Who was Marie Antoinette and why she was guillotined. (to 8° grade students)

Introduction

Imagine living in a time of extreme wealth and extreme poverty. A time when kings and queens lived in luxury while ordinary people struggled to feed their families. This was the reality of France in the late 1700s, a country on the edge of revolution.

During the French Revolution, the monarchy and specially one figure stood out due to her tragic fate and controvesial role in history. Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France. We will take a journey back in time to explore her life, her role in the French Revolution, and the reasons why she was eventually executed by guillotine. Was she guilty of betraying her country? Or was she judged too harshly just because being Austrian?

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Marie Antonine with a Rose, 1783, Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France.

Class objective:

By the end of this activity, students will be able to explain the political, economic, and social causes that led to Marie Antoinette's execution and reflect on how public perception influences leaders.

Task

Students will work in groups of 4-5 to create an interactive timeline or digital poster to explain:

  1. Who Marie Antoinette was (her origin, personality, life at court).
  2. What role she played in the politics of her time.
  3. What rumors or truths made her a hated figure by the french people.
  4. The specific causes that led to her execution.
  5. A reflection on whether her sentence was fair or not (remember you must give an argued opinion).
Process

Step 1: Students form groups and assign roles. Each group member will take on a role: 

  • Historian: research the context of the French Revolution.
  • Biographer: research about Marie Antoinette's personal life.
  • Journalist: analyze public opinion and rumors.
  • Lawyer: examine her trial and argue whether the sentence was fair.

Step 2: Guided research. Students will explore the following suggested resources:

  • Basic biography of Marie Antoinette:

https://www.biography.com/royalty/marie-antoinette

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Antoinette-queen-of-France

  • Watch a short video documentary (YouTube): "Marie Antoinette Draw My Life"
  • Article: "Trial and Execution of Marie Antoinette" - World English Encyclopedia

Step 3: Create your final product.

Using the gathered information, you will build a digital presentation (using Canva, PowerPoint, Genial.ly or cardboard) in the form of a timeline which can include images, quotes and your final reflection.

Evaluation

Criteria

Excellent (5)

Good (4)

Satisfactory (3)

Needs Improvement (1-2)
  1. Historical Accuracy

Information is entirely accurate, detailed and well researched using reliable sources.

Minor inaccuracies; shows good understanding of the topic.

Some errors or generalizations; limited use of sources.

Several inaccuracies; little or no evidence of research.
  1. Content Organization

Clear, logical structure; ideas are well-connected; timeline or poster flows smoothly.

Mostly organized with clear progression of ideas.

Some disorganization; hard to follow in places.

Lacks structure; confusing or incomplete layout.
  1. Visual Design and Creativity

Highly engaged attractive visuals; excellent use of images, fonts and colors.

Visually pleasing and appropriate use of elements.

Acceptable visuals; design is basic or inconsistent.

Poor or missing visuals; lacks effort in presentation.
  1. Argumentation and Critical Thinking

Strong, well-supported opinion whether the execution was fair or unfair; uses historical evidence.

Reasoned opinion with some evidence or examples.

Opinion is unclear or weakly supported.

 

Opinion is missing or lacks any justification.

 
  1. Collaboration and Participation

All group members contributed equally and responsibly.

Most group members contributed; some collaboration evident.

Uneven participation; some students did most of the work.

Little or no collaboration; one or two members did all the work.

 

Conclusion

We've just completed our journey into one of the most dramatic and controversial moments in European history. Through the life and death of Marie Antoinette, we've explored the tension between wealth and poverty, monarchy and revolution, perception and truth. 

Marie Antoinette became a symbol, for some, of royal excess and disconnection from the people; for others, a young woman caught in a political storm far beyond her control. Nowadays, she became an important symbol of fashion being the queen of Rococó. Her execution marked a key moment in the French Revolution, sending a clear message about the power of people and the dangers of ignoring social inequality.

History is not just about memorizing dates or events. it's about questioning, analyzing evidence, and forming our own opinions. 

Credits

Biography.com Editors. (2023, 11 july). Marie Antoinette. Biography. https://www.biography.com/royalty/marie-antoinette

Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2025, 31 march). Marie-Antoinette | Biography, Death, cake, French Revolution, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Antoinette-queen-of-France

Draw The Life TikTak. (2018, 13 december). MARIE ANTOINETTE | Draw my Life [Vídeo]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyIdEA4gsBs

Mark, H. W. (2024). Trial and Execution of Marie Antoinette. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2099/trial-and-execution-of-marie-…

 

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Designed by: María Alejandra Builes