What makes history significant?

You now know why the Revolution happened and what it changed. The final question is harder: why did it matter? Historians call this asking about historical significanceA judgement about how much an event mattered — built with evidence, not decided by how dramatic the event was..

Significance is not the same as fame or drama. A shocking event can matter little in the long run, while a quiet change can reshape the world. To judge significance fairly, we will use a framework you will meet again and again — the 5 Rs, developed by the historian and educator Christine Counsell:

RemarkableIt was remarked upon — noticed and talked about — by people at the time or since. — it was remarked upon, noticed and talked about, by people at the time or since.

RememberedIt stayed important within the collective memory of a group or groups. — it stayed important within the collective memory of a group or groups.

ResonantPeople connect it to their own experiences, or make analogies to it across time and place. — people connect it to their own lives, or draw analogies to it across time and place.

Resulting in changeIt had real consequences for the future. — it had real consequences for the future.

RevealingIt uncovers something about other aspects of the past. — it uncovers something about other aspects of the past.

For the rest of this act, we will hold the French Revolution up against the 5 RsChristine Counsell's framework for judging significance: Remarkable, Remembered, Resonant, Resulting in change, Revealing.. Remember: significance is a judgement, not a fact. You will need evidence — and, in the end, you will have to decide.