Reign Of Terror Justified Essay

Improved Essays
The Reign Of Terror, A little less than two years from when Louis XVI was beheaded in January 1793 through July 1794. Within that time period, over 20,000 were put to rest by the guillotine. Maximilien de Robespierre was perhaps the famous French Revolutionary. Educated as a lawyer, he believed in Rousseau’s teaching that the right to govern comes from the people. Robespierre also held the belief that all people should be able to vote. He dreamed of making France a constitutional republic rather than a monarchy. He was one of the creators of the Reign of Terror. The French Revolution or Reign of Terror must have been ended but it was not successful nor justified.

The first reason the Reign of Terror was not justified was they threatened them in the wrong ways. Also, there was a huge inside threat involving the Vendee. The Vendee region was the center of this revolt. In the spring of 1973, a counterrevolution against the Republican government broke out. The Counterrevolutionaries included some members of the aristocracy, priests, peasants, and townspeople. They were a mixed lot of French men and women who were disliked by revolutionary government. What this illustrates is, they used
…show more content…
They used guillotine which was regarded as a humane way to execute criminals and it became one of the powerful symbols of the French Revolution. Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antoinette, and even the key behind the Reign of Terror, Robespierre, all died by decapitation.To explain, It had sharp, angled blade, which dropped quickly on a guided track. Death was immediate. Historians estimate that about 20,000 people were guillotined publicly during The Reign of Terror. This example illustrates that this was right in the center of town for everyone to see which caused fear and was a quick message. As a result, people they find suspicious were killed without having a proof that they were

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Throughout his Reign of Terror, Robespierre ordered around 17,000 deaths, about half of those deaths held no trial. Robespierre was dedicated to get rid of any enemies within France to end the revolution once and for all. The Terror ended a few months later with the execution of Maximilien Robespierre and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, the first emperor of…

    • 857 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    How far should we go to be in peace and equilibrium with one another? Before the start of the French Revolution, the French had and unfair and unjust democracy. However, a group of powerful men took the idea of a more equal government too far. 1793 marks the beginning of the Reign of Terror, which includes the execution of outrageous numbers of innocent citizens and enemies. The question is: were these methods used to achieve a government full of liberty and equality justified?…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Reign of Terror was one of the most brutal events of the French Revolution, killing over 35,000 people, including two rulers. The Reign of Terror was an 18 month period where Maximillien Robespierre led the government to execute all who did not support the revolution. These enemies were located both inside and outside the country of France. Some documents support the Reign of Terror, but it can also be argued that it was unfair and unjustified. After reading several documents, I feel the government’s campaign to execute thousands of innocent citizens was not justified for multiple reasons.…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Dbq

    • 467 Words
    • 2 Pages

    After the execution of King Louis XVI, the national assembly appointed a 12 man Committee of Public Safety to run France. Maximilien Robespierre, a great orator dominated the committee and led the army to protect the nations borders. To defend from internal enemies, he enacted the Reign of Terror. During the year 1973-1974, anyone suspected of aiding the enemy was swiftly put on trial and sent to the guillotine. Terror became the order of the day, as Robespierre stated, “Softness to traitors will destroy us all.”…

    • 467 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In January 1793, King Louis was executed, but the war was still going bad for France. The period following Louis’ death was known as ‘The Terror’ in France. It spread all over the country. This was a cruel period when France was killing its people by hundreds in a frightening way of rage and decadence. The people were arrested and executed without trial if they were accused of being enemies of the revolution.…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror DBQ

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Is it right to persecute people because of their different beliefs? Before the Reign of Terror France revolutionaries hoped to create a government that would value people's rights and protect them from dictatorship. But sadly, violence was frequent during the revolution and individuals rights were ignored. During the year of 1793-1794 The Reign Of Terror began and about 20,000-40,000 French People were killed by the power the government holds. They were executed by guillotines , which were large falling blades that immediately eliminate an individual.…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Dbq

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Believing that the monarchy was tyrannical and that equality could not co-exist with the nobility, the peasant fought for democracy and food security (Hunt, 21). It is the execution of King Louis XVI on January 1793 that marked the beginning of the terror reign, but it was not until September when lawlessness was instituted.…

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Dbq

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages

    During the French Reign of Terror, a period of time September 5th, 1793, to July 27th, 1794, resulted in the executions of 16,594 people by guillotine and an estimated 25,000 people by summary executions, ("Reign of Terror | French History." Encyclopedia Britannica Online). The Reign of Terror occurred after the fall of the French Monarchy. Instituted by Maximilien Robespierre, tens of thousands of political enemies, royalists, and those who opposed the revolution were executed. After the fall of Louis XVI, France established the Committee of Public Safety.…

    • 892 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ali McCowin Mr. Picazo History, Per. 5 6 January 2016 Was the Reign of Terror Justified? The Reign of Terror was a significant time in the French Revolution impacting the nation and killing many individuals. The Reign of Terror lasted less than two years. During that time, the Revolution was in extreme debt, due to wars.…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Murdered for saying the wrong thing. In 1793 the Reign of Terror began. The French had a monarchy and the people were tired of it. The French people revolted against their government under the lead of Maximilien Robespierre. During the Reign of Terror over 16,000 people died from guillotine.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Time of Misery The Reign of Terror was a crucial time during the French Revolution that negatively affected the lives of many. This horrifying period during the French Revolution all began in the year 1792 when former King Louis XVI was executed for treason. The following year, Maximilien Robespierre took control of France through the Committee of Public Safety. From that point on, the country of France went into a time of mourning and brought great suffering among millions.…

    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As the Revolution gained more power, its leaders became more paranoid. In 1793, Maximilien Robespierre, who had assumed most of the power in France, declared that a reign of terror would begin. During this period of time, the French government’s first priority was keeping the Revolution safe from people who wanted…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    One comparable result of these revolutions were the execution programs that emerged from them. In France, a program called the Reign of Terror, led by Maximilen Robespierre, had started. The purpose of this program was to institute a policy of fear or terror in those who dared to counter revolt. Although this began as a period of trials against those who seemed to oppose the revolution, it quickly altered into morbid confrontations where those accused were not allowed to defend themselves. Many were killed through the use of guillotine, an execution method of beheading.…

    • 1530 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This part in the French Revolution will eventually end with the person who started it, Maximilien Robespierre. Although the Reign of Terror had brutal violence, it was justified because of the resistance of the revolution in France, the foreign threats and to protect the public safety inside of France. The Reign of Terror was needed to because of the heavy revolution resistance in France. A map shows the areas of deepest resistance to the revolution in multiple cities in France. The map illustrates that many cities in…

    • 731 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though Robespierre killed thousands of people, he believed he did it for the sake of the people to form a new government. As he stated, “Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible; it is therefore an emanation of virtue; it is not so much a special principle as it is a consequence of the general principle of democracy applied to our country 's most urgent needs” (Terror and Virtue Letter). The Reign of Terror ended when the citizens put Robespierre on trial and executed him in 1794. Even with many deaths, fears, and changes…

    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays