Reign Of Terror DBQ

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. The Reign Of Terror is not justified because of three major reasons: threats did not require the Reign of Terror, the methods were too extreme, and the Reign of Terror did not support the ideals …show more content…
These supreme methods that the government used included the Guillotine which is a blade that eliminated an individual immediately , whether or not it's painful we do not know. However, the guillotine did become one of the powerful symbol of the French Revolution. Maximilien Robespierre whom is the leader of the Reign Of Terror , had no doubt on how people were killed but instead declares “Terror the order of the day “ which is the beginning of the ROT . (Document B) Many people died especially people who were suspected of a crime, historians estimate that 16,000 people were guillotined. (Document F) But the question is how did they know to suspect an individual without proof and evidence? The tribunal was established to try all crimes against the state and no one was safe from suspicion. A careless word of criticism spoken against the government could put one in prison or worse. (Document E) This demonstrates how they decided on the 16,000 people to kill and it is a very insufficient way of doing so, which gives even more reason on why the ROT and their methods were not