Reign of Terror*
The Reign of Terror began after the death of Louis XVI in 1793. It started with a parade of citizens, lead by Marie Antoinette, going to their deaths by guillotine. The introduction of the guillotine at this time allowed the deaths of over 30 000 people in France. These executions were considered to be educational to the extent of women being encouraged to sit and knit during these events. In the case of Marie Antoinette, she had been imprisoned with her children after she was separated from Louis XVI. Louis allegedly disappeared under suspicious circumstances. In Paris, by July 1794, the Revolutionary Tribunal ordered the execution of 2 400 people. The Reign of Terror ended in July of 1794.