French Revolution Economic Simulation
This activity is an interactive way to help students appreciate the different factors that influenced the start of the French Revolution. It involves have students represent the various 'estates' and classes in France, and taking or adding 'money' as you describe the different events.
To set up this activity, you will needed something to break the class into different groups. I found that colored popsicle sticks worked best. Additionally, you will need to have some type of currency (either paper or coin) to give to students as well. Be sure to pre-sort the popsicle sticks and coins to reflect life at the time in France. Ratios I found worked best go as follows (for a class of thirty students):
After handing out the different groups and coins, briefly explain to students the different roles they represent. It is helpful at this point to go over the Estate System in France, and explain the way the classes are structured.
Go through some of the different events and factors that helped create the conditions necessary for the French Revolution. For example, after talking about the lavish spending of Louis XIV, as well as the cost of both the Seven Years War and the American revolution, take the majority of the kings money away. As a result of this, ask the class to brainstorm the most fair way for the king to raise money again (most will say take it from the wealthiest). Use this as an opportunity to explain some of the advantages of being an aristocrat vs being a bourgeois.
Continue and talk about other factors, particularly the geographic ones for things such as droughts, floods, cold winters..etc. Each time you introduce one of these events, take some of the coins from the third estate, particularly the farmers and laborers. This should reiterate the inequality of wealth and status at the time.
You can use this activity to give students a feeling of the frustration of the third estate at this time, which ultimately led to Bread Riots, the Tennis Court Oath, and the Storming of the Bastille.
To set up this activity, you will needed something to break the class into different groups. I found that colored popsicle sticks worked best. Additionally, you will need to have some type of currency (either paper or coin) to give to students as well. Be sure to pre-sort the popsicle sticks and coins to reflect life at the time in France. Ratios I found worked best go as follows (for a class of thirty students):
- One King (All remaining coins, ideally more than ten)
- Two Clergymen (Three coins each)
- Three Aristocrats (Four coins each)
- Five Bourgeois (Four coins each)
- Six Laborers (One coin each)
- Thirteen Farmers (One coin each)
After handing out the different groups and coins, briefly explain to students the different roles they represent. It is helpful at this point to go over the Estate System in France, and explain the way the classes are structured.
Go through some of the different events and factors that helped create the conditions necessary for the French Revolution. For example, after talking about the lavish spending of Louis XIV, as well as the cost of both the Seven Years War and the American revolution, take the majority of the kings money away. As a result of this, ask the class to brainstorm the most fair way for the king to raise money again (most will say take it from the wealthiest). Use this as an opportunity to explain some of the advantages of being an aristocrat vs being a bourgeois.
Continue and talk about other factors, particularly the geographic ones for things such as droughts, floods, cold winters..etc. Each time you introduce one of these events, take some of the coins from the third estate, particularly the farmers and laborers. This should reiterate the inequality of wealth and status at the time.
You can use this activity to give students a feeling of the frustration of the third estate at this time, which ultimately led to Bread Riots, the Tennis Court Oath, and the Storming of the Bastille.