<aside> <img src="/icons/flash_gray.svg" alt="/icons/flash_gray.svg" width="40px" /> In this lesson, you will…

1. Explain the fear and paranoia that led to the Reign of Terror
2. Describe the tyrannical rule of the Committee of Public Safety
3. Describe the coup that brought Napoleon to power.

Big Question: How did fear and paranoia lead to the public executions of the Reign of Terror?

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Part 1: The Reign of Terror

With the National Assembly, revolutionaries were hopeful that France’s transition to republicanism would prevail.

Poor harvest and mismanagement in 1789 left many peasants in Paris starving.

<aside> <img src="/icons/bookmark-outline_gray.svg" alt="/icons/bookmark-outline_gray.svg" width="40px" /> A wave fear and paranoia of an aristocratic conspiracy brewed among the public. Queen Marie Antoinette allegedly said “Let them eat cake” when told the peasantry don’t have enough bread.

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A group of thousands of women marched to the King’s palace at Versailles

They forced the king to sign the decrees and dragged the king, his wife, and his son back to Paris to live as prisoners.

The King appeared to work with the assembly for a time – leading to a period called the People’s Monarchy.

Part 1a: Long Live the King?

In 1791, King Louis XVI and the royal family attempted to escape from Paris. They were caught and returned to prison in Paris.

Counter-revolutionaries and royal loyalists sabotaged the new government and assassinated leaders.

The King and Queen were put on trial by the National Convention.

Marie Antoinette was also executed by guillotine in October 1793. Louis XVI was convicted and executed by guillotine in Paris on January 21, 1793.

Part 1: The Reign of Terror

Soon after the monarchy was overthrown and France became a Republic and under the new Constitution, every male citizen could vote and representatives would meet in an assembly known as the Convention.

However, internal and external threats haunted the young republic:

• Rebellions against the new government broke out throughout the countryside
• Seen as a threat by other European rulers, other countries drew plans to invade France

To try and keep order, the National Convention gave powers to a special group of 12 known as the Committee of Public Safety

For approximately one year, the Committee of Public Safety took control of the government and sought to protect France from threats from within.

Led by Maximilien Robespierre, the Committee led to a period that came to be known as the “Reign of Terror”

How the Reign of Terror worked.

1. Suspected of Treason
   1. The Committee of Surveillance ordered the arrests of anyone suspected of treason.