The Second of May 1808

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/the-second-of-may-1808

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the medium?Oil on canvas
2. What is the dimensions?268 cm × 347 cm (106 in × 137 in)
3. What happened on the Second of May 1808 in Madrid?Spanish civilians rose up against French soldiers who were in the city. They fought in the streets to stop the French from ruling Spain. This fight started the Peninsular War.
4. Who painted "The Second of May 1808" and why?Francisco Goya, a court painter, painted it to show the brave fight of the people. He wanted to remember the courage and the cost of the uprising.

Dos de Mayo Uprising: The popular rebellion in Madrid on May 2, 1808, against Napoleon's occupying forces.
Peninsular War: The conflict from 1808 to 1814 in which Spanish, British, and Portuguese forces fought against the French.
Mamelukes: A corps of elite cavalry soldiers, often of slave origin, employed by various powers, including the French in Spain.
Chiaroscuro: The use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition.