Reign of Terror September 5th 1793 – July 28th 1794

What was the Reign of Terror? This was an attempt to defend the French Revolution from internal enemies Meant to chase away foreign countries that were invading France These countries were afraid the ideas of the French Revolution would spread to their own countries

Jacobin & Girondin French church officials opposed the Revolution (had to take an oath to the state) The Jacobins took over the Committee on Public Safety in July, 1793 Friends of the Constitution A Jacobin leader is soon assassinated by a Girondin Rival faction within the National assembly that didn’t want to see the spiraling of the revolution into the Reign of Terror

Robespierre Maximilien Robespierre became the leader of the Committee of Public Safety Comm. is the French Executive Government On August 17th, the French government decides to install a universal draft to fight the war against Austria and Prussia On September 5th, the Terror begins to punish enemies within France

Robespierre

National Bath Tub On September 17th, the French government created the Law of Suspects This allows people to be easily accused of treason By the end of 1793, France is able to fight off Austria, Russia, Spain and England Noyades take place in Nantes public drowning's aimed against clergy

The End of the Reign of Terror Members of the National Convention feel that they will soon be persecuted They overthrow Robespierre and send him and his followers to the guillotine After this, the Thermidorian Reaction takes place, where some more are sent to the guillotine Revolt in the revolution against the excesses of the Reign of Terror After this, the Reign of Terror begins to fade

Guillotine About 15,000-40,000 perished due to the Guillotine Vendors would sell programs of those that would die The last public guillotining would take place in France in 1939 The last guillotining was in 1977, France abolished the death penalty in 1981 LINK