Home Student Resources Teacher Resources
 

Dickens in Our Day

Sample Subsidiary Questions


Use these questions to jump-start your research. Don't forget to brainstorm additional questions before you begin and to develop additional questions related to your topic as you proceed in your research!

Historical Setting of A Tale of Two Cities

1.  What was France like in the years preceding the French Revolution?

  • Government?

  • Politics?

  • Culture?

2.  What were the causes of the French Revolution?

3.  What factions and individuals participated in the revolution?  What were their roles?

  • Estates General

  • Jacobins

  • Robespierre

  • Louis XVI

  • Marie Antoinette

4.  What were contemporary accounts of Fall of the Bastille?

5.  What was the "Reign of Terror?"  Why was it characterized as such?

6.  What was France like after the revolution, and what role did Napoleon play?

 

1.  What was England like during the same time period?

  • Government? (How did George III and Queen Charlotte rule?)

  • Politics?

  • Culture?

2.  How did England's class system compare to Frances in the late 1700's?

3.  How did the American Revolutionary War influence England and France?

 

Dickens' Biography and Contemporary England

1.  What were the significant events in Dickens' life?

2.  What were the significant works of Dickens' career as a writer?

3.  What were the effects of  the serialization of Dickens' novels?

4.  Who was Dickens' audience?

5.  What was England like during the 1850's?

  • Government?

  • Politics?

  • Culture?

6.  What sources did Dickens use to write A Tale of Two Cities? 

7.  What were contemporary reactions to the publication of A Tale of Two Cities?

 

 

Your nominee to The Dickens of Our Day Foundation

1.  What were the significant events in your nominee's' life?

2.  Who was your nominee's audience?

3.  What are some popular reactions to the nominee's work?

4.  How does your nominee address justice and power?

5.  Has your nominee affected change?

 

Last update: May, 2007
Created by Robin Hawley-Brillante and Sharon Gallagher

BCPS Research Module, Copyright 2007, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD, all rights reserved. This Research Module may be used for educational, non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly.

The Baltimore County Public schools does not guarantee the accuracy or quality of information located on telecommunications networks. We have made every reasonable attempt to ensure that our school system's web pages are educationally sound and do not contain links to any questionable materials or anything that can be deemed in violation of the BCPS Telecommunications Policy. The linked sites are not under the control of the Baltimore County Public Schools; therefore, BCPS is not responsible for the contents of any linked site, links within the site, or any revisions to such sites. Links from Baltimore County Public Schools
Copyright © 2007 Baltimore County Public Schools,
Towson, MD 21204
All rights reserved.
Documents and related graphics may be duplicated for educational, non-profit school use only.
All other uses, transmissions and duplications are prohibited unless permission is granted expressly.
Contact Margaret-Ann Howie, Esq. 410-887-2646