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Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE: Maria Theresa

Teacher guide prepared by: Karen E. Hong, who writes frequently for COBBLESTONE®, FACES®, and CALLIOPE®.
Vocabulary
Habichstburg * Privilegium mains * renunciation * Pragmatic Sanction * chivalric * ecclesiastical * karls kirche * acceding * partition * Middle Ages * baraque * gilding * rococo * regalia * parody * serfdom * thaler * lustitia et clementia

Habsburg Beginnings
The Habsburg family, like those of all of us, began long ago. Sometimes we know little more than our ancestors""' names or relationships. This is also the case with the Habsburgs.

  • Using "The Origins of the House of Habsburg" on pages 4 - 7, have students create a timeline of the Habsburg Empire or a family tree of the Habsburgs.
If students need more information,
  • History of the World offers an online listing of historical events for the Habsburg Empire from 1438 to 1848 at www.lukemastin.com/history/hapsburg_empire.html.
  • In addition, a comprehensive family tree for the House of Habsburg is available online at www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Rulers/hapsburg.html.
    • If you have available wall space in your classroom, you could use index cards for major events in the timeline or for names in the family tree. You might want to use index cards of a different color to indicate turning points in their history or rulers in the family tree. Students may wish to trace their own families""' history by creating a similar timeline or a family tree for their families.

    Endless Empire
    Charles believed that his family had a holy mission to establish a universal empire of Christendom. Throughout history, individuals and groups of people have formulated mission statements as a way of focusing their efforts and directing their energies. Have students collect a number of mission statements. Students may wish to select one or more prominent companies (mission statements are often available on the company""'s web site), a few local concerns, the companies that employ their parents, or their school or church.
    1. Is each company""'s mission statement representative of the company""'s goals?
    2. How does the company""'s mission statement direct its goals?
    3. Have students craft their own mission statements.
    4. How could they use these statements to direct their individual activities?
    Other empires also claimed that the sun never set upon them. How does the extent of the Habsburg Empire compare to other empires? Have students look at:
    • the ancient Roman Empire,
    • the empire of Alexander the Great,
    • the Holy Roman Empire, and
    • the British Empire.
    "No Renunciation, No Archduchess"
    Charles created the Pragmatic Sanction to guarantee that his daughter would succeed him if he didn""'t have a male heir. Francis Stephen had to give up his claim to Lorraine, the land of his ancestors, in exchange for France agreeing to the Pragmatic Sanction. In addition to marrying Maria Theresa, what did Francis Stephen gain?

    Rivals for Life
    The conflict between Maria Theresa and Frederick II involved three wars. Have students complete the following graph showing the results of these wars for Maria Theresa and Frederick II.

    Year War Maria Theresa & Austria Frederick II & Prussia
    1740 War of the Austrian Succession











    1756 Seven Years War











    1772 Partition of Poland












    The Seven Years""' War was a world war in that it involved fighting on more than one continent. In the United States, this war was called the French and Indian War. Have students complete the following chart showing the theaters of this war.

      Seven Years War French and Indian War
    Who fought





    Where fought





    Years of war





    Who won





    Impact of war on participants











    Prominent People
    History is more than a collection of dates and places. The historical events that occur during peoples lives help to shape them and they, in turn, shape history. Have each student find out more about one of the following people:
    • Rudolph I, first Habsburg king
    • Otakar II, king of Bohemia
    • Rudolph IV, Habsburg king, called "The Founder"
    • Frederick III, Habsburg king
    • Maximilian, Habsburg king
    • Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
    • Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
    • Francis Stepeh
    • Frederick II, King of Prussia
    • Maria Theresa
    • Marie Antonia (also known as Marie Antoinette)
    Information about many of these people is available online at Habsburg Dynasty. You may wish to have students present what they learn as a living biography with students taking on the role of the person they have researched and telling the class about themselves.

    Maria Theresa at Home
    Despite the duties required of her as empress, Maria Theresa was a devoted wife and mother. She had a public life and a private life. Have students complete the following chart to see how does Maria Theresa""'s family life compares to their own.

      Maria Theresa""'s Family Your Family
    Family Size











    Nutrition











    Fun Activities











    Education











    Religious Life













    Matchmaking Schemes
    Maria Theresa strengthened alliances with foreign areas and countries with the marriages of her children. Have students use a map of Europe and draw arrows linking Austria with these areas and countries. Mark the arrows with her children""'s names. You may wish to include Maximilian who became bishop of Cologne, extending the Habsburg""'s power.
    • Joseph ""- Parma (France), Bavaria (Germany)
    • Leopold ""- Spain
    • Ferdinand ""- Modena (Italy)
    • Maria Amalia ""- Parma (Italy)
    • Caroline ""- Naples (Italy)
    • Marie Antonia ""- France
    • Maximilian ""- Cologne (Germany)
    Marionettes
    Using the directions on pages 40 - 43, have students make their own marionettes. After they have learned to control the movements of their marionettes, have the students write a short script for use with their marionettes. They could adapt a well-known story like Cinderella or The Three Bears or create an original script for their performance.

    Maria Theresa""'s Legacy
    1. Have students discuss how they would like to be remembered and for what beliefs or actions.
    2. Have students create their own mottoes using words or principles that they would like to guide their lives.
    3. Then have students fashion their own thaler out of a polymer clay, such as Sculpey, Fimo, Promat, Formello, or Cernit. They can use a smooth round pencil or rolling pin to make a smooth clay surface and include their picture and motto.
    4. You may wish to bake the clay thalers (polymer clay is usually baked in an ordinary household oven at 265 degrees F for about 10 - 15 minutes, but follow directions on the package) to harden the clay and make the images permanent.
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