Unit 2 Timeline: Enlightenment and Revolutions

  • Period: 1543 to

    Scientific Revolution (start to end)

    During this period of time, there was a huge transformation in scientific ideas that changed people's views on the world. This period of time changed people's way of thinking, instead of just believing the church and what anyone told them, they started to do their own thinking and using reason and logic to make decisions. New discoveries contradicted what the church was saying
  • Galileo Galilei supports the heliocentric theory

    It made people rethink Earth and space. It made people realize that sometimes the church was wrong. It led to further discoveries about the sun and changed people’s understanding of the world.
  • Period: to

    English Civil War (start to end)

    Because England at the time already had a limited monarchy, it inspired the radicals to look at them for an example of what they hoped France would be.
  • Hobbes’s Leviathan is published

    It was written during the english civil war arguing for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign. He thought that all people were evil at nature, and a government was important to keep people under control.
  • Glorious Revolution

    It permanently established Parliament in England, and represented a shift for an absolute monarchy to a limited and constitutional monarchy. Important because this is what France was trying to do at the time too.
  • Locke’s Two Treatises on Government is published

    It was written by one of the most influential enlightenment thinkers. In his book he said that people are free by nature and equal and that god made people listen to a monarch. With different books being published it showed that the way people thought was changing.
  • Period: to

    Enlightenment (start to end)

    it inspired people to start thinking, and changed their political identity. With all the ideals, it caused the citizens to reconsider their role in the formation of government, they started to realize the importance of the govnerment is suppose to protect them. unlike Feudalism, where protection was given in exchange for labor, the enlightenment showed people that the government is suppose to protect them and represent them too.
  • Diderot Publishes First Volumes of Encyclopedia

    It was viewed as highly influential in shaping and spreading the kind of progressive thinking that eventually led to the French Revolution and a principle work of the enlightenment.
  • Period: to

    Louis XVI’s reign (start to end)

    being such a young king, he was not fully prepared to take on the role. specially with his young wife who did not know her role in France monarchy either. the two spent unnecessary money on unnecessary things. during his reign, there was a major drought, and France's economic crisis
  • Lexington and Concord

    Kicked off the american revolution. And because France was so involved in it, it sent them into debt
  • Period: to

    American Revolution (start to end)

    it it inspired France to start a revolution, but also caused France to go into debt leading them to their economic crisis. Because King Louis XVI was helping the Americans, he did not realize the damage ti had on France financially.
  • Declaration of Independence

    american colonies were finally freed from England's control. It listed ideals and goals of the nation and explained why they wanted to be free and all the problems. It was what the french used as inspiration and a guideline.
  • National Assembly is formed in France

    It represented the common people of french, the third estate. It made the king demand better decisions about economic reforms that insured that people had food to eat.
  • Declaration of Rights of Man

    It listed the rights of all men of France, it got rid of the estates and made people all equal. Based on the Bill of Rights it listed what the government should protect. It granted civil rights to men and only men.
  • Tennis Court Oath

    The promise of a constitution in france, and laid the foundation for future events like the DORMAC and the storming of the Bastille. It stated that the national assembly would stay in the tennis court until the constitution was finished.
  • Bill of Rights signed

    The DORMAC was based on this. Listing the rights that it promised all people and what the government was allowed and not allowed to do.
  • Legislative Assembly is formed in France

    It replaced the National Assembly, and was formed under the new constitution with Louis XIV as the head of state. It struggled to make reforms.
  • Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women is published

    Because the women were excluded for the Declaration of Rights of Man women were mad. This was a work that resonated in feminism and human rights movements today. It showed that women should not be treated differently, that women are more than just mothers and wives.
  • Execution of Marrie Antoinette

    Declared the end to absolute monarchy in France. Executed from Treason, made problems worse by trying to escape. Was even tried for sexual activities with her son. Spent a lot of France's money without thinking.
  • Execution of Louis XVI

    Declared the end to absolute monarchy in france. Executed from Treason. He failed to address France’s financial problems, and he made problems worse by trying to escape.
  • Period: to

    Reign of Terror (start to end)

    This was the first form of government after King Louis XVI. It showed that France did not need a radical leader. This caused France to create a new government(DOROMAC). Leader Robespierre ruled like a dictator killing anyone who he had suspicions more
  • Napoleon's coup

    Overthrew the Directory and the event was viewed as the ending of the french revolution it made him France’s leading political figure.