In August 1789 the French National Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, a document that has been the foundation of many later statements of human rights. But were women included in the Declaration? French feminists and their British counterparts believed they should have the same rights as men, but many of the revolutionaries disagreed. In Paris radical women set up clubs to push forward their concerns, but these clubs were eventually suppressed. In the countryside, women protested against the closing of the churches but their concerns were dismissed. The Revolution was presented as masculine. Dissident women were denounced as irrational and unworthy of full citizenship and some of the more high-profile women involved in the Revolution were guillotined.
Course aim
To look at the events and themes of the French Revolution through the perspectives and experiences of women.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Understand the main events of the French Revolution from the perspectives of women.
What else do I need to know?
You will need an internet connection, speakers, a microphone and a webcam so that you can use our video learning platform, Zoom. You will need a personal email address to join the WEA’s digital learning platform, Canvas.
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