Roles:

Napoleon

Prosecuting Attorney

Defense Attorney

Witnesses for the Prosecution: Maximilien Robespierre, Germaine de Stael, Marquis de Lafayette, Francisco Goya

Witnesses for the Defense: Josephine Beauharnais, Jacques Louis David, Marshal Michel Ney, Gaspard Monge

All witnesses will portray TWO historical individuals and will also double as jurors. They will vote on the charge at the end of the trial.

I. Preparation for the Trial – Due May 14^th

Witnesses: Research each of your two people. For each one write a developed paragraph in which you describe who your person was, occupation, status in society, and how he or she either knew or was affected by Napoleon. Then write a second paragraph in which you identify which of the above issues you would have an opinion and why.

In addition, each of you will write a 1 pg paper defending your vote at the conclusion of the trial. You must defend your decision with specific evidence learned during the trial.

Napoleon: Write a paper (approximately 3-4 pgs) in which you argue that you fulfilled the goals and ideals of the French Revolution. Within the essay you also need to refute any two of the issues that are going to be used against you in the trial and refute them.

Attorneys: Write 1-2 pgs explaining the strategy you are going to use for the witnesses for the prosecution and write 1-2 pgs explaining the strategy you are going to use for the defense witnesses. In your explanation, you need to indicate which issues you’re going to focus on for which witnesses and what points you hope to prove through your questioning.

Students are expected to come to class and participate in the trial in character. You will be evaluated on the accuracy of your role play and how well prepared you are to ask and answer questions.

Format of Trial:

1. Opening Arguments

Perverter Side—3-5 minutes

Preserver Side—3-5 minutes

2. Perverter Case

Prosecution examines witnesses

Defense cross examines witnesses

3. Preserver Case

Defense examines witnesses

Prosecution cross examines witnesses

4. Napoleon addresses the court—3-5 minutes

5. Closing Arguments

Preserver Side—3-5 minutes

Perverter Side—3-5 minutes

The Trial of Maximilian Robespierre

Background:

Due to a quirk in time, you have been transported back to the year 1794 in the city of Paris. Here, you find yourself involved in the trial of the Jacobin, Robespierre, who was the architect of the Committee of Public Safety’s Reign of Terror. Historians struggle with his legacy. Did he save the revolution or did he destroy it? The specific charges are as follows:

Count 1. Crimes against the people of France

Count 2. Crimes against the Spirit of the Revolution

Roles in the Simulation:

Characters will be assigned by lottery. All character assignments are final after the drawing.

Character Roles in the Trial Simulation:

The Prosecution The Defense

Prosecuting Attorney Defense Attorney

Prosecuting Attorney Defense Attorney

Prosecuting Attorney*** Defense Attorney***

Louis XVI Robespierre

Marie Antoinette Louis Saint-Juste

Louis XVIII Georges Danton

Edmund Burke Jacques Hebert

Leopold II Jean Paul Marat

Charlotte Corday Condorcet

Jacques Necker Thomas Paine

Marquis de Lafayette Olympe de Gouges

Dumourriez Abbe Sieyes

Robespierre

1. Is the defendant in the trial.

2. Will testify in his defense before the tribunal.

3. Must be able to answer questions consistently with Robespierre’s political views and be familiar with specific aspects of his life.

Prosecution Team

1. The prosecution shall consist of two or three attorneys.

2. The prosecution will prepare its case to prove that Robespierre is guilty under each of the two counts of the indictment listed above.

3. Each attorney for the prosecution will prepare a two minute speech (2) introducing and (2) summarizing the prosecutions case against Robespierre.

4. The prosecution will be allowed to ask four primary questions and four follow up questions as part of its examination of Robespierre and three primary and follow-up questions of each of the other witnesses (time not to exceed four minutes).

Defense Team

1. The defense team shall consist of two or three attorneys.

2. The defense team will prepare its case to prove that Robespierre is not guilty of any of the charges as outlined by the general indictment above

3. Each attorney for the defense will prepare a two minute speech (2) introducing and (2) summarizing the defense team's case for Robespierre’s acquittal on both counts

4. The defense will be allowed to ask four primary questions and four follow up questions as part of its examination of Robespierre and three primary and follow-up questions of each of the other witnesses (time not to exceed four minutes).

Witnesses

1. In addition to Robespierre’s testimony, there will be other witnesses available for questioning; they will be witnesses for the prosecution and for the defense.

2. The prosecution witnesses will be Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Louis XVIII, Edmund Burke, Leopold II, Charlotte Corday, Jacques Necker, Marquis de Lafayette, Dumourriez..

3. The defense witnesses will be Robespierre, Louis Saint-Juste, Georges Danton, Jacques Hebert, Jean Paul Marat, Condorcet, Thomas Paine, Olympe de Gouges, Abbe Sieyes.

4. Each witness must be familiar with the issues that would have concerned their character and be familiar with the general ideas and issues of the French Revolution. Each witness will be questioned by members of both the prosecution and defense.

Trial Procedure

1. Chief Justice reads the charges against Robespierre

2. Opening statement for the Prosecution (4 minutes)

3. Opening statement for the defense (4 minutes)

4. Testimony of witnesses (prosecution and defense teams have four minutes for examination of each witness)

5. Closing statement for the prosecution (4 minutes)

6. Closing statement for the defense (4 minutes)

7. Judge deliberates and reach/read verdict and sentence

Assignment / Grade

1. This simulation assignment will be due for presentation on (date to be announced).

2. Because this assignment requires application of research and writing skills as well as role-playing, the grade will be determined by the following:

Case briefs submitted for each attorney's primary speech and general case (One Brief that includes both). Primary speech = planned defense or prosecution, general case = the questions you plan on asking each witness.

A written deposition by each witness outlining their position on the French Revolution and how well each participant plays the part he/she has been assigned.

No written aspect of this assignment is to be less than one nor longer one typed page in length - Effective character performance may also include the use of documents as evidence, costumes, language usage, etc.

4. This assignment has a total value of 100 points.