Essay on Use of Terror in the French Revolution - 1108 Words

In the late 18th century of France, the third estate made up of the lower class of France had been oppressed and overtaxed, and received very little representation at the Estates General. The commoners of France wanted change and equality throughout France so they separated from the Estates General and formed their own government to govern France. A few years later in 1792, Maximilian Robespierre, the radical leader of the Jacobin party and the Committee of Public Safety, took control of France and executed king Louis XVI. Robespierre had a vision of a new France where everyone was equal. In order to reach his goal of completely reconstructing France, Robespierre unleashed a campaign of terror. Terror was used to enforce his†¦show more content†¦In the Estates General, the clergy and the nobility each had there own estate and the rest of the population, 98% of France, shared one vote. Because the Clergy and the Nobility both voted to tax the third estate more at the E states General, supporting the old government and igniting the revolution, Robespierre’s reign of terror was targeted mostly at the first two Estates. During the reign of terror, Robespierre executed any people suspected of supporting the monarchy or the old form of government. Robespierre and the committee of public safety executed approximately 13,880 French citizens, 5530 or 40% of these citizens came from the nobility, clergy, and middle class, three groups who made up only 6% of the total population. Also, more terror and executions occurred in locations of high internal disturbances. Robespierre’s reign of terror targeted mainly the nobility and the clergy, and responded to riots, or any other internal disturbances that threatened his power. Robespierre began to use his more terror not only as a way to enforce the revolutionary ideas, but as a way to secure his own power by suppressing internal disturbances in france. Because of his extreme use of terror, Maximillian Robespierre and his Committee of Public Safety were removed from power. Robespierre used his the reign of terror as a wayShow MoreRelatedRevolution: the Cost of Frances Liberty863 Words   |  4 Pagesthe French Revolution of 1789. This period is often characterized as needlessly violent, as gruesome events such as the Reign of Terror took place, in addition to many executions and riots. Despite the excessive bloodshed that dominated the era, the French Revolution’s violence was not in vain, for the legacy of the revolution has ignited scores of independence movements in its wake and inspired new ideologies that continue to shape the modern world. To resolve the chaos that the revolution provokedRead MoreTerror Dominates Our Perceptions Of The French Revolution1132 Words   |  5 PagesTerror dominates our perceptions of the french Revolution. Terror was a brief but deadly period where Robespierre, the Committee of Public Safety and the Revolutionary Tribunals, condemned thousands of people to die on the guillotine. The Reign of Terror was not driven by one man, one body,or one policy; It was shape by different forces and factors. The Reign of Terror was certainly the most violent period of the French Revolution. Between the years of 1793 and 1794 more than 50,000 people wereRead MoreThe Downfall Of The French Social Structure And Civilisation1636 Words   |  7 PagesEighteenth century Europe, the French monarchy maintains a long and historic past, but with the introduction of a naive King, the downfall of the French social structure and civilisation is certain. 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The French Revolution started at 1789Read More Maximillien Robespierre Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesMaximillien Robespierre   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maximillien Robespierre is commonly viewed as the symbol of the Reign of Terror, the short period in which thousands of people were executed because they were thought to be traitors. However, Maximillien was actually an idealistic reformer with an image of peace and equality driving him on, who is unfairly credited with the Terror, and assumed to be a power-hungry tyrant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maximillien was able to attend a prominent educational institution. He became an intelligentRead MoreA Concise History Of The French Revolution860 Words   |  4 Pagesreview, I have read and evaluated Sylvia Neely’s history book entitled A Concise History of the French Revolution published in 2007 by Rowman Littlefield Publishers. 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The theme of fear allowed the CPS members to change the monarchy to a revolutionary government in hopes of eventually enactingRead MoreThe French Revolution First Popularized The Words Terrorist And Terrorism 1506 Words   |  7 Pages Whereas the French Revolution first popularized the words ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorism’, its contemporary understanding differs from its revolutionary meaning in 1794. The serious economic difficulties, the threat of foreign invasions and the social structure of the French government are some of the causes that led to the fall of the monarchy in August 1792. Left without a constitution for almost three years and at the hands of a revolutionary government, the reign of terror suggests an example toRead MoreLife of Maxamillian Robespierre979 Words   |  4 Pagesand fall as the leader of the French Revolution. Known as â€Å"The Incorruptible†, or alternately â€Å"Dictateur Sanguinaire† Robespierre is a monumental figure of the French Revolution, but which was he? Was he the incorruptible revolutionist fighting to overthrow the Ancien Regime or a raging radical that implemented his own absolute tendencies under the cover of the revolution? When dissecting the dichotomy of Robespierre’s life and actions during the French Revolution and comparing it to the sevenRead MoreThe Mentality of the French Revolution1496 Words   |  6 PagesTerrorism is often associated nowadays with radical extremist groups, who use terror as their only method of power to attain their goals from others. The first time â€Å"terror† was actually used however was during the French revolution. The reign of terror was seen in the aftermath of the execution of the King. It was a product of the mentality of the revolution. With everyday that passed, the uncertainty amongst the people grew, and actions became more and more drastic. With the King no longer in the