Wigmore High School – Summer Learning 2020
Subject French Year Group 8
Teacher Mrs King
Date work set Monday 4th May
Date work to be completed by Friday 15th May
Please email a photo to show work completed over the 4 lessons to Mrs King. If you want to send the poster (lesson 4) as a separate document that is fine. [email protected]
Aims: To learn about the French Revolution and Bastille Day in France
Learning outcomes: Be able to understand why Bastille Day is an important National Festival in France
Instructions: Work through the powerpoint and complete tasks as you go along. There are clear instructions on the slides. Lesson 1 La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
In the 18th Century, French society was divided into a hierarchy of three social classes: clergy, nobles and commoners. Le Roi (The King) was greedy and spoilt; his place was as absolute ruler over everyone. The nobles and clergy controlled huge areas of land and industries, which made them extremely rich. Unfortunately, the common people were the huge majority of the French population. They worked the land for very little in return, and had to pay enormous taxes to the nobles and the church. La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
In 1789, France was in a very bad way. The harvest had been poor in recent times and the common people were hungry.
Additionally, King Louis XVI’s extravagant spending had left the country with almost no money.
The King decided he would raise money by demanding even more taxes from the commoners. La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
People who were against the unfair system were often imprisoned in the hated fortress known as La Bastille Saint Antoine. On 14th July, 1789, hungry, angry rioters broke into the prison, set the prisoners free and stole the weapons which were kept there. Many of the guards and officers were killed. Only seven people were in the prison cells at The Storming of the Bastille by Jean-Pierre Houel the time, but the ‘Storming of the Bastille’ was regarded as a triumph of the common people over the ruling classes. La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
When La Reine (The Queen), Marie Antoinette, heard about the riots, she asked why the people were angry. She was told that the poor people were hungry because they had no bread. Marie Antoinette is supposed to have replied, “Well, if they have no bread, let them eat cake instead.” It is not known if this story is quite true, but it is a good example of how privileged the upper classes were at that time – they just didn’t understand or care how the poor were suffering. La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
The King refused to accept that the common people had the right to govern themselves and to Non! share in the country’s fortunes.
Oui! Oui!
Oui! La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
The ‘Revolutionaries’ said that the King was Instead, they declared that France no longer the ruler. was now a republic, ruled by the people, for the people. They adopted the motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (freedom, equality, brotherhood) to show that the new country would be fair to all. The Church’s land and the Nobles’ property were confiscated, so that everyone could benefit from their riches.
Photo courtesy of Sunfox @flickr.com - granted under creative commons licence - attribution La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
People flew Le Tricolore (the three-coloured French flag) to show how proud they were. It was common to wear a traditional farmer’s cap, to show you were one of the people and supported the protests. Even today, when French people protest in public, many of them wear these little red caps. They even made jewellery and ornaments out of the ruined stones of the Bastille, demonstrating how they had crushed the unfair system! La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
Many thousands of French nobles were executed in the coming years. They were called ‘Enemies of the People’ and regarded as dangerous to the new, equal French society. The King and Queen tried to flee with their family to Austria (Marie Antoinette’s home) but they were forced to return to France. The royal family were arrested and imprisoned. La Révolution Française (The French Revolution)
In 1793, the King (who had been renamed simply citizen Louis Capet) was executed, along with the queen. The ‘enemies of the people’ were usually killed using the guillotine, a fearsome machine which sliced off the prisoner’s head with a razor-sharp blade. Huge crowds turned out in the Place de la Révolution in Paris to watch the death of the King and his old regime. The revolution was complete…
Photo courtesy of Ludo29880 @flickr.com - granted under creative commons licence - attribution Vive La France!
Every year, on the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille, French people all over the world celebrate their nation. Citizens fly (and wear) their national colours and sing the national anthem, La Marseillaise.
La Tour Eiffel was built in 1889, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the revolution. The symbol of liberty, a woman known always as Marianne, is seen everywhere, wearing her traditional cap.
Photo courtesy of TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Cea. @flickr.com - granted under creative commons licence - attribution Print off these pictures and write a few words in English about what they represent. Look back at the slides to help you. Lesson 2 The 14th July is Bastille Day or “le 14 juillet ” .
It is celebrated across the whole country and is a bank holiday (un jour férié) It is considered to be a very patriotic celebration.
So let’s now see where it all began and how it is celebrated today. Where it all began …
The French revolution is one of the most important historical periods which lasted from 1789 to 1799.
It affected the whole French social and political system.
It marked the end of the monarchy and church’s authority on the working class, especially during the creation of the declaration of the human and citizen rights in 1799. Some famous paintings on the French revolution Do you recognise any?
This was the final product of the French revolution – a law where all people would be treated fairly.
La déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen- August 1799 Where it all began …
The Bastille was a famous prison in Paris, built in 1357.
At that time, justice was only available for the upper class called bourgeoisie which means that it was very easy for the working class to be sentenced for no reason Where it all began …
The church and the king were very powerful and imposed many taxes on the working class so much so that they often struggled to make end’s meet. Where it all began … 1788 and 1789 were terrible for crops. France struggles to harvest enough food for its population and experiences a situation of famine.
Early July 1789, the king decides to create a new tax for the working class who strongly protest against it
Anger increases in Paris and the people in the morning of the 14th July decide to siege the Bastille, a symbol of the king’s authority, let the prisoners free and take all the gun powder.
The protests will spread first across Paris then all over France Where it all began …
This is the beginning of the French revolution ! Where it all began …
After many violent conflicts, peace is re-established during the creation of the declaration of the human and citizen rights in August 1799. Where it all began …
The Bastille started to be demolished on 15th July. Stones were given away as souvenirs and sent to many places in France. Where it all began …
What is left of the Bastille today ?
This is the foundation of the prison that can be seen in the Parisian street.
This is a sign to show where the entrance of the Bastille courtyard was. This is where the people of Paris invaded the fortress on 14th July 1789 This square in Paris shows where the Bastille prison stood until the storming of the Bastille and its subsequent destruction between 14th July 1789 and 14th July 1790 during the French Revolution
La place de la Bastille Bastille day was officially recognised as a national day ‘une fête nationale’ in 1880.
Benjamin Raspail passed a law which officially recognised the 14th July as a national day. How is Bastille Day celebrated in France ?
Bank holiday =un jour férié
Military parade on the Champs Élysée Fireworks and parties in many towns https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00w5j3b https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmWc5BIhZHY
Please watch both of these video clips (about 10 minutes in total)
Jot down anything new/interesting that you find out in your exercise book. Lesson 3 Quiz See if you can answer these questions in your exercise book and then mark afterwards 1. When did the French revolution take place ? 2. What was the Bastille? 3. Where was the Bastille built? 4. What did the king do in early July? 5. Which important document was created at the end of the French revolution? 6. Which political system was abolished during the French revolution? 7. When was Bastille Day recognised as National day? answers 1. When did the French revolution take place ?
From 1789 to 1799 2. What was the Bastille?
A prison 3. Where was the Bastille built?
In the centre of Paris 4. What did the king do in early July?
He decided to create a new tax 5. Which important document was created at the end of the French revolution? The declaration of human and citizen rights 6. Which political system was abolished during the French revolution? A monarchy 7. When was Bastille Day recognised as National day?
In 1880 In your exercise book answer these questions in English:
1. Why is Bastille Day an important festival in France?
2. How would you feel if you were: the king; the queen or the commoners on the 14th July 1789 in France? Lesson 4 Key/New Words: • quatorze [fourteen] • juillet [july], Design a Bastille Day • révolution (f) [revolution] Poster to showcase • drapeau (m) [flag] your new learning • tricolore [3-coloured flag] • guillotine (f) [guillotine] about le quatorze • Français(e) [French] juillet. Draw pictures • liberté, égalité, fraternité [freedom, equality, and annotate using brotherhood] the words here. Some ideas are on • king, royalty, clergy, noble, commoner, hierarchy, taxes, the next slide. Bastille, prison, revolution, protest, anniversary
Please email a photo of all completed work, as well as your Bastille Day poster to: