1. VCE REVOLUTIONS: France and Russia key knowledge and strategies
EXAM REVISION
VCE REVOLUTIONS:
France and Russia key knowledge and
strategies

2. Key Knowledge: French Revolution
AOS 1: REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS, LEADERS, MOVEMENTS AND EVENTS
(1781 to August )
Divine Right: Relationship between Church and Monarchy.
France’s economic situation in 1781 and involvement in American War
Necker’s Compte Rendu.
Growing tensions and calls for economic reform: Assembly of Notables, dismissal of the Paris Parlement
Key ideas of the Enlightenment and their impact on calls for reform: The Philosophes.
Writing of the Cahiers
Elections to the Estates General, raised expectations, the issue of the ‘doubling of the third’.
‘What is the Third Estate?’
Collapse of the Estates General: The Tennis Court Oath and the formation of the National Assembly
Storming of the Bastille: Who stormed it and why?
The Great Fear, 4 August the surrender of privileges in the National Assembly.
August Decrees 1789
AOS2: CREATING A NEW SOCIETY
(DORMAC – dissolution of the Convention Year 111 (1795))
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen 1789
The October Days, return of King to Paris.
Influence of Lafayette, Mirabeau, Bailly.
Work of National Assembly: financial, economic and judicial reform.
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy (Sans Culottes disillusionment with the revolution 1790 to 1791).
The formation of political clubs, the Cordeliers, the Jacobins Leaders such as Danton, Desmoulins, Marat.
The King’s flight to Varennes.
Emergence of republican sentiments, The Champs de Mars.
The Constitution of 1791: The Legislative Assembly.
Declaration of war on Austria, increasing tension in Paris.
Invasion of Tuileries and massacre of the Swiss guard August 1792.
Imprisonment of Louis XVI.
The Convention September 1792, September massacres, progress of the war.
The trial and execution of the King
Death of Marat, counter revolution. Extension of war.
The Committee of Public Safety, legislation of Terror, influence of individuals such as Robespierre, Danton, Hebert and sans culottes.
Dechristianisation. The Great Terror June–July 1794.
Withdrawal of policies of the Terror, return of Girondins to the Convention (Year III)

3. Key Knowledge: Russian Revolution
AOS 1: REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS, LEADERS, MOVEMENTS AND EVENTS
(1905 – October 1917)
Pre-revolutionary social and government structures, role of the Church
Industrialisation and peasants economy, causes of tension
Bloody Sunday and outcomes of 1905.
Effects of the Russo-Japanese war.
Success or failure of attempted reforms: Witte
October Manifesto and the Fundamental Laws 1906
The Dumas.
Success or failure of attempted reforms: Stolypin
Tsar Nicholas, Alexandra, Rasputin.
World War I and how it reflected tension and crisis.
Key personalities and parties.
Key aspects of ideologies such as Marxism.
Role of Lenin and Bolsheviks and ideas in February 1917
Abdication of Nicholas II, establishment of the Provisional government.
Establishment of the Petrograd Soviet, Order No. 1, dual government and its weakness.
April Theses, role of Lenin and others
July days
Kornilov Revolt.
Bolshevik takeover. The Second Congress of Soviets. The Storming of the Winter Palace.
Role of Lenin, Trotsky.
AOS2: CREATING A NEW SOCIETY
(November 1917 to 1924)
Problems facing the new government such as how to end involvement in World War I.
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The land question
The Constituent Assembly.
Initial reforms.
Key individuals such as Trotsky and Lenin and parties such as the SRs.
The Civil War, War Communism, the Cheka.
The role of Trotsky and the Red Army.
Increasing centralisation and control: ‘On Party Unity’,
The 10th Party Congress and the Kronstadt Rebellion.
The NEP, impact and results.
The death of Lenin and ensuing leadership style.

4. Key knowledge: How and what?
Resources
ADCOCK AND MALONE
RESOURCES ON WIKISPACES
NOTES FROM YOUR WORKBOOKS
LEADING EDGE HANDOUT
The ideal for each outcome
DATE
EVENT
SIGNIFICANCE
HISTORIANS’ VIEW
MORE?

5. Five strategies for remember key knowledge
The Concept card
Mnenomics
Written notes (dot points)
When, what, how, who
The Spoken Word

6. VCE REVOLUTIONS: Key learning outcomes and the bigger picture
EXAM REVISION
VCE REVOLUTIONS:
Key learning outcomes and the bigger picture

7. France AOS1: 1781 – August
Impact of Enlightenment and Philosophes
Compte Rendu (1781)
Divine Right, Three Estates
War in America/
Economic situation
Assembly of Notables (1787)
Estates General (May 1789)
Cahiers de doleances
Dismissal of Parlements
Tennis Court Oath (June 1789)
‘What is the Third Estate’ Sieyes
Formation of the National Assembly
Storming of the Bastille (July )
The Great Fear (1789)
Lafayette
The August Decrees
Necker
Surrender of Privileges (August )
Mirabeau

8. France AOS2: DORMAC – year III
Political clubs: Cordeliers, Jacobins
Economic, fiscal, political, the church
DORMAC (1789)
Women’s March to Versailles(1789)
Champ de Mars
Reforms of National Assembly
Massacre of Swiss Guard, Louis XVI imprisoned
King’s flight to Varennes (June )
Constitution of 1791
War intensifies. Brunswick Manifesto
War with Austria
Tuileries (10 August 1792)
Death of Marat
Convention of September 1792
De- Christianisation
Supreme Being
September Massacres (1792)
Robespierre
Execution of Louis XVI (1793)
Robespierre killed, return of Girondins
Marat
Counter Revolution and terror
Danton
Withdrawal of terror

9. Key Knowledge: Russian Revolution
AOS 1: REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS, LEADERS, MOVEMENTS AND EVENTS
(1905 – October 1917)
Pre-revolutionary social and government structures, role of the Church
Industrialisation and peasants economy, causes of tension
Bloody Sunday and outcomes of 1905.
Effects of the Russo-Japanese war.
Success or failure of attempted reforms: Witte
October Manifesto and the Fundamental Laws 1906
The Dumas.
Success or failure of attempted reforms: Stolypin
Tsar Nicholas, Alexandra, Rasputin.
World War I and how it reflected tension and crisis.
Key personalities and parties.
Key aspects of ideologies such as Marxism.
Role of Lenin and Bolsheviks and ideas in February 1917
Abdication of Nicholas II, establishment of the Provisional government.
Establishment of the Petrograd Soviet, Order No. 1, dual government and its weakness.
April Theses, role of Lenin and others
July days
Kornilov Revolt.
Bolshevik takeover. The Second Congress of Soviets. The Storming of the Winter Palace.
Role of Lenin, Trotsky.
AOS2: CREATING A NEW SOCIETY
(November 1917 to 1924)
Problems facing the new government such as how to end involvement in World War I.
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The land question
The Constituent Assembly.
Initial reforms.
Key individuals such as Trotsky and Lenin and parties such as the SRs.
The Civil War, War Communism, the Cheka.
The role of Trotsky and the Red Army.
Increasing centralisation and control: ‘On Party Unity’,
The 10th Party Congress and the Kronstadt Rebellion.
The NEP, impact and results.
The death of Lenin and ensuing leadership style.

10. Russia AOS1: 1905 – October 1917 Marxism, Communism, Lenism
Industrialisation
Peasants economy
Tsarism, social structure, the church
Bloody Sunday (January )
October Manifesto (1905)
Effects of Russo Japanese War
Witte’s reforms
Fundamental Laws (1906)
The Dumas
Stolypin’s reforms
World War 1
Key political parties
February Revolution (1917)
Provisional Government
Petrograd Soviet
Abdication of Tsar (March 1917)
Second Congress of Soviets
Dual Government (1917)
April Thesis (1917)
Kollontai
Kerensky
July Days/Kornilov Revolt
Storming of Winter Palace
Lenin
Bolsevik takeover
Rasputin

11. Russia AOS2: November 1917 - 1924 Initial reforms (MARBLE)
Treaty of Brest Litovsk
Problems facing new government
The Constituent Assembly (1918)
The Land Question
Initial reforms (MARBLE)
Role of Trotsky
Role of Dzerzhinksy
Civil War (1918 – 1920)
War Communism
Increased centralised control
Red Army and Cheka
Tenth Party Congress
Kronstadt Uprising
Dzerzhinksy
NEP: Impact and results
Trotsky
Death of Lenin
Ensuing leadership style
Lenin
Kolchak/Denikin

12. HISTORIOGRAPHY: CATEGORIES
FRANCE
Marxist: Revolution product of inevitable historical transition wherein bourgeois capitalism replaced feudalism
Lefebvre, Bosher, Soboul, Rudé,
Revisionist: Critiques Marxist perspective, claiming revolution is more accidental or the product of actions (or inactions) of individuals or groups
Schama, Doyle, Thackett
Cultural: Revolution characterised be creative force (reinvention of citizens and the cultural)
Darnton
RUSSIA
Soviet: Sees the shift to Bolshevism and Communism as an endeavour to improve society. Favorable view of Lenin and sees violence as necessary means to create new society
Service, Hill, Reed, Trotsky
Western Liberal: Critical of Bolshevism and Communism. Critiques Lenin as violent power monger and argues create a violent and dictatorial new society
Pipes, Volkogonov
Revisionist: More objective view, seekin g to explore the lived experience of people during the Revolution
Fitzpatrick, Figes, Christian, Service