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Contents Include:
The French Revolution
The Rise of Napoleon
The Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Waterloo
Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary Assessment Questions
To know what life French society before 1789 was Many concepts (absolute monarchy, feudal What was life like for
was like in France very unfair. The King had aristocracy, clergy, feudal society) will be absolute monarch an aristocrat/bishop/
before 1789, and absolute power, and did not familiar from studying medieval England aristocracy peasant in France
why that made share power with Parliament. in Years 2 and 3, but may need to be clergy before 1789?
Revolution likely. revisited. peasant
French society was structured absolutist Who had all of the
into the aristocracy, the clergy Pupils create a living diagram of French power in France?
and the rest (known as the ‘Third society, by taking on different roles and
Estate’). The normal people did organising themselves in a Who had to pay all of
most of the work and paid all of ‘pyramid’ (resource 1). Pupils could then the taxes?
the tax, whilst the aristocracy read out relevant statements about their
grew immensely rich. position in society. Once this has been Why did people dislike
completed, the famous cartoon of the the structure of society
In 1789, state bankruptcy and a three ‘estates’, see here, should be in France before 1789?
poor harvest made people even studied to solidify pupil understanding
more angry… (resource 2).
The King
Ruled all of France.
Lived in the Palace
of Versailles.
Had absolute
power.
Chosen by God.
A member of the clergy, as can A peasant from the ‘Third Estate’ A member of the nobility. He has
be seen from the crucifix around carries the aristocracy and the colourful expensive clothing, with a
his neck. He is fat and well clergy on his back. He is clearly hat covered in ostrich feathers. He
dressed, and clearly very poor, with wooden shoes and has a sword, showing the historic
wealthy. He has cheques stuffed ripped socks that do not cover his right of the French nobility to wear
into his pockets, with one bare legs. Like many peasants, he is a sword. On it is inscribed ‘rougit
labelled ‘pension’ (money paid a farmer as can be seen by the hoe de sang’, meaning ‘red from blood’.
out from the government). he is using as a walking stick. What could this mean?
The peasants seeds and cabbages The peasant has bills entitled The cartoon shows the unfairness of the weakest and
are eaten by rodents, but he is ‘taille’ in his pockets, which was poorest in society being made to carry the wealthiest.
too busy holding up the nobility a French land tax which non- The caption at the bottom of the cartoon predicts the
and the clergy to stop them. nobles were forced to pay. revolution, stating ‘this game will be over soon’.
Lesson 2. The French Revolution
The French Revolution was one of the most important events in world history. In 1789, the people of France rose up against Louis XVI, the absolutist King of
France. Four years later, Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette were beheaded. France was declared a Republic, and ideas such as ‘liberty’, ‘equality’ and
‘rights’ were developed. The French people tried to export these ideas to the rest of Europe using force, particularly from 1799 onwards under the military
leadership of Napoleon. The French Revolutionary Wars spread across Europe, sucking in Britain and leading to the battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo.
See page 136-137 of What Your Year 5 Child Needs to Know.
Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary Assessment Questions
To know what In 1789, the French people Complete a timeline of the major events revolution What sort of King was
happened during staged a revolution against Louis of the French Revolution (resource 3), republic Louis XVI?
the French XVI in order to share power more and study the execution of Louis XVI Guillotine
Revolution. equally across the country. through a famous depiction of the event Why did the French
(resource 4). View image here. people oppose Louis
Louis XVI was an absolutist XVI?
monarch, much like Charles I If students have studied the Civil War in
before the English Civil War. Like Year 4, they could write a comparison Why did the French
Charles I, he was eventually between King Charles I and Louis XVI. Did people kill their King?
executed in 1793. they have similar beliefs? Did they rule in
a similar way? Were they killed for
The Revolution took place partly similar reasons?
because France was bankrupt
after fighting the Seven Years This is the Horrible Histories’ overview of
War and the American War of the French Revolution. This is a moving
Independence, and was therefore (and not too gory) dramatization of Louis
taxing its citizens highly. XVI’s execution, although it is in French!
This is an amusing introductory video
about the French Revolution.
3. French Revolution Timeline
14 July
1789
6 October
1789
June 20
1791
August 13
1792
January 21
1792
February
1793
3. French Revolution Timeline
(complete)
14 July
The Bastille Prison in Paris is taken
over by armed revolutionaries. 1789
This marks the beginning of the
6 October
Revolution.
Louis XVI and his family are
1789 effectively imprisoned in their own
palace, the Tuileries, forcing Louis
June 20
to negotiate with revolutionaries.
Louis XVI tries to escape from Paris
to meet with his supporters in a 1791
town called Varennes. The
revolutionaries loose faith in him. August 13
Louis XVI is arrested for treason,
1792 for negotiating in secret with
January 21 foreign powers. One month later,
Louis XVI is tried for treason and is the Monarchy is abolished.
executed at the Pace de 1792
Revolution in Paris. France no
February
longer has a King.
France declares war on Britain and
1793 Holland, and an alliance is formed
by Britain, Austria, Prussia, Holland
and Spain to fight France. War
spreads through Europe.
4. The Execution of Louis XVI
‘Execution of Louis XVI’, by Georg Heinrich Sieveking (1793)
Look at the image here, and see which of the following features you can locate.
The execution took place on the Before his execution, Louis was Louis XVI is taken to his execution
main public square in Paris. It had reported to have shouted to the in a green carriage, with his priest
been named after Louis’s father, crowd: 'I die innocent of all the crimes and two soldiers. The journey
‘Place de Louis XV’, but was then laid to my charge; I Pardon those who from his prison was accompanied
renamed ‘Place de la Revolution’ have occasioned my death; and I pray by thousands of soldiers, to
after 1789. It is now called ‘Place to God that the blood you are going to prevent anyone from showing
de la Concorde’. shed may never be visited on France.' support for the King.
Drummers from the National Louis XVI is executed using a Guillotine. The Surrounding the execution was
Guard were ordered to play their Guillotine was invented during the French Revolution the National Guard, an army
drums in order to drown out any as a quick and convenient way to kill people who made up of Paris citizens to keep
cries from the crowd in support of opposed the Revolution. It was also seen as ‘fair’, as order. They were there to prevent
the King. everyone was killed in the same way. Royalist disturbances or riots.
Louis XVI was imprisoned in his own palace during the Revolution. He could not come to
an agreement with the revolutionaries, and tried to escape from prison in 1791. The
following year, he was tried for treason for asking foreign monarchs to invade France and
save him. He was sentenced to death, and the execution took place on 10 August 1792.
Lesson 3. The Rise of Napoleon
After the execution of Louis XVI in 1793, France entered a period of instability. There was disagreement over how the Republic should be governed, and
France was having to fight wars against much of the rest of Europe to export their revolutionary ideas, and to prevent other monarchies from re-establishing
a French monarchy. Within this confusion, a talented young general took power in Paris in 1799 aged only twenty-nine years old. He was named Napoleon
Bonaparte, and would rule France until 1815. He modernised France, conquered much of Europe, and is one of the most important figures in world history.
See page 137-138 of What Your Year 5 Child Needs to Know.
Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary Assessment Questions
To know how In 1799, Napoleon became the Annotate a map of Europe with all of the emperor Who was Napoleon?
Napoleon rose to be new leader of France, filling the most significant moments in the life of Napoleon
one of the greatest power gap that was left after the Napoleon Bonaparte (resource 5).
figures in world death of Louis XVI. Why is Napoleon
history. Compare two different views of such an important
Napoleon was an extremely Napoleon, one from a British perspective figure in history?
talented General in the French and one from the French perspective
army, who conquered most of (see here and here). There are an
Italy aged only 27. enormous number of paintings of
Napoleon and the different stages of his
In 1804 Napoleon became reign which can be used in this lesson,
Emperor of France. He was able see here.
to conquer much of Europe, and
placed members of his family in This is a brief biography of the life of
control of various countries. Napoleon, and this and this are two
Horrible Histories profiles. This is a
Horrible Histories video of life in the
French army.
5. Napoleon Bonaparte
1796:
1799: 1799:
5. Napoleon Bonaparte (complete)
Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary Assessment Questions
To understand the Admiral Nelson’s victory at the This lesson should link with the lesson in English Channel What was Napoleon
importance of the Battle of Trafalgar prevented the ‘Birth of the British Empire’ unit Admiral planning in 1805?
Battle of Trafalgar in Napoleon from invading Great about life as a seaman in the Royal Navy.
saving the British Britain and placing it under Why did Britain win
from a French French control. There are many famous depictions of the Battle of
invasion. Nelson. This one shows the chaos and Trafalgar?
In 1805, Napoleon was very close confusion battle, whilst this fresco
to invading England. To do so, he idealises Nelson's death (resource 6). Why was it such an
had to defeat the Royal Navy and The link should be made between this important victory?
gain control of the English battle and Trafalgar Square in London,
Channel. which hosts Nelson’s Column. Also, Show What happened to
the class the signal that was flown from Admiral Nelson?
Admiral Nelson masterminded the HMS Victory on the morning of the
the victory of the Royal Navy at battle, and discuss how naval signals
Trafalgar, but died during the might work.
conflict.
Write a newspaper story about the
Battle of Trafalgar. Ensure it explains
why the battle is so important for Britain
(worksheet 7).
6. The Death of Nelson
‘The Death of Nelson’, Daniel Maclise (1864). Painted almost sixty years after the Battle of Trafalgar, this painting sought to romanticise the
death of Admiral Nelson.
Look at the image here, and see which of the following features you can locate.
A woman tends a dying In all, 449 British A black sailor points towards Soldiers from the Army would fight in
sailor. There is one woman servicemen died at the sniper on the French naval battles, providing musket fire to
known to have taken part Trafalgar, compared to ship, the Redoubtable. Two kill the enemy on the nearby ship. You
in the battle, but she was 4,408 French and African sailors served on the can just see the French sniper on the
on the HMS Defiance. Spanish deaths. HMS Victory as free sailors. Redoubtable in the distance.
Nelson is in the centre of the painting, being Nelson was shot by a French sniper at around one A sailor with a
held by his close friend and Chief of Staff Captain o clock, and said to Captain Hardy, ‘Hardy, I do peg leg and a
Hardy. They had served together since 1796. believe they have done it at last… my backbone is naval tattoo
Famously, whilst Nelson was dying he requested shot through.’ Nelson had been hit many times helps a wounded
of his friend ‘Kiss me, Hardy’. before, having lost his right arm in battle in 1797. officer.
7. Trafalgar Newspaper Story
The Times
Lesson 5. The Battle of Waterloo
After the Battle of Trafalgar, the British were spared French rule. However, most of western Europe was not. In a series of military victories, Napoleon spread
his power across Italy, Spain, Holland, Poland and Germany. After his catastrophic loss in Russia in 1812, Napoleon’s power began to fade, and he was
defeated and exiled in 1814. Only a year later, he escaped from exile and returned as French Emperor. An army led by the British and allied with Holland and
Prussia met Napoleon’s French army at Waterloo, where he was defeated. Napoleon was exiled to St Helena, one of the most remote islands in the world.
See page 139-140 of What Your Year 5 Child Needs to Know.
Learning Objective Core Knowledge Activities for Learning Related Vocabulary Assessment Questions
To understand the The Battle of Waterloo was Show clips from the epic Waterloo alliance What did Napoleon do
significance of the Napoleon’s final attempt to keep (1970), in particular to illustrate the exile in 1815?
Allied victory in the control of France, but he was tactics of a battle. This is Horrible Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo. defeated by a combined British, Histories contribution. General Wellington Who allied against
German and Dutch army led by St Helena Napoleon?
Write a newspaper story about the
General Wellington.
Battle of Trafalgar. Ensure it explains
How did Wellington
why the battle is so important for Britain
In 1815, Napoleon had returned win the Battle of
(resource 8). Read Comte de Las Cases’
from exile and took command of Waterloo?
account of Napoleon on Saint Helena.
France once again.
Write a diary entry imagining that you
Why was it such an
are Napoleon complaining of your exile,
An army of European nations important victory?
and the life to which you have been
allied to defeat him, and
relegated (resource 9). See also this
Napoleon was sent to live the
famous painting of Napoleon imprisoned
rest of his life in exile on an island
on St Helena.
in the Atlantic Ocean called St
Helena. Pupils complete a piece of extended
writing about the Battle of Trafalgar
and The Battle of Waterloo. Which was
more significant?
8. Waterloo Newspaper Story
The Times
9. Napoleon in Exile
This is the account of Comte de Las Cases, who visited Napoleon whilst he was imprisoned by the
British on a barren, windswept island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, called Saint Helena.
The Emperor Napoleon, who lately so hateful to them, why did they not get rid
possessed such boundless power and of me? A few musket balls in my heart or my
disposed of so many crowns, now occupies a head would have done the business, and
wretched hovel, a few feet square, which is there would at least have been some energy
perched upon a rock, unprovided with in the crime. Were it not for you, and above
furniture, and without either shutters or all for your wives, I would receive nothing
curtains to the windows. This place must from them but the pay of a private soldier.
serve him for bedchamber, dressing room, How can the monarchs of Europe permit the
dining room, study, and sitting room; and he sacred character of sovereignty to be
is obliged to go out when it is necessary to violated in my person? Do they not see that
have this one apartment cleaned. His meals, they are, with their own hands, working
consisting of a few wretched dishes, are their own destruction at St. Helena?
brought to him from a distance, as though “I entered their capitals victorious and, had I
he were a criminal in a dungeon. He is cherished such sentiments, what would have
absolutely in want of the necessaries of life: become of them? They styled me their
the bread and wine are not only not such as brother, and I had become so by the choice
he has been accustomed to, but are so bad of the people, the sanction of victory, the
that we loathe to touch them; water, coffee, character of religion, and the alliances of
butter, oil, and other articles are either not their policy and their blood. Do they imagine
to be procured or are scarcely fit for use… that the good sense of nations is blind to
We were all assembled around the emperor, their conduct? And what do they expect
and he was recapitulating these facts with from it? At all events, make your complaints,
warmth: gentlemen; let indignant Europe hear them.
“For what infamous treatment are we Complaints from me would be beneath my
dignity and character; I must either
reserved!' he exclaimed. This is the anguish
command or be silent."
of death. To injustice and violence they now
add insult and protracted torment. If I were