Surprise DBQ about the Terror

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the Terror as an instrument of the French Revolution.

The French Revolution was a revolution that happened based on the French monarchy ignoring its people. This revolution was a major movement towards the government France knows today. France was a country filled with people who wanted a free nation, and they made it happen. However, some parts of the revolution did not go as hoped. During the French Revolution, the time known as the Terror was advantageous because it brought the French people together by fighting against a common enemy, Robespierre; but it was also disadvantageous for the revolution as a whole because it suppressed the rights of the people and made citizens want a monarchy back in power. 


The Terror was a dark time in French history. The guillotine was used as a weapon to slaughter the masses. According to document 2, around 13,000 people died during the Terror. These numbers show that people had a reason to ban together and stop the Terror from continuing. The enemy they wanted to stop: Robespierre. Robespierre stated in a speech to the National Convention that, "Its force to repress must be
commensurate with the audacity or treachery of those who conspire against it…." (doc. 7). He was saying that people that went against him deserved to be punished. He suppressed the rights of the people so that a person was either with him or against him; there was no middle ground. The people finally joined together to stand against him. In 1794, a report to the government on public opinion said, "It is a fact that there is no section in Paris which is not dissatisfied with its revolutionary committee or does not seriously desire to have
them abolished," (doc. 13). The reports discusses how the people were not satisfied with the National Committee and that they were ready to take measures against them. This terrible part of the French Revolution brought the people of the country back together.

The French Revolution was highly effected by the Terror. People's rights were suppressed by Robespierre and his followers so much that people were considering having a monarchy again. Louis Antoine de Saint-Jus said in a speech, "Yet the greatest of our misfortunes was a certain fear of the concentration of authority
necessary to save the state," (doc. 11). De Saint-Jus addressed the fact that people were so scared that another citizen might rise up and take power like Robespierre did that they were ready to invite the monarchy back to France. In his speech, Jus tried to convince theses citizens not to backtrack in the revolution. During the Terror, people were disgusted with all the innocent lives being taken. However, citixens could not say anything because then they would be executed. Another public opinion piece states, “Bitter complaints already expressed numberless times, were repeated today of the arrest and imprisonment of citizens who are good patriots and are victims of ambition, cupidity, jealousy, and, in short, every human passion," (doc. 10).
The citizens of France knew their rights were being taken away, but they could not do anything to stop it. William Pitt, a British Prime Minister, summed up how the French people were feeling when he said, "They are compelled into the field by the terror of the guillotine," (doc. 8). This quote shows how even leaders of other countries knew  that unlawful acts were happening in France during the Terror.

The disadvantages of the Terror outweigh the advantages of the Terror on the French Revolution. Too many people were suppressed, too many people were killed, and too many backtracking thoughts came out of the Terror for it to be more advantageous than disadvantageous. According to document 3, incidents leading to executions during the Terror were  mostly of people who were trying to get their rights back. Robespierre and his followers killed anyone who stood against them. A journalist and former ally of Robespierre even turned against him. He said, "Do you believe that these women, these old men, these weaklings, those egoists,
these stragglers of the Revolution, whom you imprison, are really dangerous? Of your enemies there
remain among you only the cowardly and the sick. The strong and the brave have emigrated. They have
perished at Lyon or in the Vendée; the remainder (consisting of some renters and shopkeepers] do not
merit your wrath," (doc. 6). This writer was showing the ridiculous things Robespierre was doing to prevent his enemy from succeeding. But Robespierre's enemy was the people, so he was really fighting an uphill battle.
Document 1 shows that executions were done in major cities. This proves that Robespierre wanted everyone to see the damage he was doing, and be afraid. A good leader would not instill that much fear in his people.

The Terror can be concluded to have advantages and disadvantages in the overall scheme of the French Revolution. However, those advantages are outweighed by the disadvantages. The Terror resulted in even more death, debt, and bad thoughts than it had started with. People were discouraged after the Terror and it is surprising that the revolution was able to continue. The Terror can be seen as an instrument of torture in the French Revolution.