The Reign of Terror What? The use of mass violence between 1793-94 to eliminate “enemies” of the revolutionary government

“It is dreadful but necessary” Why? “It is dreadful but necessary” Maxilien Robespierre To keep country safe and keep the revolution alive!

Spring 1793: Committee of Public Safety Created How does it happen? Spring 1793: Committee of Public Safety Created Why? France at war with anti-revolution powers (Austria and Prussia) Need to keep country “safe”

Spring-summer 1793: Jean Paul Marat stokes radical fire How does it happen? Spring-summer 1793: Jean Paul Marat stokes radical fire Radical in National Convention Publishes radical propaganda via his newspaper, L'Ami du Peuple (Friend of the People) Calls for punishment of “enemies”

July 1793: Marat Assassinated How does it happen? July 1793: Marat Assassinated By moderate revolutionary Charlotte Corday Marat becomes radical martyr Death used to justify greater crackdown by CPS “Death of Marat” by Jacques Louis David

Sept. 1793: CPS Passes Law of Suspects How does it happen? Sept. 1793: CPS Passes Law of Suspects Identifies who is an “enemy” Identified anyone as an “enemy” who: “by their conduct, associations, comments, or writings have shown themselves partisans of tyranny or federalism and enemies of liberty” “are former nobles, together with husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, and agents of the émigrés, who have not constantly demonstrated their devotion to the Revolution” Problems??

June 1794: CPS Passes Law of Prairial How does it happen? June 1794: CPS Passes Law of Prairial Expands who is considered an “enemy” Enemies = those who are: “slandering patriotism” “seeking to inspire discouragement” “spreading false news” “depraving morals, corrupting the public conscience and impairing the purity and energy of the revolutionary government” Trials: limited to max. of 3 days allowed only 2 possible verdicts: acquittal or death no defense witnesses or defense counsel allowed

Some “enemies” include Prominent Revolutionaries:Georges Danton "Don't forget to show my head to the people. It's well worth seeing." 

Charlotte Corday

Olympe de Gouges

Enlightenment Thinkers: Condorcet

Royalists: Guillaume Malesherbes Louis XVI’s defense attorney

Results @300,000 arrested @15,000-50,000 executed working classes (peasants, urban poor, etc) = majority killed former 1st and 2nd estate = small % of those killed

Is this “liberty, equality, and fraternity?

Is this