Topic: Downfall of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Target group

8th‑grade students of elementary school

Core curriculum

XVII. The struggle to maintain independence in the last years of the 18th century. Pupil:

1) situates during the first, second and third partition of the Republic and indicates on the map territorial changes after each partition;

3) distinguishes the internal and external causes of the fall of the Polish‑Lithuanian Commonwealth.

General aim of education

Students will learn when and under what circumstances the fall of the Commonwealth took place.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• the dates of partitions;

• about Tadeusz Rejtan;

• the reasons of downfall of the Commonwealth and its disappearance from the map of world for the period of 123 years;

• the causes and effects of the downfall of Poland.

Methods/techniques

• activating

  • discussion.

• expository

  • talk.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

1. Students should recall the latest lesson about noble's democracy, liberum veto and the rulers of the Wettin dynasty.

Introduction

1. The teacher states the subject of the lesson, explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

2. The teacher asks the students how they would describe the situation in Poland in the 18th century. At the same time, he begins a discussion about the noble's democracy and the interference of neighbors in the internal affairs of the Commonwealth. He tells students about the development of the power of Prussia, Austria and Russia, which in the 18th century were powerful, absolutist countries with a numerous army. Students perform Task 1.

Realization

1. The teacher explains to students the circumstances of the election of Stanisław August Poniatowski for the king of Poland – support for Russian troops, which translated into his state policy condemned to cooperation with Russia. He also mentions that conviction of the king that his loyalty to the tsarist Catherine II will allow him to reform the state, turned out to be in vain. Attempts to strengthen the state at the expense of the position of the nobility led to their intervention at the Russian court and, ultimately, the first partition. Students do the Exercise 1. The teacher makes sure that it has been done correctly and then gives feedback.

2. To show that the partition of Poland by its neighbors was carried out with the full consent of the Poles, the partitioning countries (primarily Russia) would force it to be approved by the resolution of the Sejm. The teacher talks about how it was conducted, the bribery of almost all deputies and the threats of armed intervention. Students carry out the Task 2.

3. The teacher tells students that the first partition was a shock for a part of society, especially well‑educated townsmen and noblemen (eg Stanisław Staszic, Ignacy Krasicki, Hugo Kołłątaj). The circle of reformers also included King Stanisław August Poniatowski himself. The result of their actions was the adoption of the Constitution of May 3. The teacher asks students to recall the meaning of the constitution.. Unfortunately, the effect was opposite to the intended one – the Targowica Confederation was established, the war with Russia broke out and the second partition of Poland was finally carried out. Students perform Exercise 2. The teacher checks the correctness of the task and provides verbal feedback.

4. Despite the partitions, the Poles were still fighting to regain their independence and retain a substitute of statehood. The teacher asks students what happened in 1794. Students having knowledge of previous classes should briefly characterize the Kościuszko Insurrection.

5. Eventually, the fall of the Commonwealth comes in 1795, when Russia Austria and Prussia, dividing the other Polish lands between themselves, erase the country from the map of the world. The teacher talks about the abdication of the king and his deportation to St. Petersburg, where he died soon after. Students do the Exercise 3, and the teacher makes sure that the task has been correctly completed. Then give feedback to the students.

6. Then the teacher asks the students, beginning the discussion, what were the reasons for the fall of the Commonwealth. He could create a table in which in two columns he could will write down the reasons for the fall of the country (column 1) and how it could be remedied (column 2). Students perform the Exercise 4, which is then checked and discussed by the teacher.

Summary

1. Summing up the lesson, students perform Exercise 5. Then the teacher begins the discussion – if there were no attempts to reform or armed struggles with Russia, would there be partitions?.

Homework

1. Over one hundred years before the First Partition, one of the Polish elected kings, during his abdication, uttered the words that the laters called „prophecy”. He described exactly the event that took place in the second half of the eighteenth century. Find out who the ruler is and what the words were about. If the nobles listened to the king, would it come to the partitions?.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Downfall of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

After the fall of the Kościuszko Uprising, Russia, Prussia and Austria made another partition (1795). The Polish‑Lithuanian state ceased to exist. The Commonwealth was erased from the maps. The last king Stanisław August Poniatowski ceded his authority to the Empress of Russia Catherine II and moved to Russia where he soon died.