The role of women in the French Revolution is often overlooked. However, the stories of female political activism are both controversial and fascinating. Moreover, they provide great insight into the limits of enlightenment thinking in 19th century Western Europe.
In this activity, students will analyze cause and effect within the framework of a political/social revolution using the grid layout. In the first column students give examples of the roles women played in the French Revolution. On the other two columns, two questions must be answered for each example:
Students should consolidate their research on motives and outcomes and explain their storyboard cells in the space provided. The storyboard above is specifically during the Women’s March on Versailles.
Extended Activity
Students can extend this activity by looking at the effect of Napoleon’s rule on women’s rights. Another row of cells could be added to the bottom of this storyboard to explore the motivations and outcomes of Napoleon’s policies regarding women’s rights, or they can create a secondary storyboard.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard detailing the role of women in the French Revolution by analyzing motivations and outcomes.