World History, Ch. 19 Sec. 3 Radical Days

Ch. 19, Section 3, Radical Days

Vocabulary
suffrage, nationalism

p. 491, Parallels Through Time
Linking Past and Present, p. 491
Possible answer: They are amazed at how life-like the wax figures appear. It is almost like coming face to face with famous people of the past and present.

Caption, p. 492
Answer to caption
Economics and Technology
Possible answer: lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas

“Amazing Transformation”
1. Lesson Plan Focus
The French Revolution, driven by leaders determined to preserve and extend the revolution, entered a new and radical phase. During the Reign of Terror, thousands of French citizens were sent to their deaths by by Maximillien Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety. Meanwhile, the revolution brought dramatic changes to many aspects of daily life.

2. In-class Instruct
Students will publish a newspaper chronicling the events of the French Revolution. Students need to write news articles about the invasion of the Tuilleries; the National Convention; the execution of the King and Queen; the Committee of Public Safety; the Reign of Terror; changes in daily life; and other significant developments. Other assignments might include an editorial on rights for women, a review of paintings by Jacques Louis David, and a feature on the popularity of “La Marseillaise.” Some students might also produce political cartoons and word puzzles. More research may be necessary. We will display the pages of the finished newspaper where other students can read them.

3. Close
Is a democratic government ever justified in using non-democratic means to protect itself and ensure its survival?

Background: Biography
Born Marie Grosholtz in Switzerland, Madame Tussaud learned the art of wax modeling from her uncle, from whom she inherited two wax museums in Paris. From 1780 until the start of the French Revolution, she served at Versailles as art tutor to the sister of Louis XVI. For a time, she was imprisoned as a royalist. During the Reign of Terror, the leaders of the revolution so admired her artistic skills that they commissioned her to make wax models of themselves and their victims.
When Maximillien Robespierre was executed and his head publicly displayed on a pole, Madame Tussaud used it as a model for a wax sculpture. When she moved to London in 1802, she took it and her entire collection with her. Other figures in her collection included Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Horatio Nelson, and Sir Walter Scott. Today, tourists from around the world continue to marvel at the realistic wax sculptures in Madame Tussaud’s museum in London.

Activity: Interdisciplinary Connections
Among the most famous film or novel that highlight this period include Charles Dicken’s “Tale of Two Cities.” Describe scenes that portray injustices in France before the French Revolution. Then describe three scenes that depict injustices that were carried out by the revolutionaries themselves. Finally, ask students to answer this question: Why do you think revolutions commonly go through a radical stage characterized by excessive cruelty, extreme violence, and denial of rights and freedoms?

Activity: Heterogeneous Groups
Creating Illustrations
As an enrichment activity, students can research the fashion changes that took place in France during the French Revolution. To illustrate these changes, students can draw or get sketches that show styles before and after the revolution. Illustrations should be accompanied by brief captions that explain the changes and any symbolic meaning that they might have had.

Background: Historical Evidence
The National Army
In early 1793, French armies were in retreat and on the verge of collapse. But revolutionary fervor and the spirit of nationalism transformed the military into a heroic force fighting for the survival of France and the revolution. In August, the government called up all able-bodied men for military service in a decree that used such stirring words as these:

“The young men shall go to battle and the married men shall forge arms. The women shall make tents and clothes, and shall serve in the hospitals; children shall tear rags into lint. The old men will be guided to the public places of the cities to kindle the courage of the young warriors and to preach the unity of the Republic and the hatred of kings.”

The French army was no longer a professional army; it was a national one. By the spring of 1794, French forces were repelling the enemy on all fronts.

HW, p. 494 #1-5, Extra Credit #6-7.