Introduction
The French Revolution which took place between 1789-1799 was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. During this time, the French monarchy was overthrown, French society underwent an extreme restructuring, and the principles of egalitarianism, fraternity, and liberty were proclaimed.
The first key concept we will explore is that of the Enlightenment, which was a philosophical, literary, and cultural movement that swept across Europe in the 18th century and emphasized reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, upsetting many paradigms accepted until that point. The Enlightenment provided the intellectual backdrop for the French Revolution, arguing against the absolute authority of the monarchy and for a government that would protect the rights of man.
The second key concept is that of Liberalism, a political and moral philosophy arising out of the Enlightenment era which advocates individual liberty, representative government, due process, civil rights, and private property. The French Revolution was heavily influenced by liberal ideas, and many of the principles of liberalism were codified in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, one of the Revolution's foundational documents.
Background
The French Revolution was one of the most important events in world history. It established the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity that are still valued and defended today. The Revolution also sparked a wave of revolutions around the world and had a major impact on global politics.
The French Revolution is also notable for its innovations in politics and warfare. The concepts of nationalism and total war, both of which developed during the Revolution, were crucial to the organization of the modern world. The Revolution also challenged traditional notions of sovereignty and authority, ushering in a new era of global politics.
In order to prepare yourself for this project, I suggest you explore the following resources:
- The book "The French Revolution: Citizens in Arms" by Timothy Tackett. This book provides a detailed overview of the events and key concepts of the French Revolution.
- The "France Diplomatie" website, which has a full dossier on the French Revolution, including a timeline, key figures, and key concepts.
- The "Revolutions" series on Netflix, a historical dramatization of the events of the French Revolution that can provide visual context for the events you will be studying.
Practical activity: "The Pillars of Revolution"
Project Aim
To develop students' understanding of the key concepts and events of the French Revolution, and the impact they have had on the organization of the modern world.
Detailed description of the project
Students will be placed in groups of 3-5 people and each group will be responsible for creating a board game themed around the French Revolution. The game should represent the progression of events, the key concepts (Enlightenment and Liberalism), the major players, and the consequences of the French Revolution.
This project is intended to take around a month to complete, with students contributing 5-10 hours of work each.
Required materials
- Cardboard or other material for the game board
- Coloured paper, markers, crayons etc. for decoration
- Miscellaneous materials to create the game pieces (e.g. clay, card, etc)
- Dice (or two, if necessary for your game)
- Computer with internet access for research
Step-by-step instructions
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Research: each group should begin by researching the French Revolution. This should include studying the key ideas of the Enlightenment and Liberalism, the political and social climate of the time, the key players and their ideas, and the outcomes of the Revolution in France and around the world.
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Game Design: based on your research, you should come up with a concept for your game. What will be the objective? How will players move around the board? In what ways will the events and ideas of the French Revolution be incorporated into the gameplay?
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Creating the Board and Game Pieces: once you have a clear concept for your game, you should begin constructing the board and the game pieces. It is suggested that each space on the board represents a key event, figure, or concept from the French Revolution.
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Game Rules: at this point, you need to come up with the rules of your game. The rules should be clear, and they should ensure that the game is fair. They should also link the key topics of your research in a logical way.
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Game Testing and Refinement: once your game is created, you should playtest it to ensure that it works as intended. Adjustments may need to be made in order to improve gameplay.
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Presentation and Documentation: finally, each group will present their game to the class, explaining how it relates to the concepts and events of the French Revolution. In addition, each group should prepare a report documenting the process of creating their game.
Deliverables
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Board Game: Each team must hand in the board game, complete with all its pieces. The game should be a playable representation of the events of the French Revolution, and should contain elements representing the ideas of the Enlightenment and Liberalism.
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Written Report: This will be the formal account of your project and should be structured with an Introduction, Development, Conclusion, and Bibliography. In the report, you should detail the research you carried out (theory), detail the creation of your game (practical activity), explain the methodology you used to develop your game, the results you obtained, and conclude what you learned from the project.
Each section of the report should link directly to the practical activity you carried out. For example, in the Development section of the report you should explain how you put theory into practice, i.e. how you turned the knowledge you gained from your research on the French Revolution into a board game. In the Conclusion, you should discuss what you learned from the activity and how it enhanced your learning on the topic.
