- Created in April 1793 to protect the revolution from enemies within and without
- Comprised of nine members, all of whom were radical Jacobins
- Had broad powers to arrest and imprison suspects, requisition supplies, and issue decrees
- Was responsible for the Reign of Terror, a period of intense political repression in France
Directory:
- Established in November 1795 by the Constitution of the Year III
- Comprised of five directors, who were elected by the legislature
- Had less power than the Committee of Public Safety, and was more moderate in its policies
- Was responsible for stabilizing France after the Revolution and helping to establish the Consulate, which eventually led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte