Ms. M. Brown

Global History I

GRACE DODGE VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

WEBQUEST
 

 

 

 


THE LOSS OF INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS IN 18TH CENTURY FRANCE

 

“THE RISE OF ABSOLUTISM”

 

THEMES: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

     Absolutism (Definition) – The state of being absolute:  the system or doctrine of the absolute; the principles or practice of absolute or arbitrary government; despotism.

 

      The international recognition of French creativity in the arts literature, and science formed an integral part of Louis XIV’s strategy to dominate European culture.  Recognizing that political power lay in cultural superiority.  The policy gave divine right and absolute monarch. However, France experienced a form of political, social and economic dictatorship. Citizens gave up their individual freedoms to an absolute monarch who maintained order through his police and army. The decade of the 18th century found France rising to Nation State status and became a major power in Europe and in the world. During this rise of French power, citizens sacrificed individual freedoms for protection and order under the absolute rule of the Bourbon kings. Lettres de Cache and other arbitrary devices were used to maintain dictatorial control over an emerging France. No “balance of power” existed. Most legislative, judicial and executive power rested in one man: Louis XIV and his kingly successors. Freedom of speech, press and association were not allowed. Voting rights were replaced by a theory of ‘Divine Right”. By the end of the 18th century, intellectuals began questioning this form of control. Philosophes of the Enlightenment truly believed in man’s ability to make rational decisions. These writers searched for a “better way” to protect the citizens’ “Natural Rights”.

 

        You are now being placed in France where there is no balance of power. The county is a transition stage and citizens are having conflicts. Business, religion, individual freedoms, military control and other issues are being secretly discussed.

 

        Imagine you are living in the 1700s.  You and your family just learned that your city would follow the policy of absolutism. This means that you and your family can no longer make decisions about your economic financial or religious needs.  Now you must follow the dictatorship of the ruler Louis XIV, “The Sun King”. You have lost all control of your individual freedoms. You are not allowed to think against the crown, vote, or make any decisions on your own.

 

        You have joined a group of reporters and you are employed as “Paris Times” correspondents. This is the first newspaper that dares to criticize the absolute rule of Louis XIV. Yu and your group want to find out the feelings of the different classes.   Each group will interview people at different levels of French society to find out how these they feel about their lack of freedoms. Your newspaper may be used by future generations as guides. You have a very important task to fulfill!!!!

 


TASK

 

 

1.                  You will use the Global Public Policy Analyst.

2.                Your task, as a reporter will be to produce an article for the Paris Times, newspaper. This article will be an INTERVIEW with one member of 18th French century society.

3.                You are to come up with questions to ask officials, nobles, and others regarding the loss of individual freedoms under the reign of Louis XIV.

4.                The responses to your questions will be yours to make up based upon your knowledge of Global History.

5.                Your article will be one type written page minimum

6.                The article will include

a)                Causes for loss of individual freedoms in France

b)               Effects of this loss

c)                Possible opinions about the loss

d)               Existing public policy in France under Louis XIV

e)                An evaluation of the public policy of Louis XIV showing its positives and negatives

f)                Your group will then put together a newspaper that shows the above. You will include pictures and newspaper page representing possible opinions form the different class groups in French society.

7: AN ORAL PRESENTATION- Your group will give an oral presentation of 5

Minutes to the class showing your findings.

        8: POWER POINT PRESETNATION-Your group will have the option of doing a power point presentation

                To accompany your oral report for extra credit. Your slides should uses internet pictures, illustrations

                And text to have your audience better understand your GHPPA evaluations

 

PROCESS

 

1.                  Each of you will be put into groups of three.

2.     Each of you will be responsible to interview a specific class group.

3.         Each of you will come up with two or more questions for a group to use as an interview question.

4.         You will research the loss of individual freedoms in France by using the six GHPPA links listed   

      below.

5.         You will need to record your research on the Public Policy Analyst worksheets. These worksheets will be used to make up your hypothetical interviews. The GHPPA will give you examples to help understand the worksheets. (Click on the links below for each worksheet).

a.     Worksheet1 (Defining the Problem)

b.     Worksheet2 (Gathering evidence of the Problem)

c.     Worksheet3 (Determining the causes of the Problem)

d.     Worksheet4 (Evaluating existing public policies)

e.      Worksheet5 (Doing a comparative analysis)

6: Your group will use the Internet sources listed in “resources” as well as outside printed material to 

      complete your task

7: These worksheets will be used for your oral presentation and to help build your PowerPoint presentation.

 

 

 


RESOURCES-  

 Each resource below is a hyperlink to give you information on feudalism in France. (i.e. causes, effects, economy religion etc.)

Resource 1

Resource 2

Resource 3

Resource 4

Resource 5

Resource 6

 

      GENERAL SEARCH ENGINES

      www.google.com

     www.altavista.com

     www.askjeeves.com

     WWW.YAHOO.COM

 

EVALUATION

 

(50% GRADED BY TEACHER/50% GRADED BY PEERS)

        Each group will be graded on the following table:  Place a check in the column below.

 

PERFORMANCE

EXCELLENT

 

 

10

VERY

GOOD

 

8

GOOD

 

 

6

NEEDS

IMPROVEMENT

 

1

 

 

Completion of Worksheets

 

 

 

 

 

Interview

Questions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oral

Presentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

PowerPoint

Presentation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newspaper

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- Will be equal to 10         B- Will be equal to 8           C-Will be equal to 6

 

STANDARDS

 

Social Studies Standards

English Language Arts Standards

World History

Read and comprehend informational materials

Geography

Produce a report of information

Civics, Citizenship, & Government

Participate in group meetings

 

Prepare and deliver an group presentation

 

Utilizing and analyzing functional documents

 

 

 


CONCLUSION

        You should have learned from this web quest that France faced many challenges in the 18th century. Citizens sacrificed their civil liberties to a regime whose divine right public policy led to a totalitarian regime. You also should now understand the importance of evaluating public policy through use of the PPA. Moreover, you should also have learned how important it is to work collaboratively and the need to know the intricacies of Internet navigation. The key to learning is critical thinking and the GHPPA, that you used in this web quest, has clearly demonstrated this fact.