Specific Objectives

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
1(A), 1(D), 2(A), 8(A), 8(B), 8(C), 15(C), 16(B), 17(B), 21(A), 22(C), 25(C), 26(A) 27(A), 27(B)
 

Materials needed (some handouts other can be made into transparencies)

• Political Spectrum & Graphic Spectrum
• Political Parties of England and USA (Whig, Tory, Republican & Democrat)
• Are you a liberal or conservative - teachers copy
• Liberalism of 1700 - 1800s
• Conservativism of 1700 - 1800s
• Political Philosophers & Questions of today for Philosophers
• Locke
• Hobbes
• Revolutionary Quotes (JFK, Emile Zola & Roland)
• Beatles Revolution (words to the song "Revolution")
• Revolutionary Outline
• Elements Necessary for a Revolution to occur

• Enlightenment
• French Governments
• Sequencing of French Revolution
• Tennis Court Oath
• Lettre de Cachet
• Estates of France
• Sequencing of French and English Revolutions
• Napoleon

• Recipe form (not always used)
• Grading Rubric
• True False quiz about how revolutions occur

Day One (90 minute block)

I.
Teacher places graphic spectrum on overhead. Defines liberal, conservative, moderate, radical & reactionary. Gives survey to students about what their political leanings may be (explain that these may change or that it is just a general survey and not definitive) then ask that students create a spectrum in the room based on the results of the survey choosing left for liberals and right for conservatives. Place matching transparency on overhead and ask that they match the definitions. They can keep these as notes.

Teacher may also hand out reading on Political Parties and give more theoretical definitions of what is a liberal or conservative by pointing out the evolution of the groups using liberals & conservatives of the 1700 - 1800s. Since the French Revolution occurs during this time period it is a good point of discussion to begin discussing the development of how change occurs.
 

Groups

Students are then numbered (1-5) and the ones group together, twos etc.. After they are grouped still standing - You identify one group as liberals, one as the conservatives, one as the radicals, one as the reactionaries and one as the moderates. The groups place themselves in the room according to the political spectrum (left - liberals and further left radicals, middle - moderates and right conservatives and further right reactionaries)
 

II.
Teacher hands out chart of Political Philosophers. Using transparency of explanation of Locke and transparency of Hobbes (from Leviathan) contrasts the two identifying them as "Father of Liberalism" and "Father of Conservativism". Emphasis the concept of inalienable rights from Locke and that citizens are born with rights and not "given" rights in the US. Seeing the picture from Leviathan have students identify the scepter, the crown and the idea that the Monarch is supported by the people. The idea of social contract is presented and when not accomplished the people have the right to over throw the monarch but the Monarch acts as a parent. The philosopher chart is distributed and using the questions of the philosophers students determine in their groups how the philosophers may have responded to the situations. Each group gives a short answer or pick one group for one question.
 

Homework:
Students are asked to bring their favorite recipe from home written so that it could be read to the class.
 

Day 2

Teacher places the transparency of the enlightenment on the overhead and explains the emphasis on reasoning. People caused change to occur. Ask the question "how does change occur" evolution or revolution. Play the Beatles Revolution while displaying the words on the overhead or just read the words. Point out the elements of change - ask about words like institution, using Socratic method, relate change to reform - evolutionary change or quicker (within a generation or 25 years) change that if a political revolution is usually violent with bloodshed.

Display the quotes of JFK, Zola and Roland for the student to begin to see the imagery of revolution.

Teacher explains that revolutions have certain elements present before they can occur. Sort of like ingredients from a recipe. Then even thought the people, places are different they occur in a similar pattern. The results of a revolution are dependent on how violent the initial revolution is with the revolution going back through a cycle until the conditions present (those that caused the revolution) are corrected. The cycle is the stages or preparation. The results of the revolution are the servings. The cycle of revolution is the political spectrum learned the day before. It begins with the liberals, changes to the moderates, tries to stabilize with the conservatives then the radicals step in and want change now. Too much change causes the reactionaries to intervene then we return to the beginning with One man rule. Imagine on a line (spectrum) that the pendulum swings starting with the liberals (mid-left) then to the moderates (middle) then to the conservatives (mid-right) then to the far right with the radicals then to the far left with the reactionaries then back to the beginning.

Teacher explains that the students will develop a recipe for revolution using the people and events of the French Revolution. Distribute the Revolutionary Outline. Point out that the Political, Social, Economic conditions present are the causes of the revolution. What were they for France? Display the Lettre de Cachet and explain the lack of rights. These are the ingredients. Then hand out the sequencing of the French Revolution. This are some of the events. The revolution goes through the stages or cycle. In a recipe this is how it is prepared or preparation. Then the results are who does it serve. You will be explaining this again the following day to reinforce the student activity but for right now tell the students they will need words from recipes like measures and to make things hot what do you add, things can be just chopped or they can be diced. Pick some of the recipes that the students brought and read them to the class. The remaining 30 minutes allow the students to sequence the revolution in their groups using their text books and discussing elements of revolution and elements of the French Revolution.
 

Day 3

Teacher distributes French Governments and demonstrates the cycle or stages of revolution using the liberal - moderate - conservative - radical - reactionary cycle. As a class check the sequencing of the French Revolution. Can use the English revolution to help demonstrate specific information.

Students then create a recipe. Tell them to be very specific about their ingredients and they certainly won't have every single ingredient but instead of "lack of rights" in what way did the French people lack rights. Show the overhead of the 3 estates. Tell them to include specific names of people and events such as the Tennis Court Oath. Show the transparency of the Tennis Court Oath.

Who does it serve?

Teacher distributes the outline on Napoleon and emphasize his role at the end of the 10 year revolution that ends when he names himself First Counsel. Look at what was accomplished for France and what was accomplished for Europe. Then ask the question who does the revolution serve? Student use the remainder of the period for preparation. May have to prepare some at home.
 

Day 4

Students in a creative way demonstrate their recipes. (As a cooking school, spices represent the different people, bake a cake, make a revolutionary pizza, stews, soups, the list is endless)

Give the revolutionary quiz to see if they are revolutionaries.
 
 

Students are assigned essay either to write in class or at home.

Grading Rubric, outline form, explanation of expository essay, and grade form to be attached by student to facilitate grading are linked above.
 

This same pattern is applied to the American Revolution, Mexican Revolution, and Russian Revolution. You have less explaining when you study these. This also helps in English if students are reading Animal Farm