UDL Lesson Plan:

Kevin Maccallini – Dundalk High School

The Causes of the French Revolution

Subject: Social Studies

Grade Level(s): 9–12

Duration: 90 minutes

Unit Description:
This lesson is part of a larger unit that focuses on political revolutions (1750-1914). In this lesson,
students will learn the causes of the French Revolution, and will extend that knowledge to
understanding the causes of other revolutions throughout their study of history. Students will engage in
several different activities to support their learning and will have several different opportunities
throughout the lesson to share their new knowledge.

Lesson Description
In this lesson, students will explore and learn about the causes of the French Revolution.

State Standards
Standard 2: (World History) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and
examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Standard 4: (Economics) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated
institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the U.S. and other
national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket
mechanisms.

Standard 5: (Civics, Citizenship, and Government) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to
demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental
system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American
constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of
participation.

Unit Goals
1. Students will identify and describe the causes of the French Revolution.
2. Students will demonstrate that the causes of the French Revolution are political, social and
economic.

3. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the reasons people of different nations revolt
against their respective governments.

Lesson Goals:
1. Students will identify the political, social and economic causes of the French Revolution.

2. Students will describe each estate system in France during the French Revolution.

Anticipatory Set:
The teacher will greet each student at the door dressed in a king's robe and crown. Teacher will identify
him/herself as "the king." Upon entering, each student will be given an index card indicating their Estate
(1st, 2nd or 3rd). The room will be arranged in the number of seats marked. Students will also receive
"money" in the form of one homework pass each. (Taxes will be collected from the 3rd Estate during
the bell work activity.)

Teacher will distribute worksheet on the Estate System to be completed for bell work. Each Estate is
given bell work corresponding to their assigned Estate. The 1st and 2nd Estates may work together if
desired, but those in the 3rd Estate must work individually. Taxes (homework passes) are then collected
from the 3rd Estate only. The 1st and 2nd Estates are told they may retain the "money" (homework
passes) and use them at any time in the future. Those students in the 3rd Estate become annoyed with
the inequity. They will begin to see that they are being treated unjustly. Teacher asks, "How does this
make you feel?"

Students convene as a group and contribute answers from their bell work as we compile our answers on
the Smart Board. The teacher explains the Estate System. Students are asked again how the inequity
between the Estates made them feel.

Students are now handed a memo from the Board of Education indicating it desire to extend each
school day by one hour. The students are complaining. The teacher asks what they feel is wrong with
the situation. The teacher explains that she is the King of France and sees that there is some social
unrest between the Estates (explain estates.) The teacher will call a meeting of the Estates called The
Estates General to discuss the problems. Each estate gets one vote as a group. Students break up into
groups by Estates and come up with their list of grievances (cahiers). Points students should consider:

Q1: What makes the 1st and 2nd Estates so important?

Q2: What was their social status? (Social inequity, economic injustice, government)

The king calls into meeting the Estates General, May 5, 1789. Each Estate has the opportunity to list its
grievances one by one.

Teacher then asks the 1st Estate who they think should be taxed. They answer that the 3rd should be
taxed. The King rules that this is the way it shall be. What is wrong with this process? (Majority rules.)
Will the 3rd Estate ever win? What can be done to fix this problem?

Teacher explains that after weeks of stalemate, on June 17, 1789, the 3rd Estate declares itself the
National Assembly and vows to write a constitution. How do the 1st and 2nd Estates feel about the
assembly? Ask students to share their ideas and feelings.

Explain additional information on the French Revolution: WebQuest

 Tennis-Court Oath
 Storming of the Bastille
 The Declaration of the Rights of Man
 Limited Monarchy
 Constitution of 1791

Introduce and Model New Knowledge:

Present students with new information appropriate to the lesson, highlighting the specific causes of the
French Revolution.

Use images on Power Point presentation to identify the specific causes of the French Revolution.

Show film clip on the rising of the French Revolution.

Provide Guided Practice:

Give students a choice to work independently or with a partner in this activity. Ask each student or pair
of students to choose a web site, book, etc. to learn more about the French Revolution and its causes.
Students will make an infographic using Pictochart to share with the class what they have discovered.
Each student/pair is directed to find one new fact significant to the French Revolution.

The teacher will make photocopies of each infographic and distribute to each student. Together, the
students will have created an informative packet on the French Revolution.
Provide Independent Practice:
Students will complete questions pertaining to a political cartoon on the Estate System and the causes
of the French Revolution.

Wrap-Up

Students share their infographics with the class, briefly stating the new fact they have discovered.

When students are finished presenting, ask the following questions?

Checkpoint Questions:

Q1: Name the three general causes of the French Revolution.

Q2: Give five specific causes of the French Revolution.

Q3: What motive was there for the French to revolt?

Assessment

Formative/Ongoing Assessment:

Provide ongoing assessment throughout the lesson.

Observe and encourage students to participate in class discussion, asking and answering questions, and
volunteering comments and ideas.

Visit students throughout independent work and provide direction, correct any errors, and affirm
successes.

Do student responses accurately answer the questions? Yes No

Summative/End Of Lesson Assessment:

At the end of the lesson, collect students' infographics on the causes and use the following questions to
assess their work:

Did students accurately list the causes?

Did students use the correct vocabulary words?

Was the information correct?

What forces brought about the French Revolution?

Why was the power unequal in France?

How effective was the French monarchy?

What motive is there for the French to revolt?

How would you prove that there was substantial social inequity in France?

What are some advantages and disadvantages of organizing societies in such a way?

Making connections:

How did the American Revolution/Enlightenment ideas fuel the French Revolution?

Web Sites
· This list of materials represents several different media including texts, graphics, and video.

Center for History and New Media at GMU http://www.chnm.gmu.edu· Liberty, Equality, Fraternity:
Exploring the French Revolutionchnm.gmu.edu/revolutionImaging the French Revolution· French
Revolution - The Victorian Webwww.victorianweb.org· Internet Modern History Sourcebook: French
Revolution www.fordham.edu· www.history.com/videos/the-french-revolutionReputable site
to find reputable information.· www.history.com/topics/french-revolutionCached - SimilarYou +1'd
this publicly. UndoExplore the history, causes and timeline of the French Revolution, a turbulent and
violent era that saw the storming of the Bastille, the toppling of the monarchy