The French Revolution is arguably the bloodiest period in French history, with men such as Maximilien Robespierre leading the country into a situation of state-sponsored terror. Originally a rather liberal thinker inspired by the work of Rousseau, Robespierre quickly established a reputation as a radical throughout the Revolution, particularly during the Terror. However, at first, terror was justified as a means of extirpating foreign and domestic enemies of the Revolution; once the foreign threat was removed, it became increasingly difficult for Robespierre to rationalize his use of terror to establish a so-called Republic of Virtue. In his speech “Justification for the Use of Terror” which he presented to the National Convention, he attempted to defend the actions of Terror one last time. Unfortunately, it seemed that Robespierre would become the very type of tyrant he had worked to abolish alongside the French monarchy at the start of the Revolution. As the speech demonstrates, Robespierre had, however, become obsessed with ridding France of its enemies; his fixation on the Terror, even when it had become unnecessary, eventually led the rest of the radicals to envisage a France without him – and it cost him his life. Robespierre was born in 1758, the first child of a wealthy family. . He attended one of the best schools in Paris, eventually trained as a lawyer, and was known as a defender of the poor in his hometown of Arras – a trait that would remain with Robespierre throughout the Revolution as he became known, alongside the rest of the Jacobin rump, for his defense of the sans-culottes in Paris. As was previously mentioned, Robespierre did not always...... middle of paper ......pierre-terror.htmlMcGowan, Tom. Robespierre and the French Revolution in world history. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2000. Schama, Simon. Citizens: Chronicle of the French Revolution. Toronto, Ontario: VintageBooks: A Division of Random House, 1990. Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization: 7th ed. Canada: Thompson Wadworth, 2009. Webb, Todd. “The Terrible Revolution I: organizing terror.” Lecture, HIST2257, Laurentian University at Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario, October 16, 2009. Webb, Todd “The Terrible Revolution II: Ending the Terror.” Lecture, HIST2257, Laurentian University of Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario, October 16, 2009. Webb, Todd. “Things Fall Apart II: War and Regicide: The Days of the Federes.” Conference, HIST2257, Laurentian University at Georgian College, Barrie, Ontario, October 9, 2009.