Reign of Tertor Mini-Q TEACHER DOCUMENT LIST (CV) ‘There are seven documents in this Mini-Q. Students are provided with the same docu- ment list, but itis not divided into analytical categories or buckets. Students may develop categories that are different from these. The External and Internal Threat Document B: Timeline of the Reign of Terror Document ©: The Outside and Inside Threats (maps) Methods of Terror Document D: Letter from the Vendée Document E: The Committee of Public Safety Document F: The Guillotine (image) Ideals of the Revolution Document A: Declaration of the Rights of Man Document E: The Committee of Public Safety Document F: The Guillotine (image) Document G: Robespierre, “Report on the Principles of Public Morality” 76Reign of Terror Mini-Q Mini-Q Sample Essay: Higher Proficiency The Reign of Terror: Was It Justified? Do the ends ever justify the means? In 1789 French revolutionaries hoped to create a government that would value people's rights and guard against tyranny. Unfortunately, violence became all too common during the revolution and individual rights were ignored. The period from September 1793 through July 1784 was called the Reign of Terror because between 20,000-40,000 French people were executed by government forces. The Reign of Terror was not justified for three reasons: the threat posed by enemies did not require it, the methods used were too extreme, and it went against the ideals of the Revolution. While the revolutionary government did indeed face many real enemies, the Reign of Terror was not needed in order to overcome these threats. It was true that Prussian and Austrian armies had pushed thelr way inside France's borders, and the émigrés were conspiring from neighboring coun- tries. It’s also true that counterrevolutionaries were rebelling in several districts (Doc ©). Yet if one looks at the timeline, much of this opposition had already been suppressed before the Terror really gained steam (Doc B). The tide of the international war had changed in France's favor as early as September 1792, long before the Terror had begun (Doc C). Further, much of the internal rebellion seems to have started because of bad decisions on the part of the Revolutionary government. Had. they not cracked down so hard on the Catholic Church (Doc C), much of the counterrevolutionary activities could have been avoided all together. Another reason the Reign of Terror was not justified is because the methods used to defeat the enemy ‘were too extreme. The leader of the Terror, Maximilien Robespierre, wasn’t shy about the policy. In September 1793, he proclaimed, “terror the order of the day” (Doc B), and ina February 1794 speech to the National Convention he said that the enemies need to be “smothered” and that “social protection is due only to peaceful citizens” (Doc G). The result was large-scale execution of suspected enemies, many by the blade of the guillotine (Doc F). But how did they know who the enemies were? The Tribunals and “shadowy networks” af spies were out of control; patriotic “intuition” was permitted as grounds for conviction (Doc E). Additionally, on several occasions, government officials Used mass kilings as a way to set an example. This was true in the Vendee (Doc D), Rather than just punishing the enemy, the government was trying to terrorize the people of France into submission. Most importantly, the Reign of Terror was in direct opposition to ideals of the Revolution. In the opening stage of the Revolution, the newly appointed National Assembly created a document called the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens, which became the preamble to France’s new constitution. It was issued in order to protect citizens from abuses by the government (Doc A). Yat, during the Reign of Terror, citizen’s rights were openly violated. The Law of Suspects, which was drawn up during the Terror, defined “enemies” in such a broad way (Doc B), that nearly anybody could be accused (Doc E). Also, religious freedom was denied (Doc C) and the government stopped allowing legal counsel to the accused (Doc B). The revolution began out of a desire for greater liberty, yet the Reign of Terror violated the very rights for which they were fighting Even though France was in the midst of a revolution, the Reign of Terror was not justified. Although Robespierre and the revolutionaries believed their actions to be necessary “to arrive at the peaceful reign of law’ (Doc E), they were wrong, The ends do not justify the means. Itis never tight to violate people's rights in an effort to secure those very same rights. ih oaaie Tne Dna PotReign of Terror Mini-Q Mini-Q Sample Essay: Non-Proficient The Reign of Terror: Was It Justified? The Reign of Terror was terrible! People were getting their heads chopped off just because they did | not lke the revolution, They wanted to keep celebrating Christmas but the government killed them | for that. No government should kill ts own people. Reason one was that the foreign threat confused the government. Austria was attacking France, So what did the Reign of Terror leaders do? They cut off the heads of immigrants just because they were foreigners (Doc F). This was bad. A second problem was that the Reign of Terror used harsh methods against its own people. They spied on them and Killed them. They chopped off lots of heads in front of big crowds (Doc D). On the cover, they showed the heads to the crowd which is just gross! If you chop off someone’s head please don't show it to the crowd. The man deserves some privacy. ‘The Reign of Terror was not okay. Even though the government thought it was, it wasn't, because: you can’t be free if you are dead Mini-Q Sample Essay: Basic Proficiency The Reign of Terror: Was It Justified? The end does not justify the means. During the French Revolution, the revolutionaries wanted to | make a new government that would give people more liberty and equality. Between 1793 and 1794 the government used harsh ways to achieve its ends. But were those measures, which have been called the Reign of Terror, justified? In fact, the Reign of Terror was not justified for three reasons: the external threat did not require it, the methods of the Terror were foo extreme, and it went against the ideals of the Revolution: ‘The foreign threat to France did not justify a Reign of Terror. Prussia and Austria were nervous about the revolution spreading, This is natural (Doc A). After a few French defeats at places like Lille and Verdun, the French started doing better (Doc B). In fact, the external threat died out before the peak of the Terror in June and July 1794 (Doe A). You couldn't really use the foreign threat as an excuse for increasing the terror. The foreign threat was over. ‘A second reason the Reign of Terror was unjustified is because of its extreme methods. The government hired spies and set up tribunals to find the counter-revolutionaries and imprison or Kill them (Doc F).When they killed them, they did it in public. They uillotined 20,000 to 40,000 people to make an example of them (Doc E). This made people afraid to express themselves, something people should not fear in a free country. Finally, the Reign of Terror was not justified because it went against the ideals of the original revolution. The Declaration of the Rights of Man was written in 1789 to protect the people from the ‘government. Now Robespierre, on February 5, 1794, was calling upon the government to “smother” its ‘enemies (Doc G). The problem is that hundreds of thousands of the enemies were simply French- ‘men unhappy with the new government. The Reign of Terror panicked and began to deny legal couneil to the accused (Doc B). This violated the ideal of protecting the people against the government. The Reign of Terror was unjustified. Although it is understandable that the revolutionaries would want to have stability in their new country, it was wrong for them to force people to follow their plans. Ifyou create a democracy, you should not use force to get your way. In other words, the means did not justify the ends. 2 Sa0r9 e090 PetReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Six: From Thesis to Essay Writing i ir i IMPORTANT Mini-Q Essay Outline Guide For students new to DE@s, young students, and students Working Title: The Reign of Terror: Was It Justified? needing extra writing support, see the Guided Essay form in Paragraph #1 the Teacher's TooIkit. Grabber: Do the ends ever justify the means? Background: During the French Revolution, revolutionaries wanted to make a new government based on freedom for the people. Difficulties arose. Especially between 1793 and 1794, they used extreme measures to achieve their goals. 20,000 to 40,000 people executed Stating the question with key terms defined: Were these extreme measures, sometimes called the Reign of Terror, justified? Thesis and road map: The Reign of Terror was not justified for three reasons: the threats did not require it, the methods were too extreme, and the ideals of the revolution were violated. Paragraph #2 Baby Thesis: The external or foreign threat did not require it. Evidence: Supporting detail from documents with document citation: Austrian-Prussian pushing into France. Monarchies wortied about spread of revolution (Doc A) Internal rebellion in the Vendee (Doc C) Argument: External threat nearly gone before Terror went into highest gear Internal threat caused by the Reign itself. No Reign of Terror, litle internal threat. Paragraph #3 Baby Thesis: Methods were too extreme Evidence: Robespierre proclaimed, “terror the order of the day” (Doc B). ina February 1794 speech he said that the enemies need to be “smothered Large-scale execution of suspected enemies, many by the blade of the guillotine (Doc F) ‘Argument: But how did they know who the enemies were? ‘The Tribunals and “shadowy networks" of spies were out of contro!; patriotic “Intuition” was permitted as grounds for conviction (Doc E). Government officals used mass killings to set an example. True in the Vendee (Doc D) ‘The government was trying to terrorize the people of France into submission, Paragraph #4 Baby Thesis: The ideas of the revolution were violated. Evidence: Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens was issued in order to protect citizens from abuses by the government (Doc A). During the Reign of Terror, citizen's rights were openly violated. The Law of Suspects, which was drawn up during the Terror, defined “enemies” in such a broad way (Doc B), that nearly anybody could be accused (Doc E). Also, religious freedom was denied (Doc C) and the government stopped allowing legal counsel to the acoused (Doc B). Argument: The revolution began out of a desite for greater liberty, yet the Relgn of Terror violated the very rights for which they were fighting, Paragraph #5 ‘Conclusion: The Reign of Terror was not justified. Although Robesplerre and the revolutionaries believed their actions to be necessary, they were wrong. The ends do not justify the means. It is never right to violate people's rights in an effort to secure those very same rights. 70Reign of Terror Mini Step Five: Bucketing — Getting Ready To Write Task One: Bucketing Threats Methods Ideals of the Revolution justified / did not justify justified by / not justified by supported by / not supported by the Reign of Terror the Reign of Terror the Reign of Terror ‘Task Two: Thesis Development and Road Map The Chickenfoot The Reign of Terror in France was justified / not justified because the methods were / were not too extreme itsy port ‘ely LEO / orton’ oe i tion,Reign of Terror Mini-Q Step Four: Document Analysis Document G: Robespierre Content Notes: + One of the social changes imposed by the National Convention was the creation of a new calendar. ‘The months were all renamed to reflect the natural world, The calendar also replaced the seven-day week with a 10-day week because seven days was considered irrational and too religious (God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, according to Genesis). The ninth day of Thermidor (the month of heat) corresponded to July 27, 1784. After the fall of the Convention and the Committee of Public Safety, the revolutionary calendar was abolished. + Robespierre gave this speech to defend himself against charges of dictatorship and tyranny. The accusations arose because Robespiorre signed a law called the Decree of Prairial without asking the help of the Committee of General Security. The Jaw permitted executions to be carried out even if a citizen was only suspected of being counterrevolu: tionary. When Robespierre allowed this law to pass, the number of executions permitted by the Com- mittee of Public Safety doubled. After Robespierre gave this speech, the Convention decided that he had gone too far, and they ordered his capture and ‘execution. Robespierre unsuccesstully tried to com- mit suicide by shooting himselt in the head, A doctor bandaged his head and jaw so that the orowd could ‘observe his decapitation by the guilotine on July 28, 1794, + Robespierre was opposed to declaring war against ‘Austria in 1792. He believed that focusing on the intemal stability of the country was most important and he worried that if France focused on raising a rational army, too many in France would gain mi tary skills that could spark violence and civil war. He believed that the purpose of revolutionary war was ‘o free subjects and slaves from unjust tyranny, not to defend dynasties or expand frontiers 66 Teaching Tips: Discuss the Documnent Analysis questions: 1, According to Robespierre, what are the goals of the war and the revolution? To create a democracy and a constitution under which people live peacefully by the rule of law 2. Whom should the government protect, accord- ing to Robespierre? Social protection is only for peaceful cit zens. 3, What does Robesplerre mean by “intemal” en- emies and “external” enemies of the Republic? Hint: Think about the other documents in this Mini-0. Internal enemies were French counterrevo- lutionaries who opposed national conscrip- tion and the religious and social changes. that came with revolution. Many but not all were monarchists. External enemies wore the Austrians, Prussians, Spanish, English, Dutch, and people from the German states. 4, What does Robesplerre believe should be done to enemies of the Republic? ‘The war needs to be finished. They must be smothered, ‘5. How could you use this document to argue that the Reign of Terror was justified or not justified? Justified: Franee is divided and under at- ‘ack. The national security of France is at stake and the government has the respon- sibility to protect people from abuses of individuals who reject the goals of the whole society. Not justified: Robespierre's speech sounds rational, but he is out of touch. When a gov- emment has to “smother” its own citizens in order to eliminate individuals who challenge it, the government is not promoting free- dom. To lay the foundations of democracy and rule of law, rulers need to follow de- mocracy and the rule of law, not the blade of terror. eoseTmeo80 PoseReign of Terror Mini-Q. Step Four: Document Analysis Document F: The Guillotine (image) Content Notes: Teaching Tips: “Its believed that a doctor named Joseph-Ignace _Discuss the Document Analysis questions: Guillotin invented the guilotine. Before the revolu- +. How many people were being executed on this tion, beheading was a punishment reserved only ‘occasion? Who were the people being for nobles and aristocrats. In 1790, Dr. Gullotin, a executed? doctor and a member of the National Assembly, geo aoe Galas cesar ead proposed that the death penalty should be equal for GP iealeas cave tel ea en all, regardless of social class or crime committed. cl esti Debra A shea elenibbalae ca ‘who supported the king, was against the He thought the procedure should be quick and that ovotiten’ aid tied tetigs tis coin ‘a mechanical device should be made to prevent su fering. In 1781 Louis XVI signed the law that made sores a a age te Pevo wuereatiee the death penaity by “mechanical decapitation” the 2. Where are the executions taking place? law of the land, tt geems to be happening in a city square, +A large number of guillotines were mada in 1702 somewhere in France. ‘and distributed throughout France and to conquered —_3, Describe the atmosphere? areas outside France as well, Use ofthe guillotine decreased sharply after the Reign of Terror ended in the summer of 1794, France sold some of its surplus guillotines to Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Beigim I sipped a ow of fs gullotins toa between the gull anc the crows The French penal colony, New Caledonia, an island east acene is orderly ‘of Australia. The quilotine was used until 1977. In 4. Why was the guillotine regarded as a humane" 1981 France abolished the death penalty altogether. way to execute criminals? There was litle physical suffering. The blade was sharp, the drop was quick, death was immediate, 5, How could you use this document to argue that the Reign of Terror was justed or not justified? Justified: The crowd is surrounding the plat- form 50 It looks lke they agree that this is necessary, No one is trying to stop it. A key instrument of what would become the Reign of Terror appears to have the people's ap- proval, In a republic, public approval is one way to determine justification. Not justified: Any society that invents ‘machine to publicly cut off people's heads is off base, The action is unjustified because it is barbaric This seems to be an official government event. The guillotine is on a platform so ev- eryone can see. There are a lot of soldiers 22019 THe Daa etReign of Tetror Mini-Q. Step Four: Document Analysis Document E: The Comi Content Notes: «The Revolutionary Tribunal was established in Paris in March 1783, The court tried people suspected of ‘counterrevolution. Under public pressure from com- moners, who complained that the Tribunals were too slow, a law was passed in September to speed ‘up the system. The number of judges and jurors was increased. +The National Convention, the official revolutionary ‘government from 1792-94, sheived the official con- stitution that established a republic on December 4, 1793. They replaced the republic with two organiza- tions: The Committee of General Security, with 21 members, and the Committee of Public Safety, with 12 members. The Convention was concerned that France was too divided at the time and that French people could not yet function as a republic with free ‘elections. The revolutionary government decided it should “remain revolutionary” until peace was re- stored. The hope was that giving power to the Com= mittee of Public Safety would unity France before it fell to foreign powers and internal enemies. +The radical phase of the French Revolution was the period between 1792-94 that included the Reign of Terror. The poltical, economic, and social poll- cies imposed during this time did not last past 1794 because most people in France considered them too extreme, fee of Public Safety Teaching Tips: Discuss the Document Analysis questions: 1.1 this a primary or a secondary source? Itis a secondary source. 2. What was the purpose of the Tribunal and how were the judges chosen? The Tribunal was developed to try crimes against the state, Members of the Tribunal were appointed, not elected 3, What was the purpose of the watch commit- toes? Watch committees were supposed to find and throw out any foreigners who were ‘working against the French government. 4, What sorts of activities could get a person in ‘rouble with the Committee of Public Safety? ‘Anyone could come under suspicion but just criticizing the government in a small ‘way could land a person in jail... or worse. 5, How many people were executed by the ‘commissions in the countryside? 35,000 to 40,000 6. Do you think the activities of the Tribunal and, Comrrittee of Public Safety were justified? Answers will vary. The security of the coun- ‘ty will be most important to some students, but other students will argue that there were ‘not enough controls on the government to protect individual rights. the members ‘of the Tribunal were appointed, they were not really accountable to anyone, and the Committee of Public Safety was known for suspecting almost everyone, ‘enero Te 00a PeeReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Four: Document Analysis Document D: Letter from the Vendée Content Notes: * Historians continue to argue over the events of the counterrevolution that took piace in the Vendée region of western France, The two sides were basi cally the Revolutionary Army, representing the new government in Pari, and the countertevoiutionaries. The latter included local nobility, tocal priests and bishops, townspeople, and peasants. Early on, the peesants led the counterrevolution. *The war in the Vendée against the new govern- ment was in many ways a guerrilla war with many encounters and also many casualties. The popula- tion of the Vendée was about 800,000. Estimates of combined deaths between 1793 and 1797, but ‘mostly in 1793 and 1794, run from 100,000 to 500,000, 60 Teaching Tips: Discuss the Document Analysis questions: 1.Whon was this lettor written? August 25, 1793 2.Who wrote the letter and to whom? A local government official from western France wrote the letter to the National Convention, 3. What is the purpose ofthe letter? The official is asking for permission from the revolutionary government in Paris to let the local court pass judgment on captured rebels without review by a higher court. Reading between the lines, the letter is asking for permission to hand out quick and severe justice. 41s thete any evidence in the document that helps you measure the size of the revolt? Explain. Yes, the letter mentions that 3,000 nattonal guardsmen are operating in the region. This suggests that the revolt is large in scale. How can you use the document to argue that the Reign of Terror was justified or not justiied? Justitied: There is a large-scale counter revolution being waged in western France against the revolutionary government. Local authorities are barely holding on. Iti time for swift, severe action by the National Convention, Not justified: The local authorities are clearly prejudiced against the counterrevolution- aties. The rebels are referred to as rabble, which the dictionary defines as a lower class mob. In fact, we know many of these people are upset because of the disman- tling of the Catholic Church and because they are being forced into a draft (See Doc C). Ifthe government in Paris were to grant the request made in this letter it would short-circuit justice and make the Reign of Terror exactly thal-a reign of terror. an1s hope PeetReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Four: Document Analysis Document Content Notes: + Marie Antoinette, from Austria originally, was rmartied to Louis XVI in 1770 to esment an alliance between Austria and France. Her brother Joseph Il ruled Austria In 1791, a warning was issued 10 France. it declared that the monarchs of Europe would take action ifthe royal family were harmed in any way. When Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were taken prisoner on August 10, 1792, Prussia joined with Austria in an attack against France, ‘Many officers and members of the French aristocracy emigrated to other countries ike Austria, Prussia, and Spain. They organized what were known as émigré armies, and their goal was to stop the revolution. They wanted to restore monarchy. «The Vendée was the fitst region in which French people began to organize against the revolutionary. government. When the revolutionary government decreed the levée en masse to raise 300,000 men to fight foreign armies, the Vendeans decided to fight the French government instead. * The revolutionary government made many cultural changes with hopes of educating the French popu- lation to be republican. These changes stirred up as much resentment as support. People were not allowed to play chess because the king, queen, bishops, knights, and even the pawns suggested a medieval social hierarchy in which people were ‘unequal. Playing cards were outlawed for the same reason. * By 1799, a campaign of de-Christianization began a {ull-out attack on the Church and its clergy, it closed, ‘churches in Paris and converted the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame to a Temple of Reason where people would practice worship of the Supreme Being. A new calendar was created which abolished Sunday and all Christian feast days including Christmas and Easter. + An example of the violence occurred on October, 1793. Revolutionaries decided to make an example of counterrevolutionaries in Lyons. On one day, revolutionaries destroyed 1600 homes and chopped off 12 heads in five minutes. 58 ‘he Outside Threat and the Inside Threat (maps) Teaching Tips: Disouss the Document Analysis questions: 1.What was the outside threat that faced the French revolutionaries in 1792 and 1793? The outside threat was the invasion of 80,000 Prussian and Ausitian solders. 2, Who were the émigrés and how did they threaten revolutionary France? The émigrés were French army officers and aristocrats who had supported the king. They organized thelr own army and supported the Prussians and the Austrians in the defense of monarchy. 3. What was happening inside of France that threatened the success of the Revolution? Rebellion broke out in several places in France, especially in a region called the Vendée. 4,Why might some French peasants oppose the revolutionary government? Many peasants did not like the fevée en ‘masse which was a forced draft. Others were upset because the Revolution was abolishing Christianity in France. 5. How could you use this document to argue that the Reign of Terror was justified or not justified? Justitied: France was under seige. It was Challenged from the outside by foreign invaders; it was challenged from the inside by rebels and émigrés. Desperate times required desperate measures. Not justified: In a government that says it values liberty, passing a law like the levée en masse is unjust because it requires people to do things they do not want to do. Restricting religious practice is fundamen- tally wrong in @ government that says it val- es freedom and liberty. The revolutionary ‘government made too many demands on individuals who were right to rebel against the oppressive revolutionary government. oaoraTte Daa retReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Four: Document Analysis Document B: Content Notes: * The purpose of the timeline is to help students keep a complex story straight. A number of the items are mentioned in the Background Essay. Others appear In the documents themselves. Students are encour- aged to return to the timeline as they work through the Mini-Q to clarity the order of events. * The Festival of Reason was held on November 10, 1793, It symbolized the Revolution's wish to replace Christianity with homage paid to rational man. in churches, Christian altars were removed and replaced by images of Liberty. All of this was very upsetting to anti-revolutionary forces in France. + Following the execution of Robespierre, peace treaties were arranged with Prussia, the Nether- lands, and Spain, and in 1797, Austria, In 1795, freedom of religion was restored. In 1789, Napoleon became the First Consul of France. After a bumpy ride, France had come full circle from monarchy to dictatorship. ‘imeline of the Reign of Terror Teaching Tips: Disouss the Document Analysis questions: 41. From the beginning of the Revolution in 1789, Until September 1792, what kind of government did France have? ‘Amixture of monarehy and rule by representatives of the people 2, What events appear to have caused the Revolutionary government to execute the king? First, an escape attempt by the royal family. ‘Second, an outside threat from Austria and Prussia, who supported the king, 8, How many months passed between Robespierre's appointment to the Committee of Public Safoty and his execution? 42 months. 4, What evidence is there that people's natural Tights were denied during the Reign of Terror? In June 1794, persons accused of being enemies were denied lagal counsel, 5, What evidence is there that the Reign of Terror ‘was successful In fighting enemies both inside and outside of Franca? First, the counterrevolution in western Franoe collapsed in December 1793, three months after the beginning of the Reign of Tertor. Second, the French revolution- ary army was close to victory over foreign ‘enemies less than nine months after the beginning of the Reign of Terror. bavi ban PotReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Four: Document Analysis Document A: Timeline of the Reign of Terror Content Notes: * The Declaration of the Rights of Man consisted of a preamble and 17 articles. It remains today as one of the fundamental documents behind many French institutions. Inspired by the American Declaration of Independence, this French document was @ rallying point for several 19th century European and Latin American independence movements. + The final version of the Declaration of the Rights of ‘Man was passed in late August, 1789. King Louis XVI, who at that time shared power with the National Assembly, delayed his approval until October Sth, Only after pressure from the Assembly did he ratify It. was not an easy pill for a divine right king to swallow. 54. Teaching Tips: Discuss the Document Analysis questions: +. Who issued the Declaration of the Rights of ‘Man? When was it written? ‘The French National Assembly. It was written on August 27th, 1789. 2, Acoording to the National Assembly, what were the ‘sole causes of public calamities and the corruption of government?” ‘The causes of government failure are ignorance and not paying attention, 3. According to Article 2, what should be the aim ‘of all government? The preservation of liberty, property rights, security, and resistance to oppression. 4, What Article in the Declaration would be Violated if goverment officials arrested and executed someone without a trial for speaking out against the government?” Article 10 ‘e201 he Da FieReign of Terror Mini-Q Step Three: Understanding the Question and Pre-Bucketing Understanding the Question 1. What is the analytical question asked by this Mini-Q? The Reign of Terror: Was it justified? 2.What terms in the question need to be defined? Reign of Terror, jus 3. Rewrite the question in your own words. Did the French government have good reason to conduct a violent campaign against those who they believed were threatening the goals of the Revolution? Pre-Bucketing Teacher Note: As students suggest their bucket labels, draw bucket sets on the board. At this stage, students are simply looking for generic labels that provide a framework for organizing the essay. YES NO ‘The Reign of Terror ‘The Reign of Terror was justified was not justified THEN WU Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Justified/Not justified _Justified/Not justified —_Justified/Not justified 52 22019 aoa PoetReign of Terror Mini Step Two: Establishing the Context (continues) | Answers to Background Essay Questions 1. Who was the absolute monarch of France in 1789? Louis XVI 2. What were three serious problems that faced Louis XVI in the 1780s? War debt, a spike in the price of bread, and confusing or unfair taxes 3. In what year did the French Revolution begin? Was this shortly before or shortly after the American Revolution? 1789. This was shoitly after the American Revolution, which ended in 1783. 4,In August 1789 what three words became the rallying cry of the French Revolution? Liberty, equality, and fraternity 5. Why were members of the French nobility and the French Catholic Church upset about the revolution? Both were upset by a loss of property and a loss of power. 6.Who became leader of the radical wing of the revolutionary government? Maximilien Robespierre 7. Define these terms: absolute monarch: a person, e.g.,.a king or queen, who has complete power Estates General: the French Parliament, advisors to the king fraternity: brotherhood radical: an extreme political person or idea, often opposite of conservative guillotine: machine with a heavy falling blade used for beheading people Reign of Terror: 18-month radical period of the French Revolution (January 1798 — July 1794) conservative: one who believes in preserving the old ways. During the French Revolution a conservative was typically pro-monarchy. In the context of the sentence in which it is sed in the essay, “more conservative” simply means less radical, less extreme.Reign of Terror Mini- Step Two: Establishing the Context General Instructions * Review the Timeline. * Pre-teach the boldfaced vocabulary. + Have students read, or read aloud, the Background Essay. + Have students answer the Background Essay questions on the next page. Specific Considerations The main purpose of the Background Essay is to create a context for the Mini-Q exercise. Its job is to provide a sense of time, place, and story, and to introduce important vocabu- lary and concepts. Doing this well gives all students a more equal chance to succeed with the Mini-Q. Time: Be sure students review the Timeline. This Mini-Q involves the 1780s and 1790s in France, Note that the French Revolution began the year the United States Constitution was ratified Place: Refer to a wall map showing Europe. Point out France and Paris. Consider identifying France's neighbors, especially those who went to war with France dur- ing the radical phase of the revolution: Prussia, Austria, Spain, Holland, and Eng- land. Only the first three of these are mentioned in the Mini-Q. Story: Consider reading the Background Essay aloud, We believe itis good for many students, even good readers, to hear the words as they see them. For many itis important to hear the cadence of the language, to experience pauses and em- phasis. Use the Background Essay questions to review the text. Vocabulary and Concepts: You may want to pre-teach the seven boldfaced terms in the essay. Our feeling about vocabulary is that some pre-teaching is good, but keep the word list short. Even for second language students, much can be under- stood from context. Understanding vocabulary is another reason for reading aloud, Special Note to Teachers: The recommended analytical categories (or buckets) are the external and internal threats, methods of terror, and ideals of the revolution. Whether ‘or not the French revolutionary government was justified in the way it responded — war, executions, and limits on freedom — is at the heart of this Mini-Q. We hope that the debate among students is lively. It was certainly vigorous in revolutionary Franee. 7 ‘91013 00 PetReign of Terror Min- Step One: The Hook | ‘Teacher Note: Weighing the needs of the individual against the well-being of society has been an ongoing challenge. In this Hook, have students work in pairs and discuss their way through the five scenarios, with students choosing and defending the importance of either the group or the individual. A brief, ful-class discussion should follow. Some sample responses are provided | below. Scenario Individual Group Reason IsMore Is More Important Important Anair traveler going Individual: A full-body scan is too personal. Her through security is required human dignity is more important than society's. | to take off her shoes, put craze for 110% flight security. toiletries in plastic bags, fe Group: Your fellow passengers have the right and submit to a random to feel safe on this flight. There are terrorists full-body scan by a female out there. We know that. Body seans are sim- security officer. ply the price we pay for the freedom to travel safely. Ahigh school wrestler is Individual: This is an invasion of privacy and a required to take a urine slap at his character. Also, this is high school. it test before his state rm What is this world coming to? toumamentmatchtosee — L_] Group: If you don’t do drugs you've got nothing whether he has been to worry about. Testing makes sure everyone taking drugs. plays by the rules. Society works best when no ‘one is allowed to cheat, | ‘Awar protester is ar- Individual: An individual's need to protest war | rested and taken to jail for is more important than a community’s need to | fefusing to leave a public = [—] have an empty, quiet park after a certain hour. pat afr curon [1 Group Socety permits protest it simpy has to be done within the rules. A breakdown in rules, results in a breakdown in society, which hurts | everyone, even the war protester. ‘The government deports Individual: A person who plays by the rules, a law-abiding high schoo! and who has only come here because his or student who has lived ille- — [—] oO her parents did, deserves the American dream. gally in the United States Group: Not fair to those in the country who since the age of two. ‘came legally, or those who were born here ‘who need protecting as well. A principal refuses to. Individual: Freedom of speech should be pro- allow publication of a stu- ] ete schools end outs schools. hey dent’s controversial article right backed up by the Constitution. in the school newspaper. Group: Schools are not society at large. If all students could say what they wanted, chaos and disorder would reign. 46 antes 053 Pat