One of the most dramatic accounts of the French Revolution was written by British novelist Charles Dickens (18121870), who had not even been born at the time. This excerpt from his novel A Tale of Two Cities describes a real event the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. In the book, leaders of the mob include the fictional wineshop owner Defarge and his wife. As you read, think about what it might have been like to be surrounded by a wild mob. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions that follow.
1. How do the people of Saint Antoine prepare to attack the Bastille? What is their mood?
2. What is Defarge's role in the attack?
3. Draw Inferences. How do you know that the people of Saint Antoine hate the Bastille and everything it stands for?
4. Draw Conclusions What does the character of Madame Defarge say about the role of women in the French Revolution?
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In the excerpts below, two newspapers report on the French Revolution and the character and behavior of the revolutionaries. The first selection is from the London newspaper The Times. It reports an event in which Paris radicals killed royalty and aristocrats, as well as suspected royalists. The second article is from a radical Paris newspaper, Le Pre Duchesne. It paints quite a different portrait of the revolutionaries. As you read, think about why these reports may have expressed such different views on the French Revolution. Then, on a separate sheet of paper, answer the questions that follow.
1. What negative comparison does The Times article make?
2. How does the writer of the Le Pre Duchesne article characterize the sans-culotte?
3. Recognize Bias Why do you think these newspapers expressed such differ...
