HIU34002 The French Revolution, 1789 - 1799
- Module Coordinator:
- Professor Joseph Clarke
- All year
- Contact Hours:
- 3 hours per week
- 20 ECTS
- 40% essay, 60% examination
Why did it take place? What was the nature of the new régime that emerged in 1789, why did it become so much more radical in the years that followed and how did that process change the lives of ordinary French men and women? Why ultimately did the Revolution lead to Terror and end in dictatorship? In this module, students will be encouraged to address these and other questions by examining different interpretations of the Revolution and through their own research in primary sources. While a selection of core documents will be supplied in translation, students will also be expected to undertake their own research in the extensive collections of prints, pamphlets and periodicals that are available in various libraries across Dublin and on the internet.
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- Explain in detail the main themes and developments in the history of France during the Revolutionary period
- Engage critically with the main interpretative trends and theoretical debates within Revolutionary historiography
- Undertake an advanced analysis of a wide range of relevant primary sources from the period
- Evaluate and interpret these sources in an informed manner
- Construct an individual synthesis based on a reading of the primary sources and secondary literature
- Present and defend such a synthesis in written and oral presentations.