French Revolution Interactive Timeline with three student handouts

This lesson on the French Revolution is based on an interactive PowerPoint timeline as well as two student handouts that help students follow along and organize their thoughts. This PowerPoint covers California State Standards For Social Science 7.11 & 10.2.

What makes this power point unique is that it is specially designed with hidden links for each date on the timeline which makes it truly interactive. Each slide also contains primary source images that perfectly illustrate the content of that slide. After a quick review of the three estates of French society before the revolution one makes it to the hub page, which takes the form of a timeline that features eight important events from the French Revolution. See the slide guide below for the specific content covered by this PowerPoint. Once on the hub page (central image/home screen) the teacher or student has an opportunity to click on each date in order to learn more about what happened on that date. From each content slide simply click on the blue arrow in the lower right to return to the timeline. The great thing about this PowerPoint is that it does not have to be delivered in a linear fashion. Instead teachers and students can explore whatever events they wish in any order they desire. This PowerPoint is perfect for any smart board or digital projector, however only a computer is required.

This lesson can be delivered as a teacher led activity while the students fill in note-taking guide or the student timeline. Alternatively the note-taking guide or timeline could be completed by the students first, after reading the textbook or a print out or digital version of the slides, and then the PowerPoint can be used to check for whole class understanding. You can even call students to the white board to pick the hidden link of their choice for review.

The Slides of the PowerPoint contain the following content-

Slide 1 – Title Slide

Slide 2- The 1st Estate of French Society

Slide 3 –The 2nd Estate of French Society

Slide 4 – The 3rd Estate of French Society

Slide 5 – Interactive timeline for French Revolution (Hub slide with hidden links to content pages)

Slide 6 – Content slide May 5th 1789 – Meeting of the Estates General

Slide 7 – Content slide June 20th 1789 – Tennis Court Oath

Slide 8 – Content slide July 14th 1789 – Storming of the Bastille and the Great Fear

Slide 9 – Content slide August 26th 1789 – Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Slide 10 – Content slide October 5th 1789 – Women’s March on the Palace of Versailles

Slide 11 – Content slide January 21st 1793 – The Execution of King Louis XVI

Slide 12 – Content slide July 27th 1793 – The Reign of Terror Begins

Slide 13 – Content slide July 28th 1794 – Robespierre is executed, the Reign of Terror Ends

Slide 14 – Tricolor flag and Slogan of French Revolution “Liberty, Fraternity and Equality”

Slide 15 – Student handout - French Society Concept map note-taking guide for slides 2-4

Slide 16 – Student handout – Copy of timeline with images for notes

Slide 17 – Student handout – Graphic organizer for student notes

Slide 18 – Student handout – copy of notes handout/answer key