The Reign Of Terror DBQ

Superior Essays
Show More
The French Revolution is an important part of our history that will never be forgotten, there were many controversial events that took place in this historical timeline. The French Revolution was an attempt by the French to demolish Britain control and is also seen as a second Glorious Revolution by the Americans. There was extreme unnecessary violence that occurred during 1793 and 1794 that affected roughly 20,000 to 40,000 people that were killed by the guillotine during The Reign of Terror, including King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette(King 's Wife), and even Robespierre. The government used extreme ways to achieve its ends, in which many ways were wrong and cruel. In fact, The Reign of Terror was not justified because: The methods of the disaster were too extreme, the peasants and lower class citizens were not treated as well as the clergy, and it took away the citizens freedom.

The first reason why The Reign of Terror was not justified was because of the barbaric

methods of killing innocent people was to the extreme and should not have went that far. "There is information that was provided about the actions that were taken or what was currently going on in that area of France; Such as the amount of casualties from both sides during Vendée- 80,00 and 500,000 people on both sides ,the revolutionaries destroyed 1600 homes and chopped off 12 heads in five minutes”, (Doc C). This is important because so many people died that did not deserve it, and for really unnecessary reasons that make no sense. Robespierre would literally chop off your head if you went against him. Robespierre was the mastermind of The Reign of Terror and the most powerful man in France. He took the heart of the Revolution, …show more content…
For example, “Robespierre wants to have a democratic society where the people can vote and have a say, but he is willing to kill anyone who stands in his way,“(Doc

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Dbq Analysis
    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Reign Of Terror Dbq Analysis

    In Document F it shows a picture of what it would look like if a person is being guillotined in a town. That person would be publically humiliated for what he has done or what he is accused of doing and then he would be killed. The only thing this can accomplish in a town is that the people would be living in fear since they don’t want to be falsely accused and that they would be living in a fake peace. There is no justification in these types of actions because they would only lead to fear and conflict. In Document G it says “We must smother the internal and external enemies of the Republic or perish.” This is basically saying that everyone that is in the Republic must die or that France and its revolution will perish. To think of killing all your enemies is pretty extreme since you are not able to find a solution through peaceful ideas. There are many other things you can do if someone is a threat to you, such as making an agreement instead of killing thousands of people. The actions and ideas that came up during the Reign of Terror were too extreme and not…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Was The Reign Of Terror Justified Essay
    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Was The Reign Of Terror Justified Essay

    September 1792 marks a turning point in history. A time of divided people, a time of beheading, and a time of terror. The Reign of Terror began with to imprisonment of Louis XVI in September of 1792. A new type of government was put in place, republic, causing the division of people. Some were counterrevolutionaires, against the new government, some were pro-revolution, for the new government. The two sides did not get along so the government turned to Terror. With the new invention of the Guillotine, and the power of Robespierre, the man behind the Reign of Terror, this time became brutal and violent. Although the counterrevolutionaries were becoming slightly out of control, the Reign of Terror was not justified because it violated the inalienable rights of citizens, the methods of execution were too extreme, and France was already stronger than all of its internal and external threats.…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    The Reign Of Terror: Was It Justified?
    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Reign Of Terror: Was It Justified?

    The French Revolution was an important movement in world history. It marked the first time that the lowest class in a country had overthrown the highest class. In France, the Third Estate had decided that they had had enough of unfair taxes and inequality, and so they wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Man and forced the king at the time, Louis XVI, to share power with the National Assembly. As the Revolution gained more power, its leaders became more paranoid. In 1793, Maximilien Robespierre, who had assumed most of the power in France, declared that a reign of terror would begin. During this period of time, the French government’s first priority was keeping the Revolution safe from people who wanted…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Was The French Revolution Worth Its Human Cost?
    • 1645 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Was The French Revolution Worth Its Human Cost?

    As Charles Dickens once said, “Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!” The French Revolution has been seen as a war that caused death, pain, and prosperity. Many primary documents, like Simon Schama Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution, have mentioned that the amount of human lives lost during the French Revolution was unnecessary. The amount of deaths in the revolution explains the outcome of how much violence took place. Was the French Revolution worth its human costs? The loss of so many lives in the French Revolution was not worth it. The deaths were of many people who were innocent, as they were not involved in the revolution. France became obsessed with violence, as this became their main focus. Concluding the revolution, the deaths did not benefit the outcome of France.…

    • 1645 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Justified Dbq Analysis
    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Reign Of Terror Justified Dbq Analysis

    One of these methods is expressed in Document D. In this Document the conflict is that there is crowd gathering outside, and more counter revolutionary activity has been proven. While all of this is going on there are Prussians invading in the north. The source is a letter from Vendee, from a local government official asking for more help. The method put in place was the draft. The draft was easily put in place because local governments were now given the final say. They are limiting the peasants rights, and giving them no right to appeal. By limiting their rights, they are able to control the mobs rioting outside. In order to limit their rights however, they need suspicion of counterrevolutionary activities. They further limit these rights in Document E, by taking away the idea of suspicion. They denied lawyers, and were basically allowed to kill people just to kill them. They used the guillotine to carry out the execution. The guillotine itself was an enlightened killing method, able to kill everyone in the same way. By using this machine, they killed 35,000 - 40,000 people they may or may not be suspected of being traitors. Of these 35,000 - 40,000 people, one of them was King Louis XIV. King Louis death is explored in Document F. In this Document 2 methods are used. They kill the king by using the Guillotine. Once he was killed two things happened: cries of joy and laugher filled the street, and a republican government was put in place. King louis death was planned, because in order to start the republic, the monarchy needed to end. The methods in this Document are both replacement and death. The methods above were used in order to defeat outside threats and replace the government in order to get France on the track to stable living. From these methods, can ideals constructed by the…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror DBQ
    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Reign Of Terror DBQ

    It was not justified because there is absolutely no reason to kill 20,000-40,000 with the guillotine. He killed a thousand people and took away their rights. This was Robespierre’s way of trying to make peace. “Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible,” said Maximilien Robespierre. This quote explains how terror would…

    • 469 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    An Analysis Of Maximilien Robespierre's Reign Of Terror
    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages

    An Analysis Of Maximilien Robespierre's Reign Of Terror

    Robespierre regarded himself as the General Will of France and believed that it was necessary to do anything to defend the Revolution and keep France “free” but he was wrong. The guillotine was not necessary nor justified to bring about the freedom of the republic. Robespierre was heavily influenced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 's social contract theory which in its simplest state is the belief that the legitimacy of the state is created by the will or consent of its people who are the source of all political power. Robespierre did not follow through with these beliefs within his practice and grew to become a callus and overzealous leader that convicted even the innocent in the name of what he believed to be justice. A just leader cannot convict without proof that those convicted were guilty in the first place. While the overall outcome of the revolution was good and helped to abolish the strict monarchical government of France, the Reign of Terror in and of itself was not necessary to achieve these…

    • 1059 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Justified DBQ
    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Reign Of Terror Justified DBQ

    During the French revolution an estimated 40,000 people were gruesomely beheaded. Most of these deaths occurred during a time called the Reign of Terror. At the time, mostly due to economic troubles and income inequality, there was chaos and a call for the end of the monarchy whose corruption knew no bounds. Despite the apparent need for the revolution, there is no reason that such a horrid event like the Reign of Terror was justified. The Reign of Terror was not justified because it caused more foreign hostility, it involved an abysmal manner of determining who was executed or not and it caused damage within the country itself.…

    • 622 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror DBQ
    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Reign Of Terror DBQ

    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…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Explain The Contributing Factors Behind Robespierre's Ideological Leanings
    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Explain The Contributing Factors Behind Robespierre's Ideological Leanings

    The Terror was not simply the moment at which the French government unleashed its violence against its own people. The Terror, as it was seen during the Revolution itself, was rather a way by which one chose to think; it was, in essence, a rejection of monarchy and a willingness to proclaim full separation from the former rulers of the nation. This notion was perceived as an effort to intimidate the upper classes to enforce a new ideological era, not simply to employ physical violence against suspicious individuals. When Robespierre famously proclaimed that virtue and terror needed to be combined during the French Revolution, his message was not intended to be a justification of outright cruelty, but instead a compelling commentary on precisely how intimidation needed be used to threaten the royalist ideology. Indeed, while this was the valid historical use of the term, many abused its connotations and took it upon themselves to officiate a barbarous corporeal war against the French Republic’s supposed…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    History Of The Reign Of Terror DBQ
    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages

    History Of The Reign Of Terror DBQ

    Murdered for saying the wrong thing. In 1793 the Reign of Terror began. The French had a monarchy and the people were tired of it. The French people revolted against their government under the lead of Maximilien Robespierre. During the Reign of Terror over 16,000 people died from guillotine. The Reign of Terror was not justified because it was unnecessary, it was brutal, and the people had their basic rights denied.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Was The Reign Of Terror Justified?
    • 731 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Was The Reign Of Terror Justified?

    Robespierre spoke on February 5, 1794 to inspire the crowds of the revolution to eliminate the internal threats, which included spies and anyone who spoke of counter revolutionary thoughts. Robespierre expressed the idea that royalists were not enemies, but simply strangers that needed to be stopped for the safety of everyone. He also speaks of the peaceful times that will come after this happens and after the revolution is over (Doc G). The translation of Robespierre’s speech waters down to by eliminating the spies and royalists, the public would be safer and all threats against the revolution would be abolished inside of France. Unfortunately, Robespierre was too driven by power and fear, he was executed for using his power the wrong way. This proves that the Reign of Terror was a good way to end internal threats inside of…

    • 731 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Justified Essay
    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Reign Of Terror Justified Essay

    As stated in article A, the "Declaration of the Rights of Man" was made for "the preservation of the natural ... rights of man. These are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression." While this seems logical, The Reign of Terror took these rights away from every citizen of France. Every citizen was subjected to having these rights, and taking them away is absurd. In fact, many were executed for rejecting Maximilian’s ideals. Further, it is written in Article E that, “On April 6, 1793, [the revolutionary government established] the Committee of Public Safety…. The purpose was to “protect the public safety” from enemies both inside and outside of France. The Committee soon employed a shadowy network of informers and spies to achieve these ends.” In fact, anyone who spoke negatively about the government was executed. This lead to the deaths of up to about 40,000 people, provoked by “ruthless commissions.” As a matter of fact, the guillotine was an inhumane device used by the government that took the lives of thousands of people considered guilty. Article F reads, “The guillotine was regarded as a humane way to execute criminals. It had a sharp, angled blade, which dropped quickly on a guided track.” Although the government considered it humane, a public execution involving a disturbing view of a head being sliced off is not humane. The…

    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Importance Of Suspects Of The French Revolution
    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Importance Of Suspects Of The French Revolution

    The Terror is simply an event that was a subset of the Revolution, but emotionally and mentally it was the same as the French Revolution. Religion, a violence first mindset, and political clubs all had their fair share in escalating the French Revolution and making the whole time period a miserable one full of paranoia. Looking back the French Revolution should still be celebrated. Perhaps there could have been a more diplomatic method through which the Revolution could have played out, but it is useless to ponder it. The French chose to focus on ideology, social tensions, and political circumstances. In the end these were all major players in the descent into Terror. As a result, the common people of France are also as accountable for the Terror as the radical political clubs, and individuals such as Robespierre, because they were all connected to each other and could have served as a check for the other groups. The Terror is simply the result of the French people being so shocked by their own power which arose during the French Revolution and not taking a step back to think practically, instead of…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Reign Of Terror Research Paper
    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Reign Of Terror Research Paper

    There have been numerous quintessential examples of wicked downfalls throughout the world. A famous example would be when Moses led the people out of slavery in Egypt and because of that it caused the emperor to go mad and because of his madness, that is what killed him and his empire. But the French Revolution is one of the most devastating attacks against the Roman Catholic Church. It cost the lives of some many great people at the time. “God writes straight with crooked lines” is a perfect quote that exemplifies the Reign of Terror. What this quote means is that we all make mistakes in life and when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, he sought to repair things by sending Jesus to die on the Cross so that we can all be saved from the fiery gates of Hades.…

    • 979 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2023 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings