Monthly Discussion Point: The Sans-Culottes

[trf-chan.livejournal.com]

This month's discussion point is the sans-culottes.

And only six days late, too. :P I know the topics about specific people are generally more popular, but my feeling is that we've got to space them out a bit.

So this month we shall discuss a group - the sans-culottes. The role they played in shaping events, the range of different opinions held on them, all of that fun stuff. GET DISCUSSING. :P

Comments

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I have my doubts that the real Saint-Just was quite so fond of guillotines, but I'm sure it was amusing, nonetheless.

Yes, unfortunately. There's no telling what sort of damage it might be doing to people's impressions. The storybook was about the Revolution, generally. Here, you can see for yourself: http://estellacat.livejournal.com/23938.html#cutid1 It makes me shudder just thinking about it.

[morgan-wang.livejournal.com]

Yup! we have the exact same sheet. We didn't even cover the fact that Napoleon was exiled to Elba. And we didn't even mention Saint-Just! :( Oh well, I guess its for the best. I would have really lost it if they proceeded to butcher his character.

I think we really need to do somthing about this! They can't go on teaching the French Revolution this way!

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

Really? That's interesting, because it can't be that common, can it? And it's bad enough the class--if not the book--assassinates the characters of the Revolutionaries they do mention, without wishing they could add more to the list.

Indeed. Someday, I'll figure out a way to re-write the textbooks, but until then... It seems what we can do is rather minimal--this is, we can speak up in classes we happen to be in, but outside of that there isn't much we can do.

[morgan-wang.livejournal.com]

Well, when you do get around to it, tell me, I really want to help. If we could just make it intresting for kids without sacrificing historical truth...

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

That's always the key, isn't it? In all honesty though, I think textbooks are just about the worst way to learn history.

[morgan-wang.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with that. How about a simulation or a game of some kind? I think students in general tend to enjoy that more. I've also created a game on the second Trojan war and American Rev.

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

I'm sure, if done right, that would be quite helpful.

[morgan-wang.livejournal.com]

So what do you think it should be about? (Besides the French Revolution, Reign of Terror) And how do we stay away from the typical revolutionarys vs. aristos?

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

It's difficult to say, since I've never designed a game before, but there are many different aspects of the Revolution that could be of use for one.

[toi-marguerite.livejournal.com]

OMG, I'm actually in a class that does EXACTLY THAT! It's sort of a LARP- it's called "Reenacting the Past" and you assume roles and take actions according to the dictates of your character. You get a list of instructions, victory objectives, a secret agenda, etc.

It is THE MOST FUN THING EVER. ^^

[morgan-wang.livejournal.com]

By the way, about Charles Dickens, Our textbook introduced the Reign of Terror by using a quote from A Tale of Two Cities. :(

[estellacat.livejournal.com]

O.o That's even worse than ours, I have to say. Frightening, actually.