A Fight for Liberty? Revolution in Britain, America, and France, 1642–1799

Overview

This course examines the history of revolutionary politics in Britain, America and France during the tumultuous 17th and 18th centuries, when the very foundations of established monarchical rule were increasingly challenged by the growing cries for popular ‘liberty’. That all three states eventually emerged as liberal power bases would seem to confirm this, the revolutions shaping and framing the triumphant ascendancy of modern liberal democracy overall. Closer examination however reveals a much more complex picture, where the championing of new liberties sat side by side with the birth of new totalitarianism and terror. 

How and why this complex picture emerged will be the key focal point of this course, as we explore the nature of the revolutionary challenge in each of the three states, and how they evolved through time - sometimes in ways their original creators could never have imagined. In the process we will examine the roles played by key revolutionaries and reactionaries alike, asking how they helped shape the course of events, and how this impacted both their national, and personal, destinies. We will also explore the critical role of enlightened thought throughout, from Hobbes to Locke and from Voltaire to Rousseau, asking whether, and to what extent, the revolutions shared a common philosophical identity.

Programme details

Courses starts: 24 April 2025

Week 1: Introduction and Overview. Key Issues and Events

Week 2: A Question of Sovereignty? Charles I and the origins of the English Civil War.

Week 3: The World Turned Upside Down: England and the Cromwellian Experiment. 

Week 4: A Glorious Revolution: The English Bill of Rights and the Lockean legacy

Week 5: A Tax on Liberty? Colonial America and the impact of the Stamp Act

Week 6: Time to Part: Paine and the path to American independence

Week 7: An Enlightened Affair? Ancien Regime France and the Liberal Revolution.

Week 8: A Republic of Virtue: The Jacobin takeover and the politics of Terror.

Week 9: Return to Order? The revival of liberalism in France and the coming of Napoleon

Week 10: Concluding thoughts: the ongoing legacies

Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register when you enrol, you have up until the course start date to register and pay the £30 fee. 

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. 

 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Kate Watson

Kate Watson is a Senior Associate Tutor for Oxford University Department of Continuing Education (OUDCE), and previously an Associate Lecturer and Moderator for the Open University. Her research is particularly focused on revolution and the popular experience.

Course aims

To explore the historical development and nature of revolution in Britain, America and France.

Course objectives:

  1. To outline the historical development of revolution in the 17th and 18th centuries
  2. To explore the links between that development and the emergence of modern political culture
  3. To critically evaluate that relationship through examination of primary and secondary source materials

Teaching methods

A range of teaching and learning methods will be used during this course. These will include short tutor made films, powerpoint presentations, and tutor-led class discussion. This analysis will be mainly focussed on primary and contemporary sources, and students will be encouraged to approach these sources not as simple illustrations but rather as 'lived' records of the topic and themes under discussion. Students will also be encouraged to follow up class discussions in their own time through further analysis of documents and topics under investigation, combined with reading of a wide range of secondary follow-up texts.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Describe the historical development of revolution in the 17th and 18th centuries

2.  Outline the role and impact of that development on modern political culture

3. Be familiar with the handling of source materials and their values and limitations.

Assessment methods

All students will be provided with a course booklet at the start of the programme. This will include a general introductory source exercise of around 500 words. A choice of 2 options will then be available for the final exercises.

Option A will consist of document analysis of c1500 words in total, with students choosing 3 out of 4 exercises to be completed outside the class sessions.

Option B will consist of an essay of c1500 words in total, based on a range of given topics, with brief outlines prepared in advance.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

We will close for enrolments 14 days prior to the start date to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email you at that time (14 days before the course begins) with further information and joining instructions. As always, students will want to check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received.

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.