What happened during the Terror? Episode 367

The Terror (1793-1794) is a confusing part of the French Revolution. What happened? What started it? Why? Historian Suzanne Levin explains and gives us the context we need to understand these events. There is a tendency to talk about the Terror as if it was happening in a vacuum, but it was far from that. It's a little bit complicated, but it makes sense once you learn about it. To see the transcript of this episode, go to the show notes. Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking Discussed in this Episode The Terror is a construct [03:27] Repression linked to crisis [03:59] High-profile people were the victims of the repression in this case [07:14] Recalling Deputies who went against their mandates [09:00] Trouble with provincial bourgeoisie [10:19] This was the age of Revolutions and not just in France [11:55] Reforms made in 1793 and 1794 that were ahead of their time [12:59] The Terror was both the height of repression and of the democratic movement [14:02] Who's a Revolutionary and who's a Counter-Revolutionary? [14:47] Mirabeau and the Pantheon [15:33] The inability to be openly against the Revolution [17:10] The legislative branch over the executive branch [22:23] Revolutionary Tribunal [23:47] Representatives on mission [24:34] Arrests begin [26:17] Law of Prairial [27:15] The law of suspects [29:03] Fourty thousand fell during the Terror [30:33] The role and donwfall of Robespierre [33:44] Why was Robbespierre arrested [37:17] Was Robespierre a dictator? [43:42] Why did the legend of the Terror persist? [44:51]