HIS 102
French Declaration Paragraph Assignment

 

 

Well, the Arc de Triomphe is certainly not an image of what the French Revolution initially stood for when the National Constituent Assembly drew up the Declaration of the Rights of Man in August 1789.  Maybe the Arc is a fleeting image invoking the appeal of the idea of revolutionary rights for citizens across Europe.  But more pragmatically, it is a lasting symbol of the fleeting power of French military might under the leadership of Napoleone di Buonaparte, emperor of France.  The Arc stands at the western end of the Champs-Elysée, the main boulevard of Paris, and it took decades to build after the arch was commission following the victory at Austerlitz (Battle of the Three Emperors) in 1806.  It clearly was modeled on the triumphal, ceremonial arches of Ancient Rome.  In 1920, inside and below the arch, the French dedicated a tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I.  Photo courtesy C. Wayne and Dorothy Miller.

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Read the Declaration of the Rights of Man (along with the document background notes and the study questions) and answer the following question in a paragraph:

Citing specific evidence from the Declaration of the Rights of Man (not from the textbook), compare the rights mentioned in the French Declaration with those mentioned in the Declaration of Independence. 

Your paragraph must follow this format:

  • begin with a concise topic sentence (sentence 1) that directly responds to the assigned question (no need to define terms or cite a dictionary) and that identifies your analysis/thesis points.
  • font size 10 or 12 only
  • one-inch margins
  • double-spaced
  • direct, quoted material to support your points
  • name, and only your name, at the top left of the paper
  • about one-half page in length (not to exceed 3/4 page)
  • You may consider submitting a draft of your assignment to your instructor for feedback before submitting the assignment for the grade. At times, you may be asked to rewrite your work. This is done for your own benefit and will result in an improved grade.

Please take a moment to review Charlie's History Writing Center for specific information on the writing requirements for the assignments in the course. Please check this short explanation of what it means to cite historical evidence.

Your assignment should be submitted on Canvas.

 

 

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