The Terror
History: KS3, topic 13.1.6
The Terror
After the Storming of the Bastille, measures were taken to make French society more equal and representative. But the political changes caused chaos in France and led to violence and terror.
Counter-revolutionaries
- There were some people in France who thought that the revolution had gone too far and was spiralling out of control.
- These people were counter-revolutionaries, meaning they opposed the revolution.
The Law of Suspects
- A committee was set up to crush these counter-revolutionaries.
- It was called the Committee of Public Safety and was led by a man called Maximilien Robespierre.
- This committee passed the Law of Suspects, which granted the government the right to execute counter-revolutionaries or anyone who threatened the revolution.
‘The Terror’
- This was the beginning of a period known as ‘The Terror’ led by extreme revolutionaries, known as Jacobins.
- They were led by Robespierre and executed people they suspected of being counter-revolutionary using a device called the guillotine (this was used to behead people).
Robespierre's execution
- 40,000 suspected counter-revolutionaries are estimated to have been killed in this way during The Terror.
- France was in chaos, but the worst of this chaos came to an end on 27th July 1794 AD when Robespierre was himself executed by guillotine.
Test yourself on The Terror
When was Robespierre executed by guillotine?