  context  of  the  lecture.  
• Compare  these  three  events  (the  Storming  of  the  Bastille,  the  Great  Fear,  and  the  Women’s  
March)  in  regards  to  who  was  involved  and  where.  
• Apply  the  information  from  the  lesson  to  a  creative  writing  assignment.  
 
 
Do  Now:    
 
“Veteran  armies...  have  never  performed  greater  prodigies  [feats]  of  valor  than  this  leader-­‐  less  
multitude  of  persons  belonging  to  every  class,  workmen  of  all  trades  who,  mostly  ill-­‐equipped  and  
unused  to  arms,  boldly  affronted  the  fire  from  the  ramparts  and  seemed  to  mock  the  thunderbolts  
the  enemy  hurled  at  them....”  

 
What does this quote say about who is leading the fight for independence?”
 
 
Students  will  answer  this  question:  “What  does  this  quote  say  about  who  is  leading  the  fight  for  
independence?”  
 
(quote  from  Keversau,  a  participant  in  the  Storming  of  the  Bastille)  
 
Step-­‐By-­‐Step  Procedures:    
1. (2  minutes)  Students  complete  the  Do  Now,  which  asks  them  to  respond  to  the  quote  on  the  board.  
 
2. (2  minutes)  Teacher  asks  students  to  share  some  of  their  responses.  
 
3. (6-­‐8  minutes  total)  Teacher  explains  that  the  students  will  look  at  three  pictures,  one  at  a  time,  and  
write  what  they  see  in  the  pictures)  
 
a. (2-­‐3  minutes  of  the  10  minutes)  Teacher  shows  first  picture,  which  is  the  Storming  of  the  
Bastille  .  
 
b. (2-­‐3  minutes  of  the  10  minutes)  Teacher  shows  second  picture,  which  is  a  painting  that  
represents  the  Great  Fear.  
 
c. (2-­‐3  minutes  of  the  10  minutes)  Teacher  shows  last  picture,  which  is  of  the  Women’s  March  
on  Versailles.  
 
4. (<1  minute)  Teacher  hands  out  note-­‐taking  organizer  to  help  guide  students  throughout  the  lecture.  
 
5. (30  minutes)  Lecture  on  the  Storming  of  the  Bastille,  the  Great  Fear,  and  the  Women’s  March  on  
Versailles.  Throughout  the  lecture,  the  Teacher  checks  for  understanding  by  asking  questions  and  
reviewing  material.  Students  fill  out  their  organizer  that  will  serve  as  their  notes  for  the  day.  
 
a. (10  minutes)  Lecture  on  the  events  leading  up  to  the  Storming  of  the  Bastille  and  the  
aftermath.  
i. (5  minutes)  Teacher  revisits  the  Storming  of  the  Bastille  painting  and  ask  students  to  
apply  what  they  have  just  learned  in  the  lecture  to  the  painting.  Teacher  can  use  a  
foam  board  to  magnify  aspects  of  the  projected  painting  for  students  to  see  clearly.    
 
b. (5-­‐6  minutes)  Continue  lecture,  moving  onto  the  Great  Fear  and  the  aftermath.  
i. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Teacher  revisits  the  Great  Fear  painting  and  ask  students  to  apply  what  
they  have  just  learned  in  the  lecture  to  the  painting.  Foam  board  magnifier  can  be  
employed.    
 
c. (10  minutes)  Continue  lecture,  moving  onto  the  Women’s  March  on  Versailles  and  the  
Declaration  of  the  Rights  of  Women  and  the  Female  Citizen.  
 
i. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Teacher  revisits  the  Women’s  March  painting  and  ask  students  to  apply  
what  they  have  just  learned  in  the  lecture  to  the  painting.  Implementation  of  the  
foam  board  may  be  necessary.    
d. (<1  minute)  Teacher  ends  lecture    
 
6. (5  minutes)  Discussion  on  what  the  causes  of  these  events  were.  Ask  students  why  they  believe  the  
desire  for  change  spilled  out  onto  the  streets.    
 
7. (2  minutes)  Students  complete  a  3-­‐2-­‐1  exit  ticket  and  hands  it  to  the  teacher  on  the  way  out  of  
class.  
 
8. (<1  minute)  Students  will  also  hand  in  their  note-­‐taking  organizers  to  be  graded  for  completion.    
 
Closuring  Activity:    
3-­‐2-­‐1  exit  ticket:  
  3  Things  you  learned  
  2  Two  things  you  thought  were  interesting  and  would  like  to  know  more  about  
  1  question  you  still  have  
Materials  and  Equipment  Needed:  
• White/chalk  board  
• Expo  markers/chalk  
• Computer  
• Projector  
• PowerPoint  (with  images  and  minimal  notes)  
• Note-­‐taking  organizer  
• Homework  sheet  
 
Assignment:  
Creative  Writing  worksheet  (see  attached).    
 
 
Assessment:  (how  will  I  evaluate  student  learning?)  
Student  learning  will  be  evaluated  on  their  participation  during  the  lecture  and  through  the  ‘check  for  
understanding,’  questions.  Students  will  also  be  evaluated  through  their  exit  ticket.  If  they  can  reflect  on  
the  lesson  by  writing  down  three  things  they  learned,  two  things  that  were  interesting,  and  one  question  
they  still  have,  this  will  show  that  they  learned  something  during  the  lesson.  The  note-­‐taking  organizer  will  
also  be  evaluated  (for  completion)  to  show  that  the  students  were  present  during  the  lecture.    
 
Modifications  for  diverse  learners  (how  does  this  lesson  make  accommodations?):  vocabulary  sheet,  
graphic  note  organizer  for  reference,  additional  time  for  homework  or  organizer  sheet,  pair-­‐share.    
Name:______________________________________Period:____________Date:_________________  
Directions:  Fill  out  this  chart  throughout  the  lecture,  this  will  serve  as  your  notes  for  the  day.  
 
 
Event  (+Date)   What  happened?   Who  were  the  participants?   What  was  the  outcome?  

       

       

       

 
 
 
The  Fall  of  the  Bastille,  by  Claude  Cholat    
   
 
 
Burning  chateaux’s  in  the  countryside  as  peasants  riot  during  the  Great  Fear  
   
 
An  illustration  of  the  Women’s  March  on  Versailles  
   
Name:____________________________________________Period:_________________Date:___________  
 
Directions:  Pretend  you  are  a  member  of  the  third  estate  and  you  have  just  witnessed  an  event  of  the  
Revolution.  Choose  from  the  Storming  of  the  Bastille,  the  riots  of  the  Great  Fear,  or  the  Women’s  March  on  
Versailles.  Your  task  is  to  write  a  letter  to  someone  outside  of  France,  describing  the  event  you  just  
witnessed.    
 
In  your  letter,  you  should  include  historical  background  to  the  event  (why  it  happened),  at  least  three  facts  
about  the  event,  and  include  a  date  that’s  relevant  to  the  event.  
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Filler  Lesson  
Towards  a  Constitution:  the  Declaration  of  the  Rights  of  Man  and  Citizen  
 
Objectives,  Students  Will  Be  Able  To:  
• Extract  information  from  three  primary  sources  and  compare  them.  
• Conclude  why  similarities  exist  between  declarations  of  independences.      
• Understand  that  basic  human  desires  transcend  across  time  and  cultures.    
 
Description:  This  lesson  will  explore  the  similarities  and  differences  between  three  different  Declarations.  
Students  will  be  given  just  the  text  (no  indication  which  is  which)  from  the  American  Declaration  of  
Independence,  the  French  Declaration  of  Rights  of  Man  and  Citizens,  and  Vietnamese  Declaration  of  
Independence,  and  will  engage  in  a  jigsaw  activity.  Through  this  activity,  students  will  see  how  similar  these  
documents  are.    
   
Primary  Source  Lesson  Plan  |  Erin  Slack  
 
Unit  Topic:  French  Revolution  
 
Lesson:  The  beginning  of  the  Reign  of  Terror    
 
Rationale  for  the  Lesson:  This  lesson  will  cover  the  beginnings  of  the  radical  phase  of  the  French  
Revolution,  known  as  the  Reign  of  Terror.  Students  will  examine  primary  sources  to  gain  an  understand  of  
why  this  terror  was  carried  out.    Most  important,  students  will  discover  and  address  the  question  of  
whether  the  needs  of  society  are  more  important  than  the  needs  of  the  individual.    
 
Standards/NCSS  Themes/Common  Core:  
 
• Standards:  
6.2  World  History:  Global  Studies:  All  students  will  acquire  the  knowledge  and  skills  to  think  
analytically  and  systematically  about  how  past  interactions  of  people,  cultures,  and  the  
environment  affect  issues  across  time  and  cultures.  Such  knowledge  and  skills  enable  students  to  
make  informed  decisions  as  socially  and  ethically  responsible  world  citizens  in  the  21st  century.  
 
6.3  Active  Citizenship  in  the  21st  Century.  All  students  will  acquire  the  skills  needed  to  be  active,  
informed  citizens  who  value  diversity  and  promote  cultural  understanding  by  working  
collaboratively  to  address  the  challenges  that  are  inherent  in  living  in  an  interconnected  world.  
 
• NCSS  Themes:    
Power,  Authority,  and  Governance:  Social  Studies  teachers  should  possess  the  knowledge,  
capabilities,  and  dispositions  to  organize  and  provide  instruction  at  the  appropriate  school  level  for  
the  study  of  Power,  Authority  and  Governance  
 
• Common  Core:  
RH.9-­‐10.6  Compare  the  point  of  view  of  two  or  more  authors  for  how  they  treat  the  same  or  similar  
topics,  including  which  details  they  include  and  emphasize  in  their  respective  accounts.  
 
RH.9-­‐10.8  Assess  the  extent  to  which  the  reasoning  and  evidence  in  a  text  support  the  author's  
claims.  
 
RH.9-­‐10.9  Compare  and  contrast  treatments  of  the  same  topic  in  several  primary  and  secondary  
sources.  
 
 
Essential  Question/Guiding  Question:    
 
How  do  citizens,  civic  ideals,  and  government  institutions  interact  to  balance  the  needs  of  individuals  and  
the  common  good  (i.e.  the  needs  of  society)?  
 
Objectives:  
• Students  will  be  able  to:  
• Identify  and  analyze  the  components  of  a  primary  source  document  (what  it  is,  who  wrote  it,  
when  was  it  written,  why  was  it  written,  what  is  the  authors  point  of  view,  etc.)    
• Connect  the  guiding  question  to  recent  events  
• Take  a  side  on  the  essential  question  based  on  their  analysis  and  discussion  of  primary  
sources.      
 
Do  Now:    
Students  will  come  into  class  and  address  the  question  posed  on  the  board:  
 
 
“Terror  is  only  justice:  prompt,  severe,  and  inflexible;  it  is  less  a  distinct  principle  than    
a  natural  consequence  of  the  general  principle  of  democracy,  applied  to  the  most    
pressing  wants  of  the  county.”      
   
 
What does this quote mean?  
 
 
 
The  quote  is  by  Robespierre,  on  justifying  the  use  of  terror  against  “enemies,”  of  the  republic.  
 
Step-­‐By-­‐Step  Procedures:    
1. (2-­‐3  minutes)  As  students  file  into  class,  they  will  complete  their  do  now.  
 
2. (2  minutes)  Ask  students  to  share  what  they  wrote  for  their  Do  Now    
 
3. (2  minutes)  The  lesson  will  be  introduced  (The  Reign  of  Terror)  to  the  students,  and  the  teacher  will  
explain  what  the  rest  of  the  lesson  will  look  like  (hook  exercise,  primary  source  investigation,  
discussion,  and  closure).    
 
4. (3-­‐4  minutes)  The  teacher  distributes  a  hook  exercise  on  the  Reign  of  Terror.  The  instructions  will  be  
read  aloud  and  then  the  teacher  asks  if  there  are  any  questions  regarding  them.  The  instructions  
state  that  students  will  work  individually  to  answer  the  questions,  and  then  will  work  with  a  partner  
to  discuss  what  they  chose.  
 
5. (3  minutes)  Students    read  and  complete  the  exercise  alone.  
 
6. (5  minutes)  After  completing  the  exercise  alone,  students  should  partner  up  to  compare  answers.  
During  this  time,  the  teacher  will  equally  distribute  Document  A  and  Document  B  face  down  (as  to  
not  distract  them  for  their  partner  work).  The  documents  should  be  given  out  in  such  a  way  that  half  
the  class  has  Doc  A  and  half  has  Doc  B,  and  that  each  person  has  someone  with  either  document  
close  to  them.  
 
7. (1  minute)  The  teacher  distributes  the  graphic  organizer  for  students  to  use  in  conjunction  with  
their  primary  sources.  
 
8. (5  minutes)  The  class  reconvenes  to  go  over  the  hook  exercise.  All  five  scenarios  will  be  discussed  
briefly,  and  students  will  give  their  opinions  on  all  of  them.  Teacher  asks  students  why  they  believe  
a  particular  scenario  addresses  the  needs  of  the  individual/group  and  whether  or  not  it  can  be  the  
other  way  around.  
 
9. (2-­‐3  minutes)  After  the  discussion,  the  teacher  explains  the  primary  source  activity  and  opens  the  
floor  to  any  questions.    
 
10. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Each  student  reads  the  document  that  was  distributed  earlier.  The  teacher  walks  
around  and  is  available  for  any  clarification  on  documents  (this  might  include  definitions  of  words,  
clarification  on  the  questions).    
 
11. The  teacher  will  also  pose  a  question  on  the  board  while  the  students  are  working  (“Whose  needs  
are  more  important,  society  or  the  individual?”)  
 
12. (1  minute)  Once  students  have  been  able  to  look  at  their  document,  they  partner  up  with  another  
student  that  has  the  same  document.  They  should  discuss  their  findings  and  ultimately  decide  
whether  the  author/s  of  the  document  believed  that  the  needs  of  the  individual  or  the  needs  of  
society  were  more  important.    This  should  be  recorded  in  the  graphic  organizer.  
 
13. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Students  then  pair  with  a  student  who  has  a  different  document.  Each  student  will  
present  their  findings  from  their  document,  including  answering  the  questions  at  the  bottom  of  the  
text.  As  the  student  is  presenting,  the  other  student  should  be  writing  down  the  information  on  
their  graphic  organizer.  
 
14. While  the  students  work  in  partners,  the  teacher  walks  around  the  classroom  to  be  available  for  
clarification,  as  well  as  to  see  that  students  are  participating.  
 
15. (1  minute)    Each  pair  of  students  should  then  come  to  a  consensus  of  the  question  of  Society  vs.  
Individual  rights  and  be  prepared  to  discuss  as  a  class.    
 
16. (2-­‐3  minutes)  Students  present  their  stance  to  the  class  and  give  their  rationale.    
 
17. Questions  the  teacher  may  ask:  Is  this  always  a  one  sided  answer?  Would  this  change  over  time?  
What  groups  of  people  would  favor  either  side?  Is  there  a  happy  medium  between  the  two?    
 
18. (5-­‐8  minutes)  Teacher  gives  a  mini-­‐lecture  on  how  the  primary  source  exercise  relates  to  the  Reign  
of  Terror.    
 
19. (2  minutes)  To  close  the  lesson,  students  will  complete  an  exit  ticket.  They  will  write  three  things  
they  learned,  and  then  one  question  they  still  have.  The  questions  can  either  be  a  clarification  from  
the  lesson,  or  other  questions  they  have  about  the  subject  matter  in  general.  They  will  hand  in  the  
ticket  before  leaving  the  classroom.  
 
 
Closuring  Activity:  Exit  ticket.  Students  write  down  three  things  they  learned  and  one  question  they  still  
have.  The  teacher  will  review  the  tickets  before  the  next  day  and  address  any  questions/clarifications  that  
students  still  have.  
 
 
 
Materials  and  Equipment  Needed:  
• Hook  exercise  worksheet  
• Document  A  worksheet  
• Document  B  worksheet    
• Graphic  organizer  Worksheet  
• White/chalk  board  
• Expo  markers/chalk  
 
 
 
Assignment:  King  Louis  XVI  Trial  creative  writing  assignment  (see  attached)    
 
Assessment:  (how  will  I  evaluate  student  learning?)  In  addition  to  assessing  students  based  on  their  
participation  in  class  (including  their  involvement  in  discussion,  as  well  as  working  in  partners),  students  will  
complete  an  exit  ticket  in  which  they  will  list  three  items  they  learned  and  one  questions  based  on  the  
lesson.  This  will  give  the  teacher  an  idea  of  what  things  stuck  with  the  students,  and  what  needs  more  
clarification.  Questions  should  be  addressed  next  day.    
 
 
Modifications  for  diverse  learners  (how  does  this  lesson  make  accommodations?):  Pair  share,  vocabulary  
sheet,  graphic  note  organizer  for  reference,  additional  time  for  homework  
Name:_______________________________________Period:_____________Date:________________  
Hook  Exercise:  Reign  of  Terror  
The  individual  or  the  society:  whose  needs  are  more  important?  Whenever  people  live  together  in  a  small  
community  or  a  large  nation,  some  compromise  is  needed  between  the  needs  of  one  versus  the  needs  of  
the  group.  
 
Consider  each  of  the  following  situations.  Decide  whose  needs  are  more  important,  the  individual’s  or  the  
groups?  Check  the  box  that  matches  you  position,  then  meet  with  your  partner.  Be  ready  to  discuss  with  
the  class.  
 

 
   
Document  A  
 
Source:  Maximilien  Robespierre,  Report  on  the  Principles  of  Public  Morality,  speech  to  the  National  
Convention,  February  5,  1794  
 
Note:  Maximilien  de  Robespierre  was  perhaps  the  most  famous  French  Revolutionary.  Educated  as  a  
lawyer,  he  believe  in  Rousseau’s  teaching  that  the  right  to  govern  comes  from  the  people.  Robespierre  also  
held  the  belief  that  all  people  should  be  able  to  vote.  He  dreamed  of  making  France  a  constitutional  
republic  rather  than  a  monarchy.  He  was  one  of  the  architects  of  the  Reign  of  Terror.  
 
 
“Citizen-­‐representatives  of  the  people.    
 
 
 
…In  order  to  lay  the  foundations  of  democracy  among  us  and  to  
 
consolidate  it,  in  order  to  arrive  at  the  peaceful  reign  of  
 
constitutional  law,  we  must  finish  the  war  of  liberty  against  
 
tyranny  and  safely  cross  through  the  storms  of  the  revolution:  that  
 
is  the  goal  of  the  revolutionary  system  which  you  have  put  in  
 
order.  You  should  therefore  still  base  your  conduct  upon  the  
 
stormy  circumstances  in  which  the  republic  finds  itself…  
 
  Social  protection  is  due  only  peaceful  citizens;  there  are  no  
 
citizens  in  the  Republic  but  republicans.  The  royalists,  the  
 
conspirators  are,  in  its  eyes,  only  strangers  or,  rather,  
 
enemies…Are  not  the  enemies  within  the  allies  of  those  without?...  
 
  We  must  smother  the  internal  and  external  enemies  of  the  
 
Republic  or  perish”…  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guided  Questions:  
 
1. Whom  should  the  government  protect,  according  to  Robespierre?  
 
 
 
2. How  could  this  document  he  used  to  argue  that  the  Reign  of  Terror  was  justified?  
 
 
 
3. Who  does  Robespierre  believe  is  more  important,  the  needs  of  the  individual  or  the  needs  of  the  
society?  
 
   
Document  B  
 
Source:  United  States  Bill  of  Rights,  ratified  December  15,  1791    
 
Note:  The  Bill  of  Rights  refers  to  the  first  ten  amendments  to  the  United  States,  which  enumerates  
freedoms  not  explicitly  indicated  in  the  body  of  the  Constitution.  Some  members  of  congress  did  not  
support  including  a  Bill  of  Rights  in  the  constitution,  while  others  thought  it  was  necessary.    
 
 
Amendment  I:  Congress  should  n ot  say  that  the  nation  has  only  one  religion,  or  tell  people  they  cannot  practice  a  
religion  of  their  own  choice;  it  should  not  tell  p eople  what  to  say  or  what  to  write  in  the  press;  it  should  not  tell  
people  they  can  get  together  to  protest  peacefully,  and  to  write  to  the  government  to  complain  about  a  decision  
that  has  b een  made.    

Amendment  II  :The  right  for  the  government  to  organize  an  army,  and  for  individual  citizens  to  own  and  use  
guns,  should  not  be  taken  away.    

Amendment  III:  No  soldier,  when  there  is  peace,  should  live  in  a  house  without  the  owner  saying  it’s  okay.  If  
there  is  a  war,  then  the  soldier  needs  to  follow  the  law  about  living  in  other  people’s  h ouses.    

Amendment  IV:  Search  warrants  (specific  permission)  shall  be  necessary  for  any  search  of  a  person’s  house  or  
belongings.  Officials  must  present  good  evidence  as  to  why  the  warrant  should  be  given.    

Amendment  V:  The  rights  of  a  person  accused  of  a  crime  must  include  an  official  statement  about  the  crime,  and  
a  person  may  not  be  tried  twice  for  the  same  specific  criminal  incident.  All  of  the  steps  of  the  must  be  followed  in  
order  to  punish  a  person  or  take  away  their  property.    

Amendment  VI:  A  person  accused  of  a  crime  has  the  rights  to  a  fair  trial  by  a  jury,  to  question  witnesses  for  or  
against  him  or  her,  and  to  be  provided  a  lawyer  if  he  or  she  cannot  afford  one.    

Amendment  VII:  In  civil  suits  (not  criminal)  that  involve  property  more  than  twenty  dollars,  a  jury  trial  may  be  
requested.    

Amendment  VIII:  Bail  should  never  be  set  too  h igh,  and  punishments  should  never  be  cruel  and  unusual.    

Amendment  IX:  Any  right  not  listed  in  the  Bill  of  Rights  is  not  n ecessarily  d enied  to  the  people.    

Amendment  X:  Any  power  not  given  to  the  United  States  or  to  the  individual  states  is  reserved  for  the  people.    

 
Guided  Questions:  
 
1. What  does  the  Bill  of  Rights  protect?  
 
2. Why  do  you  think  Congress  felt  the  need  for  specific  rights  to  be  clearly  articulated?  
 
3. Would  the  authors  of  this  document  think  that  the  needs  of  the  individual  or  the  needs  of  society  
were  more  important?  
Name:_______________________________Period:________________Date:______________________  
Society  or  the  Individual  

Document  A   Document  B  

Whose  needs  are  more  important?  


Name:______________________________Period:______________Date:________________________  
Reign  of  Terror  Homework:  The  Kings  Trial  
 
Directions:  Pretend  you  are  part  of  King  Louis  XVI’s  defense  team  at  his  trial  and  you  are  about  to  make  
your  opening  statement.  In  the  lines  below,    write  a  short  outline  of  your  statement.    
 
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Filler  Lesson  
The  Reign  of  Terror  Day  2:  March  of  Tuileries  and  the  Creation  of  the  National  Convention  
 
Objectives,  Students  Will  Be  Able  To…  
• Identify  the  difference  between  the  Directory  and  the  previous  form  of  government  
• Compare  and  contrast  the  Directory  to  the  monarchy  it  replaced  
• Analyze  France’s  progress  in  terms  of  revolutionary  success  (  Was  this  the  new  government  the  
revolutionaries  had  in  mind)  
 
Description:  In  this  lesson,  students  will  learn  about  the  Directory  as  a  form  of  government.  They  will  be  
lectured  on  how  the  directory  was  different  from  the  government  it  replaced  and  how  ineffective  it  was.  
After  the  lecture,  there  will  be  a  compare  and  contrast  Venn  diagram  assignment  based  off  of  this  lecture  
and  the  previous  days  lectures.  This  will  be  used  as  a  check  for  understanding  tool  in  order  to  mark  whether  
or  not  they  fully  understand  the  differences.    
 
 

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