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School of Humanities  
 
 
HIS-30084 The French Revolution: Monarchy to Republic, 1789-1792  
Co-ordinator: Prof Malcolm Crook    Room: CBB0.050, Tel:33199  
Teaching Team: Miss Amanda  Roberts, Dr Alannah Tomkins, Mrs Christine  Edge, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts, Prof Malcolm  Crook  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 3 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
History Dual Honours (Level 3)
History Major (Level 3)
History Minor (Level 3)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
n/a

Prerequisites
n/a

Description

The French Revolution is a world-historical event and its outbreak in 1789 is widely regarded as marking the beginning of modern history. It is a topic that continues to attract attention from scholars across the globe and its interpretation remains deeply controversial, not least because so many of our current political ideas and practices originated during this period. These days the Revolution is seen primarily from the perspective of political culture and this module will explore the significant transition from subjecthood to citizenship that occurred as absolute monarchy gave way first to constitutional monarchy after 1789, and then to a republic in 1792. Contemporaries were well aware that citizens needed to be made for the new order and that cultural change was required to accompany the construction of new political arrangements, all of which will be considered along with explanations for the collapse of the old regime in the late 1780s.

This module is linked to a second, The French Revolution: Terror and Dictatorship, 1793-1799, which follows on. It may also be linked to the disseration in History for which, as for these free-standing modules, there is a wealth of relevant material available in English, both at Keele and online.
Aims
This module will introduce students to the study of the French Revolution as a series of experiments in constructing a new order in the wake of the collapse of the old regime. They will be enabled to understand and analyse how the transformation of subjects into citizens produced innovations of a cultural as well as political nature, in order to understand how the Revolution set the agenda for modern politics in the century that followed. Finally, they will gain insight into the ways in which different aspects of the mass politics introduced after 1789 have continued to influence the practice of democracy down to the present day.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Critically assess a range of primary sources will be achieved by assessments: 1,3
Deploy source material effectively in the process of historical analysis will be achieved by assessments: 1,3
Evaluate the transition from monarchy to republic in France in the late eighteenth century will be achieved by assessments: 2,3
Reflect critically on the way in which the advent of mass politics in the French Revolution has influenced the development of democracy will be achieved by assessments: 2,3
Study hours
20 seminars
40 seminar preparation
30 two essays
30 document exercises
30 exam preparation
Description of Module Assessment
01: Exercise weighted 20%
Portfolio of document commentaries
Every other week students will be given some relevant documentation on which to write 400 words of commentary
02: Essay weighted 40%
A 2000-word essay
Students will be asked to write this essay on a topic of their choice related to the syllabus
03: 2 Hour Unseen Exam weighted 40%
A two-hour unseen exam
Students will be asked to comment on two documents (typically from a selection of six) and to answer one essay question (typically from a list of six)
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.