Reign Of Terror Dbq Essay

The Reign of Terror In 1789, the French people began to stand up to their current monarchical government in order to obtain rights and laws that they felt they deserved. The Reign of Terror followed after the Revolution and seemed to stand for the complete opposite of what the people had previously stood up for. The Reign of Terror began in 1793 and ended in 1794 due to the decapitation of Maximilien Robespierre. The Reign of Terror can be explained as a time period in France when many counter revolutionaries were killed because of their traditional beliefs. Counter revolutionaries believed in preserving the ways of the monarchy, but since the majority of people thought otherwise, these opposing beliefs led to death. The French government

A new set of laws were composed, they were known as The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens (Document A). The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens was created in order to get rid of “...the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man...” (Document A). The French believed that these new laws would abolish “...calamities and the corruption of the government..” and “...[preserve] liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression…”(Document A). In 1793, the French government went against Articles 2 and 9 which are summarized to say that men were granted security and that men could not be legally harmed unless evidence was provided (Document A). People who were suspected of disagreeing with the government’s newfound ideas were arrested or even killed, with or without evidence provided (Document E). Another article of The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizens that was ignored was Article 1. Despite Article 1 saying “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights”, the people weren’t allowed to elect certain types of government officials such as Tribunal members, who were instead selected by the government (Document E). Not only did the government go against their ideals, but they also used inconceivably horrible repercussions against their enemies, outside of France and even

If someone disagreed with the government, he/she would usually be killed whether he/she were a citizen or not. According to document D, about forty Frenchmen were killed for standing up for what they thought was right in the department of Vendée, France. The Frenchmen were revolting about many reasons, the main were being drafted into the war and not being able to practice Christianity, as a result 80,000 people were killed (Document C). Having guards shoot counter revolutionaries weren’t the only unjust ways people were dying left and right during the Reign of Terror, other methods arose that today are seen as