About this Course

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The French Revolution was one of the most important upheavals in world history. This course examines its origins, course and outcomes. 
This course is designed for you to work through successfully on your own. However you will not be alone on this journey. Use the resources included in the course and take part in the suggested learning activities to get the most out of your learning.  To successfully complete this course, it is recommended that you devote at least six hours to every module over the six weeks of the course. In that time you should watch the video lectures, reflect and respond to in-video pause points, and complete the quizzes.

As part of the required reading for this course, during each week of this course you will have free access to a chapter of Peter McPhee's textbook, The French Revolution, which is also available for purchase as an e-book.

View the MOOC promotional video here: http://tinyurl.com/gstw4vv

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Instructor

Peter McPhee

Honorary, Melbourne Graduate School of Education

28,702 Learners

1 Course

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,209 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Week 1 - France in the 1780s

We begin this course with an introduction to the French Revolution. We will examine the social and institutional structures of the Old Regime. We will look at the main occupational groups and the roles of the First and Second estates (the clergy and nobility) in particular. We will also consider the relationship between Paris and the provinces in Old Regime France. Finally, you will be introduced to the Enlightenment and we will reflect on its significance and its possible revolutionary implications.

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 106 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

7 videos

Welcome to the French Revolution MOOC3m1.1 An Introduction to the French Revolution14m1.2 The Essentials of Eighteenth-Century France14m1.3 The First & Second Estates: Clergy and Nobility24m1.4 Paris and the Provinces9m1.5 The 'Enlightenment': 'from above'18m1.6 The 'Enlightenment': 'from below'21m

4 readings

Course Overview10mYour teaching team10mStart of course survey10mFrance in the 1780s1h 40m

1 practice exercise

Week one quiz - 12% of final grade10m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Week 2 - The Revolution of 1789

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 68 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Week 3 - The Reconstruction of France, 1789-92

Week three of this MOOC deals with the reforms introduced in 1789-91. We look at the institutional and administrative reorganisation of France. We will then consider three critical turning points of the Revolution: the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, the King's attempted flight in 1791 and the outbreak of war in 1792. Finally we will look at the fate of the King and the ultimate failure of the monarchy. You will be asked to reflect on the immediate effects and longer-term consequences of these events.

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 63 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Week 4 - The Republic in crisis 1792-93

Week four deals with the crisis of the Republic in 1792-93. We will examine the conflicts and disunity within the National Convention and consider the balance between revolutionary and counter-revolutionary forces by mid-1793. We will explore the civil war in the Vendee region of Western France and attempt to make sense of the growing revolutionary violence. We will look at the origins of the 'Terror', its institutions and its ideology, and students will be asked to reflect more broadly on the role of violence during the Revolution.

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 130 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

10 videos

4.1 September 1792: blood and death9m4.2 September 1792: republican unity and disunity in the National Convention11m4.3 Revolution and counter-revolution: the balance of forces10m4.4 The crisis of 179311m4.5 Emergency measures: the implementation of 'terror'17m4.6 How to end 'terror', December 17937mInterview with Dr Marisa Linton 11mInterview with Professor Timothy Tackett16mInterview with Professor Ian Germani 17mInterview with Charles Walton15m

1 reading

The crisis of 1792-1793: war and terror1h 40m

1 practice exercise

Week four quiz - 12% of final grade10m

Week5

Week 5

3 hours to complete

Week 5 - Ending the Terror and Ending the Revolution

This week we look at the ideology and culture of the 'Terror' and the nature of the Jacobin and sans-culottes alliance. We will consider possible explanations for the increasing intensity of revolutionary violence and ask whether such violence was a proportionate, emergency response to the growing counter-revolutionary threat. This module also deals with the end of the 'Terror', and the overthrow of Robespierre and the ensuing 'Thermidorian reaction'. Finally we look at the 'settlement' of 1795 and ask whether the Revolution was indeed over.

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 72 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

6 videos

5.1 Robespierre and 'virtue'9m5.2 The ideology and culture of the Terror13m5.3 The Jacobin and sans-culottes alliance12m5.4 Emergency measures or revolutionary violence?11m5.5 Thermidor Year II - 27 July 179410m5.6 The 'settlement' of 1795: the end of the Revolution?15m

1 reading

Ending the terror, ending the revolution, 1794-17991h 40m

1 practice exercise

Week five quiz - 12% of final grade10m

Week6

Week 6

6 hours to complete

Week 6 - Change and continuity: How revolutionary was the Revolution?

This final week of the course offers you the opportunity to reflect broadly on the significance of the Revolution. We begin by looking at Napoleon Bonaparte and the Restoration of the monarchy in 1814-15. We then consider the ways in which the revolutionary experience affected the lives of women and slaves. We will discuss the Revolution's global implications and ask whether or not 1789 can be understood more broadly, as part of an international 'Age of Revolution'. Finally we explore the 'minimalist' and 'maximalist' approaches to the significance of the Revolution and you will be asked to reflect on the impact of the Revolution on the lives of French citizens.

6 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 100 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

7 videos

6.1 Napoleon Bonaparte and the Restoration14m6.2 The 'minimalist' approach to the signifance of the Revolution12m6.3 Who is a citizen? The experience of women16m6.4 Who is a citizen? The experience of slaves12m6.5 The international repercussions: a global crisis?12m6.6 The 'maximalist' approach: the turning-point of the modern world23mAssignment video7m

3 readings

The significance of the French Revolution1h 30mAcademic integrity10mEnd of course survey10m

Reviews

4.8

79 reviews

5 stars
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4 stars
13.97%
3 stars
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2 stars
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TOP REVIEWS FROM THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

by DYOct 27, 2016

Useful readings generously supplied by the professor. Very clear and interesting lectures.

by DKMar 19, 2016

Outstanding presentation of the events leading to the Revolution. Clearest I have seen yet.

by ABAug 16, 2016

This was one of the best courses that I took at Coursera. The wide ranging knowledge of Professor McPhee is impressive. The course was well organized and well presented.

by ZAMar 16, 2018

i enjoyed that course. Its a knowledgeable course about the great event in the passed.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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The French Revolution

The French Revolution

About this Course