Fashion reflects a complex variety of commercial enterprises all directly connected with each other. The development, progress, and the richness of a country, are often attested to by the evolution of clothing. People, instinctively knowing that the country is strong, devote more of their money, time, and energy to improving their look, fussing therefore about fashion.
Materials, like silk; modes of weaving fabric, like velvet and brocade; products like lace; accessories, such as wigs, hats, fans, walking stick etc.; and jewelry made of precious and semi-precious stones, pearls etc., display the wealth and the social status of the person wearing the outfit. One can make educated assumptions about a society by studying its clothing trends.
In the history of France during the XVIIth and the XVIIIth centuries, the progress and the social changes of the nation are evident. The ruling class lost touch with reality, increasingly dissociating itself from the other classes. In the end there was revolution. Through an examination of fashion we not only have the opportunity to assess the evolution of a country, but also a chance to understand the reasons behind certain trends and certain events,
It is for these reasons that the idea of teaching history through fashions has come to my mind, and I hope that by doing so I will be able to spark more interest in the study of history.
This unit has been developed for seventh and eighth grade students studying French and having French history as part of their curriculum. This unit does not seek to cover historical events but rather it seeks to show how important fashion was for those people who made history, and to study and remember them better.
I intend to reach my objective with the following steps.
A. Visualization
With the help of slides the students will be shown several paintings from the XVIIth and the XVIIIth centuries and they will analyze the following:
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The objects depicted, specifying what they are, the material they appear to be made of, and if they still exist in some form today.
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The people, how many, how young or old, rich or poor, famous or unknown, etc.
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Fashion, style, color, details on clothing and on the person.
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B. Background Check-up
Investigation of the social and economic status of France internally and compared to other countries reached by viewing other paintings and by reading excerpts from writers and famous personalities of the time.
C. Final Discussion
The analysis of paintings combined with readings from several authors of the period should enable the students to discuss the following points:
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The evolution that took place during the XVIIth and the XVIIIth centuries and the people who must take the credit for it.
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How family life was affected by these changes.
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How people, and women in particular, increasingly became part of the decision making process, politically and economically.
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In addition to these discussions, it would be of great interest and very beneficial for both the students and the teacher to visit a local art museum. This visit would expose students to an environment filled with artistic objects and show them how history can talk through paintings and other objects.
Children in the XVIIth century
Today, children hold a very special place in society. They are recognized as being an essential part of society and the hope for our future. Therefore many efforts and services are geared to understanding their behavior and improving their education.
This is a fairly new concept. Up to the XIXth century, children were considered no more than an investment, a piece of property to be used as cheap labor, unless of course the child was part of a rich household in which case he had other duties to perform. In either case children were not considered part of the family unit completely until they reached a certain age.
There were several reasons for such an attitude. Infant mortality was extremely high (one out of five infants would die before their first birthday), and it was not considered appropriate for an upper class lady to nurse or to take personal care of her own children. The newborn would therefore be sent out of the household to be nursed, or a “wet nurse” would be called in to take care of the baby from the very first days.
In the XVIIth and the XVIIIth centuries newborn babies were clothed much differently than today’s newborn. After his or her birth, the baby was swaddled. After four months the arms would be freed but the breast and stomach and feet would still be covered to keep out cold air. The baby would remain swaddled for a long period of time, sometimes extending up to one year.
Other beliefs played a role in the use of swaddling:
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It was believed that the baby’s legs and feet would not deform.
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The infant would not wiggle, and therefore it would be easier to take care of the child.
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Safety (open fires).
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