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The Reign of Terror

2025/4/6

Everything Everywhere Daily

The French Revolution, spanning from 1793 to 1794, was a period of intense radical change aimed at overhauling French society beyond mere political reform. Radicals sought to eliminate not only the monarchy but also traditional institutions like the Catholic Church, replacing them with new systems such as a revolutionary calendar and a cult of reason. This period culminated in the Reign of Terror, marking the peak of extremism during the revolution.

The French Revolution aimed to change French society, not just the government.
Radicals introduced a new calendar and attempted to replace Christianity with a cult of reason.
The Reign of Terror was the most extreme phase of the revolution.

Shownotes Transcript

For a 10-month period from September 1793 to July 1794, the nation of France went through a period which could only be called insanity.

In the aftermath of the French Revolution, a small group of radicals took control of the Revolutionary French government and began eliminating all enemies of the revolution, both real and perceived.

Tens of thousands of people were imprisoned, and thousands met their end with what the French called madame la guillotine.

Learn more about the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, why it started, and how it ended on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

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