Experiencing the French Revolution!

Phase 1

• Step 1: Read the background information on your role card

Who was Louis XIV? When did he reign over France?

What was the Palace of Versailles?How did Louis XIV use the palace to increase his power?

•Who was King Louis XVI?•When did he reign?•Who was the Queen of France during his reign?•Where was she from?•Why might that matter?

• Step 3: Peasants produce food• Step 4: Peasants pay taxes• Step 5: Controller-General makes

emergency announcement

Tax Time!• Lord of each manor, collect ALL of the food

from your peasants (count)• Clergy: go to each manor and take 10% of all

food tokens (Church tithe) – Lords: count the remaining tokens

• Controller General: Take 50% of the remaining tokens as Gov’t tax, show it to King and Queen

• Lords: Count remaining tokens; keep half for yourself (peasants’ payment for your protection)– Distribute remaining tokens among your peasants

Controller General has an announcement to

make!

• How did it feel to be a monarch? The Controller-General?

• A noble? A member of the Clergy?• A peasant?• How does it feel to be “born” into a role you cannot

change?• Who has the most power in society? Who has the least?• What are some of the advantages of organizing a society

this way? What are some disadvantages?• What do you think should be done to save the French

nation?• In what ways do you think your experience was different

from the historical reality? In what ways was it similar?

Journal

• Print your real name on the back cover• Create a fictitious name that includes your

role and write it on the front (Lord…., Peasant….)

• On the inside front cover, write the date as it appears on the board

• Write a journal (diary) entry describing your day

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=palace+of+versailles+virtual+tour+video&FORM=VIRE2&adlt=strict#view=detail&mid=198933C4E68EC021B03B198933C4E68EC021B03B

Palace of Versailles:Built by Louis XIV as a cathedral to the greatness of the monarchyThe entire Versailles site is larger than modern day Paris and the island of Manhattan; more than 19,000 acresIf built today, it would cost more than $2 BILLIONLouis XIV created the Palace of Versailles because he wanted to emphasize his own authority and majesty as King.

King Louis XVI• Became Dauphin (eldest royal son) of Louis XV when his older brother died at age 9•Became King in 1765 at age 11

•Married at age 15

•Louis's marriage to Marie Antoinette had been designed to cement the alliance with Austria

•Absolute monarch with poor interpersonal skills

•France continued to spend much more than it received in income•Took out loans to pay for wars with England and gov’t operations•By 1788 France spent • 50% of its budget for interest

payments on their nat’l debt• 25% on military expenditures• 6% for extravagant life style of

the king and his court•With no other options, a sharp rise in taxes became inevitable•New tax burden was born by the peasants• Clergy and nobles were exempt

from taxes•Peasants had poor harvests and price of bread soared

King called for a meeting of the Estates GeneralHad not convened since 1614Divided France into 3 orders or estates: clergy, nobility and commonersTheir mission was to find a resolution to the financial crisis in France

Homework!

• Create a diary entry in your “mini-journal” as your character on your role card

• Explain what your day is like and how you feel about your king and your future