of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a dark period in French history, lasting from 1793 to 1794. During this period, thousands of people were arrested and executed under the directive of the revolutionary government of France, known as the National Convention, with the intention of preventing counter-revolutionaries from taking power. The new government was a direct result of the French Revolution, which sought to overthrow the monarchy and create a new form of government based on the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Robespierre was one of the key figures in the new revolutionary government, and it was during his leadership that the Reign of Terror began. To quell any attempts at instability, Robespierre initiated mass arrests and executions of anyone suspected of being enemies of the revolution, regardless of social class or political alignment. Mass terror was used to maintain a sense of terror in the population, and those suspected of opposing the new government were arrested and put on trial with little to no evidence of guilt. The National Convention created a special tribunal, known as the Committee of Public Safety, to oversee and direct the “revolutionary justice” that was being administered. Executions were carried out by guillotine in public places as a means of inflicting terror and imposing order. The Reign of Terror came to an end in 1794 when Robespierre was arrested and executed. Although the terror had stopped, the legacy of the Reign of Terror lives on as an example of the ability of a government to use terror as a means of control and to stop citizens from opposing them.
The Reign of Terror was a dark period in French history, lasting from 1793 to 1794. During this period, thousands of people were arrested and executed under the directive of the revolutionary government of France, known as the National Convention, with the intention of preventing counter-revolutionaries from taking power. The new government was a direct result of the French Revolution, which sought to overthrow the monarchy and create a new form of government based on the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Robespierre was one of the key figures in the new revolutionary government, and it was during his leadership that the Reign of Terror began. To quell any attempts at instability, Robespierre initiated mass arrests and executions of anyone suspected of being enemies of the revolution, regardless of social class or political alignment. Mass terror was used to maintain a sense of terror in the population, and those suspected of opposing the new government were arrested and put on trial with little to no evidence of guilt. The National Convention created a special tribunal, known as the Committee of Public Safety, to oversee and direct the “revolutionary justice” that was being administered. Executions were carried out by guillotine in public places as a means of inflicting terror and imposing order. The Reign of Terror came to an end in 1794 when Robespierre was arrested and executed. Although the terror had stopped, the legacy of the Reign of Terror lives on as an example of the ability of a government to use terror as a means of control and to stop citizens from opposing them.
