HIS 411 Recreating Revolution: France in 1791
In this course, students will act out roles of characters engaged in writing France’s first constitution in 1791. They will form factions, write newspaper articles presenting their positions, and debate one another all in the hopes of writing a document that best reflects their characters’ views. At the same time, some students will represent the Parisian crowd, who will write their own articles and pressure the delegates to address the pressing concerns of those who are not represented in the Assembly. At the end of the experience, students will assess the impact of ideas on people's actions, the roles of contingency and accident in history, and the most effective ways of presenting the past.