Explain reign of terror. What changes were bought by Robespierre’s government.
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Answer:
The Reign of Terror or simply The Terror was a period of about 11 months during the French Revolution. During this time, French people who did not support the revolution were executed at the guillotine. The Reign of Terror was started on 5 September, 1793. Robespierre was one of the last to be guillotined.
Robespierre tried his best to bring equality among French people by all means. The salient features of his government are given below :
(i) Robespierre's government issued laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed.
(ii) Peasants were forced to transport their grain to the cities and sell it at prices fixed by the government.
(iii) The use of more expensive white flour was forbidden. All citizens were required to eat the pain d'egalite (equality bread), a loaf made of whole wheat.
(iv) Equality was also sought to be practised through forms of speech and address.
(v) Instead of the traditional Monsieur (sir) and Madame (Madam) all French men and women were henceforth Citoyen and Citoyenne (citizen).
(vi) Churches were shut down and their buildings converted into barracks or offices.
The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the Reign of
Terror. Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and
punishment. All those whom he saw as being enemies of the
republic ex-nobles and clergy, members of other political
parties, even members of his own party who did not agree with
his methods were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a
revolutionary tribunal. If the court found them ëguiltyí they
were guillotined.Robespierreís government issued laws placing a maximum ceiling
on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed. Peasants
were forced to transport their grain to the cities and sell it at
prices fixed by the government. The use of more expensive white
flour was forbidden; all citizens were required to eat the pain
díÈgalitÈ (equality bread), a loaf made of wholewheat. Equality
was also sought to be practised through forms of speech and
address. Instead of the traditional Monsieur (Sir) and Madame
(Madam) all French men and women were henceforth Citoyen
and Citoyenne (Citizen). Churches were shut down and their
buildings converted into barracks or offices.