The Reign of Terror
Do Now:
Predict what will next in the French
Revolution
The Reign of Terror
I. Monarchy Abolished
A. The French Republic - National
Convention
1. Suffrage to all male citizens
2. Voted to abolish monarchy
3. Declared France a republic
I. Monarchy Abolished
B. Death of the King and Queen
1. Louis XVI put on trial as a traitor
2. January 21, 1793 - King is beheaded
II. The Convention
Defends the Republic
A. Problems:
1. Country at war at all sides with Europe
2. Vendee Region - priest led peasant rebellion
against the government
3. Sans-Culottes demanded relief from food
shortages and inflation
Sans-culottes
Sans-culottes depicted by a British Cartoonist
The Republic Defended
• Committees were set up
to organize the wartime
effort
• Committee of Public
Safety – created to carry
out the duties of
government
– Main task was to save
the revolution at home
and abroad
– They would later have
totalitarian powers
Georges
Danton
II. The Convention
Defends the Republic
B. Committee of Public Safety
1. 12 member committee almost had
absolute power
2. Prepared France for all out war
between rebels in the country and Europe
Marie Antoinette of to trial.
II. The Convention
Defends the Republic
C. Robespierre
1. Leader of the Committee of Public Safety
2. “The Incorruptible”
3. “Terror is only justice prompt, severe
and inflexible”
4. “Liberty cannot be secured unless criminals
lose their heads.”
Maximilien Robespierre
New Name
Meaning
Time Period
Vendemaire
Vintage
September 22 – October 21
Brumaire
Fog
October 22 – November 20
Frimaire
Frost
November 21 – December 20
Nivose
Snow
December 21 – January 19
Pluviose
Rain
January 20 – February 18
Ventose
Wind
February 19 – March 20
Germinal
Budding
March 21 – April 19
Floreal
Flowers
April 20 – May 19
Prairial
Meadow
May 20 – June 18
Messidor
Harvest
June 19 – July 18
Thermidor
Heat
July 19 – August 17
Fructidor
Fruit
August 18 – September 21
Festival of the Supreme Being
II. The Convention Defends the Republic
D. The Reign of Terror
1. 40,000 people were
killed
2. Guillotine became a
symbol of horror
3. Reign of Terror
consumed its own - July
1794 Robespierre was
arrested and executed
III. Reaction and the
Directory
A. The Directory
1. Moderates gain control
2. Constitution of 1795
a. set up a 5 man Directory and a
2 house legislature
b. held power from 1795-1799
III. Reaction and the
Directory
B. Problems with the Directory
1. Dictatorial
2. War with Austria and Great
Britain
3. Corruption
4. Renewed revival of royalist
feelings
The Arrest of Robespierre
The Fall of Robespierre
• Replaced the worship of “Reason” with the “Cult
of the Supreme Being”
• Based on Rousseau’s vision of morality and civic
religion
• When more suspicions were proclaimed by
Robespierre the Convention began to shout back
• July 17 – 9th of Thermidor – Robespierre was
arrested – and executed
End of the Terror
• Winter of 1794 Robespierre began to attack the
enrages – extreme Sans-culottes
• Robespierre also turned against other republicans
in the Convention – Jacques Danton
• Robespierre accused these men of profiting from
the revolution and disloyalty to moral virtue
• All threatened his position
• Law of 22 Prairial – tribunal can convict subjects
without substantial evidence
IV. Results of the Revolution
A. Social Reform
1. Abolished slavery
2. Religious toleration
3. Social systems that helped veterans, poor,
and widows
B. Nationalism
1. Pride in one’s country
2. La Marseillaise - national anthem