The Enlightenment, the Middle Class, and Differing Expectations: Causes of the Reign of Terror
Abstract:
The French Revolution was a movement that began by fighting for equal rights for everybody and higher ideals of justice. The Reign of Terror was a prominent event during the French Revolution that saw widespread death and violence. People were arrested and executed for the slightest of perceived offenses against the revolution. It seems as though the Terror is an anomaly when considering the foundation of the French Revolution. The causes of the Reign of Terror are complex. The interpretation of the Enlightenment ideals, the rise of the middle class, and different expectations of what France should be led to this tumultuous period of the revolution.