The 'Reign of Terror' (1793-1794) bacame possible because of the overthrow of all familar established forms of government in France. Moreover, France at this time was faced with the double menace of counter revolution at home and invasion from abroad.

(a) The French ports of Bordeaux and Nantes owed their prosperity to slave trade.
(b) Slave trade was abolished in France in 1848.

The Rule of the Directory was siginificiant because its political instability paved the way for the rise of the military dictator Napoleon Bonaparte

(i) A guillotined consisting of two poles and a blade with which a person is beheaded.
(ii) Dr. Guillotin invented it.

All three Estates were represented in the Estates General convened by Louis XV. on 5th May 1789 but 'the third Estate was disappointed with the pattern of voting because:
(i) The first and second estate sent 300 representatives each. They were seated in front, in rows facing each other, on two sides; while the 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back.
(ii) The third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans, and women were denied entry to the assembly.
(iii) Voting in the past was conducted on the principle of one estate, one vote. This time too Louis XVI was determined to continue the old practice of one estate one vote.
(iv) The members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted on the democratic principle of one member one vote.
(v) When the king rejected the proposal, members of the third estate were disappointed. They walked out of the assembly in protest. They regarded themselves as spokesmen for the whole French nation.
(vi) They declared themselves a National Assembly. They swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution of France that would limit the powers of the King.

(i) Before the revolution, all written materials cold be published only after the approval of the king.
(ii) But immediately after the revolution, the principles of liberty and equality led to abolition of censorship
(iii) With the abolition of censorship the press was free. This led to publication and airing of opposing views, public debate, and discussion of events.
(iv) Because of the abolition of censorship, political philosophers and writers were free to express their views against absolutist monarchy, divine rights of king and free freedom, equality, division of power, and democratic values.
(v) Women to discuss and voice their interest i,e, right to vote, to be elected to Assembly to hold political office and equal pay. They started their own political clubs and newspaper.

(i) France and neighbouring countries: Although Louis XVI accepted to be a constitutional monarch, the situation in France continued to be tense. Louis entered into a secret negotiation with the king of Prussia. Rulers of neighbouring countries, worried about developments in France planned to send troop. tl-to put down the events. Before this could happen, the National Assembly declared war against Prussia and Austria. They saw this as a war against Kings and aristocrats all over Europe.
(ii) Revolutionary Wars: The revolutionary wars brought losses and economic difficulties to the people. While the men were away fighting at the front, women were left to cope with tasks of earning a living and looking after the families.
(iii) Revolution carried further: Large sections of the population were convinced that the revolution had to be carried further, as the Constitution of 1791'gave political rights only to the richer sections of society.
(iv) Political clubs: Political clubs sprang up to discuss and plan action. The most successful of these was the Jacobins also known as 'sans-culottes.' The members of the Jacobins belonged to the less prosperous sections of society. -; Their leader was Maximilian Robespierre. Women too formed their own clubs.
(v) High prices of food and insurrection: A large number of Parisians were angered by short supplies and high prices of food. The Jacobins planned an insurrection and on August 10, 1792, stormed the Palace of the Tuileries,
massacred the King's guards, and held him hostage. Later the Assembly voted to imprison the royal family.
(vi) Elections: Elections were held. All men above the age of 21 years had the right to vote. The newly elected assembly called the Convention on 21 Sept. 1792, abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic. Louis XVI and later Queen Marie Antoinette were both publicly executed on the charge of treason.

(i) During the revolutionary years women were active partiipants to discuss and voice their interests, they started their own political clubs and newspaper.
(ii) About 60 women's clubs emerged in  different French cities, the most famous being the Society of Revolutionary and Republic Women. During the 'Reign of Terror' the new government issued laws ordering closure of women clubs and banning their political activities. Many prominent women were arrested and number of them executed.
(iii) Demands: They wanted to enjoy the same political rights as men i.e., right to vote, to be elected to the Assembly and to hold political office
(iv) Yet another demand was equal wages as men.
Women's struggle for equal political rights during the revolutionary years, inspired women during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in many countries of the world. Finally in 1946, French women won the right to vote.

(i) The position of women in France was much inferior to men in social status. Except for daughters of nobles and wealthier classes, most women had no access to education and job training.
(ii) Along with tending to the family and house, many women of the Third Estate engaged themselves in small jobs-worked as seamstresses or laundresses, sold flowers or worked as domestics for a living.
(iii) The wages of women were lower than those of men.
(iv) Working women had also to care for their families, that is, cook, fetch water, queue up for bread and look after the children.

Robespirre's government aprt from being remembered for the Reign of Terror undertook many laws similar to present-day socilaist policies and welfare state.
(i) Laws were issued placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices.
(ii) Meat and bread were rationed.
(iii) Peasants were forced to sell grain at fixed prices by the government.
(iv) All citizens were made to eat bread made of wheat flour.
(v) Equality was practised by forms of speech and address
(vi) Slavery was abolished in French colonies
(vii) Chruches were shutdown and buildings converted to barracks or offices.