Change is not always best. Edmund Burke's pamphlet Reflections on the Revolution in France takes this perspective as he argues against the potential instability of upending the traditional government model in France. High schoolers watch a short video for an overview of Burke's argument.

Concepts

the french revolution, political systems, revolutions, government systems, politics

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Use as a counterargument to the voices of the French Revolution in a world history or European history class
• Have learners watch the video on their own and return with discussion questions and observations
• Organize a French town hall in which half the class argues for the revolution, and half the class takes Burke's point of view

Classroom Considerations

• The video is a short preview of a full analysis that is available on the publisher's website, both with a free trial and paid subscription

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Uses an extended architectural metaphor to illustrate the implications of radical political change
• Engaging animation brings complex concepts to life

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.2 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.2 RH.11-12.9