The Storming of the Bastille

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this 60-minute lesson, students will:

• Understand the causes and significance of the Storming of the Bastille in the context of the French Revolution.
• Analyse why the event became a symbol of revolutionary change.
• Evaluate the impact of the Bastille's fall on France and the wider world.
• Develop historical enquiry skills through source analysis and discussion.

UK Curriculum Links

• Subject: History
• Key Stage: 3
• National Curriculum Strand:
  • "The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745" – comparative links to revolutions in history.
  • "Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901" – understanding revolutions and their impact on modern political movements.
  • "Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day" – wider impact of revolution and democracy.

---

Lesson Structure

Starter (0-10 mins) - Thought Experiment & Provocation

• Imagine This…: Display an image of the Bastille before its fall. Ask students:
  "How would you feel if you lived in a country where people could be thrown in prison without trial? What would you do?"
• Quickly take student responses as a class discussion.
• Introduce key terms: Bastille, Revolution, Monarchy, Louis XVI, Estates System, National Assembly.

---

Main Activity 1 (10-25 mins) - Source Investigation: ‘Eyewitness to Revolution’

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups, each given different sources (e.g., newspaper reports, diary entries of Parisians, royal decrees).
  • Each group must analyse their source and answer:
    • What does this source tell us about the Bastille and its destruction?
    • Whose perspective is this from?
    • Can we trust this source? Why or why not?

• Class Discussion:

  • Groups present their findings in 1-minute summaries.
  • Discuss the importance of propaganda and perception at the time.

---

Main Activity 2 (25-45 mins) - ‘Breaking the Walls of Power’ Debate

• Scenario Setup:

  • Half the class roleplays angry revolutionaries, demanding an end to tyranny.
  • The other half roleplays defenders of the monarchy, arguing for order and tradition.

• Debate Question: "Was the Storming of the Bastille an act of freedom or chaos?"

• Guidelines:

  • Each side prepares 3 key arguments.
  • One student from each side presents their side’s views.
  • Quick open discussion to challenge and counter arguments.

---

Plenary (45-55 mins) - Significance & Reflection

• Create a Headline: On mini whiteboards, students write a newspaper headline that might have been published the day after the Storming of the Bastille.
• Pair and Share: Students compare headlines and discuss similarities/differences.

---

Final Reflection (55-60 mins) - Exit Ticket

• Students complete a quick written response to:
  "How did the Storming of the Bastille change the future of France?"

• Teacher collects tickets as students leave the classroom.

---

Assessment Opportunities

• Formative assessment through class discussions and debate contributions.
• Evaluation of newspaper headlines to assess understanding of significance.
• Exit tickets to gauge historical analysis skills.

---

Differentiation & Challenge

For Support:

• Provide simplified source extracts with guiding questions.
• Offer a structured writing frame for the plenary activity.

For Challenge:

• Extension question: "If the Bastille had never been stormed, would the French monarchy have survived?"
• Encourage students to link to other revolutions in history (e.g., English Civil War, Russian Revolution).

---

Resources Needed

• Projector/slides for images.
• Printed sources (newspapers, diaries, royal decrees).
• Mini whiteboards or paper for headline task.
• Debate role cards (optional).

---

Teacher Reflection

• Did students engage with the symbolism of the Bastille?
• How well did they use evidence to support arguments?
• Were they able to critically assess perspectives in the sources?

This lesson encourages active learning through debate and role-play, ensuring students grasp both the emotional and political weight of this historic event.