Terrorism did not originate in the Middle East. Rather, the word (along with "terrorist") first appears in English in 1795 in reference to the French Jacobins. They ruled France in what was called
La Terreur (the Reign of Terror) from 1793-94. By 1798, the term was being applied generally to anyone who attempted to achieve political goals through violence and intimidation. Contrast this with the American Revolution: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.