Editing Reign of Terror (section)

=== Popular pressure ===
{{stack|[[File:Heads on pikes.jpg|thumb|Heads of aristocrats on [[Pike (weapon)|pikes]].]]}}
[[File:Robespierre crop.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Maximilien Robespierre]], member of the [[Committee of Public Safety]]]]
During the Reign of Terror, the ''[[sans-culottes]]—the urban workers of France—''and the [[Hébertists]] put pressure on the National Convention delegates and contributed to the overall instability of France. The National Convention was bitterly split between the [[The Mountain|Montagnards]] and the [[Girondins]]. The Girondins were more conservative leaders of the National Convention, while the Montagnards supported radical violence and pressures of the lower classes.{{Sfn|Popkin|2016|p=64}} Once the Montagnards gained control of the National Convention, they began demanding radical measures. 

Moreover, the ''sans-culottes'' agitated leaders to inflict punishments on those who opposed the interests of the poor. The ''sans-culottes'' violently demonstrated, pushing their demands and creating constant pressure for the Montagnards to enact reform.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schechter |first=Ronald |title=Martyrdom and Terrorism |year=2014 |isbn=978-0-1999-5985-3 |pages=152–178 |chapter=Terror, Vengeance, and Martyrdom in the French Revolution |doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199959853.003.0008}}</ref> They fed the frenzy of instability and chaos by utilizing popular pressure during the Revolution. For example, they sent letters and petitions to the [[Committee of Public Safety]] urging them to protect their interests and rights with measures such as taxation of foodstuffs that favored workers over the rich. They advocated for arrests of those deemed to oppose reforms against those with privilege, and the more militant members would advocate pillage in order to achieve the desired equality.<ref>Albert Soboul, ''The Sans-culottes; the Popular Movement and Revolutionary Government, 1793–1794'', (Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1972), 5–17.</ref> The resulting instability caused problems that made forming the new republic and achieving full political support critical.