Wollstonecraft (Ashley Grosso)

I do believe that going through with the idea of executing the people to create fear towards other enemies  was an effective idea, yet I would not agree to it. I personally do not believe that executing the people was appropriate nor right. It is wrong, and I will never stand by it. We should not execute the people who "go against" the revolution  just to create fear because the whole idea for this revolution is to protect the people, yet they are killing them instead. Everyone deserves equal rights, and that equals the right to live. I do believe this idea was an effective idea because I would expect all people to back away, yet it was not an idea that I would stand by and go with. It is wrong, and that is my final saying.

Rousseau: Prompt 2

I believe that every man is born with a clean slate, every man should be given a chance. The Reign of Terror was a horrible thing taking the lives of many innocent people. These people had their lives taken from them so that people would be afraid. In the end I was happy to see that an end was being put to absolute monarchy, I am in no way happy about the committee of the people. This is just another power hungry group of individuals taking the lives of the innocent people.

Montesquieu (Josh Fowler)

I believe the Reign of Terror is justified, for there needs to be a balance in power. The act/ belief of punishment as a result of ones actions needs to be in place in order for things to work, however, i do not believe murdering our own is the way to do so. What shall be the alternative for disagreeing/ fighting against the revolution? I must admit I am not certain, but I do believe the deaths of our own will not bring us closer to our true goals of liberty, equality and fraternity. I am a firm believer in the three branches of government and a balance in power. This Reign of Terror is justified, for there needs to be a consequence for those that put down the revolution, but not in a sense that would eliminate all who oppose, for if that is the scenario, aren't we eliminating a monarchy of the ancien regime, just to bring light to a new monarchy?

Wollstonecraft (Madison Paynter)

I personally believe the revolution plays a major role in society by distributing equal rights to the people. I don't believe holding people hostage in prisons and then killing them just because they're not agreeing with the revolution is right. Even though the forgoing of the revolution will give people some people what they want it still will not make everyone happy. Our enemies will become more fearful but along with that will be disgust that we are killing our own men and women because of their opinions. It's not right to kill someone just because they don't agree with something you are saying and I will not support anyone who thinks it is right. 

Hobbes (Nick Andreozzi)

In my honest opinion, I personally believe that the Reign of Terror was a very good act. I, Thomas Hobbes am a firm believer in that everyone was born evil, and with bad morals. The only way that people would be able to follow government is by having a strict monarchy, and that's why i think the Reign of Terror is great because it shows that the government is in complete control of the people. Fear is a great feeling, and by having people that fear you, it means that you have complete control over them. By having a structured government, it shows that people fear you, and have to listen to your rules, and if not there shall be consequences. This is why i am a strong believer in the Reign of Terror.

Voltaire- Kiley Anderson

Speech and freedom are some of the most important rights of a human in my opinion. The fact that citizens are being killed because of their lack of freedom of speech is sickening to me. The government is acting in ways that makes no sense to me, and I absolutely do not agree with it. Societies will fall apart without the citizens having the right to speak to each other and the ability to prove their points. The government is killing all citizens that do not agree with them, but is this really the correct way to rule a society? If everyone is killed when they don't agree with the government, will the government continue to feel so powerful, or will they realize that what they're doing is cruel and unjust? I will probably get in trouble for showing how I feel, considering I have been imprisoned for simply speaking my mind, but I am happy to go through whatever it takes to give the citizens of my society freedom of speech. If the government continues to kill the citizens whenever they disagree with them, I might go absolutely crazy.

John Locke (joe madden)

During the reign of terror  about 16,000 people lost there lives under the gullitine. Many who were innocent and some who were believed to be traitors to the revolution. In my point of view this many deaths is not acceptable especially because these people were alleged traitors to the revolution and weren't really proven guilty. The government used it just to prove a point to the people not to test them. Therefore I do not believe the leaders of the reign of terror were justified.

Hobbes (Leda Vargas)

I personally think that the reign of terror was a great thing. I am a strong believer in having a structured government and in order to achieve that there needs to be complete monarchy. The reign of terror shows that government is taking over. I think all people are born evil with bad morals and in order to get them to follow laws and take orders they need to be controlled. Fear is a good way to effectively take control of the people. Because of this i believe the leaders were justified in doing the reign of terror.

Rousseau (Dan O'Hara) Reign of terror

I believe in the innocence and goodness of man. I think that the reign of terror was a horrible thing. Thousands of innocent people were sentenced to death for no crime of any sort. Although i do believe in the end of absolute monarchy i do not believe with the Committee of public safety. The Committee of public safety beheaded thousands of innocent people just to strike fear into the eyes of the others. People are born good and most of them stay good. There is no need to torment and kill a large quantity of people.

Nate Brindmaour (John Locke. Reign of Terror)

I don't believe that the leaders of the reign of terror were justified. There were far to many caualties. A total of 16,594 people were killed by the guillotine. The guillotine had become the symybol of revolutionary cause, strengthened by excution many lost their lives under its blade. The leaders would have been justified if they didnt kill anyone who was a thought to be a suspect. Many people appeared to be a suspect that may have not been one. This was an act of foolishness.

Benny Hayes Voltaire Reign of Terror

Voltaire (Benny Hayes)-  As a believer in free speech and thought, I think what the government is doing to their own people is terrible. A society can't progress if the citizens and the government that form the society are unable to work together and listen to each other. Killing your own citizens is cruel and unjust. Every citizen needs to benefit from the governments rule, while the government is killing those that disagree with them. Although killing citizens that oppose the governments ideas stops them from revolting and inflicts fear on the people, it does not solve the issue, it just makes matters worse. I don't care if I will get punished by the government, the citizens need to have free speech!

Montesquieu (Jake Lauro)

I feel that the Rein of Terror is justified because I strongly oppose any and all of the people supporting a total monarchy. I feel as though this country must take every step necessary in order to take out the old, total monarchy, and replace it with the governmental system that I have come up with. This system consists of three branches, the Judicial, the Executive, and the Legislative branches. These branches act as checks and balances to one another, and prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful and becoming a monarchy. This is why I believe the Rein of Terror to be justified.

Wollstonecraft(G.Elderkin)

I believe that everyone deserves equal rights, and that the revolution is important in getting everyone what they deserve; but the execution of prisoners and people who were against the revolution is against all that I believe in, and even though the revolution is very important in making a change in the power to be able to give people what they deserve, and achieve the goals I have put forth and believe in. I will not support something that does the opposite of what I believe. I don't think that the Jacobins were justified because they, in the unjust execution of people that did something to go against the revolution, is giving a bad impression to the people and may make them lose hope in what they believe in, although it may have been efective in provoking fear and preventing their enemies from attempting attacks to take them out of power, the majority of the executions were un-justified and unnecessary.

Hobbes #2 (Jordyn Fabiano)

I think the Reign of Terror was a good impact on the society of France. I believe all people are born evil and that monarchies are the best way to have a structured government. A monarchy is when there is a specific ruler who controls everything and has absolute power. Since all people are born evil there needs to be rules and guidelines for people to follow, the Reign of Terror provided that. I do believe the leaders of the Reign of Terror were justified. I created the social contract which is an agreement in which people give up their freedom for a society with order. That is exactly what the society of France did during the Reign of Terror. Also the Committee of Public Safety, which was created by the French government in September of 1793, established laws people had to follow in order for there to be a structured government.

Voltaire(K.Ellis)- I don't know what you think, but this is completely wrong in so many ways. I cannot believe that the government would imprison its own people just because they did not think the same way. I believe that the government cannot be so intolerant of its own people. They need to understand that not all people are made the same. Also, killing the people who do not support is a good way to silence them, and to stop others from revolting. But it doesn't make the country better, or the people better, it makes them worse. But believing this has put me in prison a few times, so i shouldn't say too much more.

Taylor Vaphiades (Voltaire)

I believe that the Reign of Terror was a terrible time during the French Revolution. I believe that people should be allowed to express their opinions in any way without any punishment. During the Reign of Terror, if you spoke out or disagreed with the government in any way at all, you would be beheaded. Men, women, even children were all innocent victims at this time. Innocent lives were taken because of the Reign of Terror. I speak out and critisize the French government when I believe that they are governing wrong and if I had done that during the Reign of Terror, I would have been killed. The rulers were not justified in any way. Striking fear into the eyes of their people is no way to get them to listen and stay loyal to their country. The government should've tried to reason with its people and treated them with respect.

Assignment #2 - 10/7/2013

From the perspective of your Enlightened thinker respond to the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution.  Do you believe the leaders of the Reign of Terror were justified? Due Wednesday 10/9.