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Period: 1543 to
The Scientific Revolution
The Scientific Revolution was a time in Europe where people started to ask questions about the world and challenge traditional authority. This new way of thinking guided Europe through the scientific revolution and later to the Enlightenment. -
Galileo Galilei supports the heliocentric theory
Galileo supporting the heliocentric theory was a big deal during the scientific because he was a well-known astronomer and thinker so the fact that he challenged traditional church authority with this theory showed people that they are capable of thinking freely and using facts to understand the world. -
Period: to
The English Civil War
The English Civil war ended the Divine Rights of Monarchs and limited their power. Many people around Europe looked at this change in the natural order of things in awe. They thought that if England could do it, so could they. -
Hobbes’s Leviathan is published
The Leviathan introduced the idea of a social contract with the people and their higher authority which later became an important ideal during the Enlightenment as countries were trying to set up new governments. -
Period: to
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution permanently established Parliament as the ruling power of England. This ended England's long monarchal rule which shocked Europe. Not only was the Monarch's power limited but the Nation actually thrived because of it making other monarchs fear that their power might soon be stripped of them. -
Locke’s Two Treatises on Government is published
The Two Treatises on government introduces to the world the idea of a government's job is to ensure and protect its peoples' natural rights. In order to do so, the book suggested the people make a contract with their government in order to sustain the government's job for the people and vise versa. -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a period in time where people started to change and think about their political identity. They started to question government and how society was run. The people felt that the government had a bigger job than to just physically protect its people.
Enlightenment ideals:
Popular sovereignty
Social contract,
Self-determination,
Natural rights
Equality -
Diderot Publishes First Volumes of Encyclopedia
An Encyclopedia is a book where you can find information based on facts. This book also challenged traditional authority and was made because the people now felt the ability to explore and ask questions about the world. This is where you can find answers to those questions. -
Period: to
Louis XVI’s reign
King's Louis XVI's reign was disastrous for France. Why he was busy having parties at his huge palace, France was in an economical crisis and famine. He wasn't liked by the people because he couldn't perform simple kinglike duties to the nation and he was a major reason the French people started a revolution. -
Period: to
The American Revolution
The American Revolution was an event that was heard all over the world because a nation's own colonies were revolting against their king. This seemed like tyranny to monarchs around Europe but it sparked hope for many more people. The Americans ended up winning the revolution and inspiring other nations to rise up against their monarchy if they were treated poorly. -
Lexington and Concord
This battle was the first battle won by the American revolutionaries in the start of the war. Not only was this a win for the American Revolution but it also inspired other Europeans who were upset with their monarchs that a revolution was possible. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence marked the end of British rule over America but it also showed the world that a nation stood against the monarchy and tyranny of its ruler and won against the strongest army in the world. That nation was now free. -
Tennis Court Oath
This event, similar to the DOC, marked the end of the French Monarchs' rule over France. This was the third estates official proclamation that they were starting a revolution and creating a new France. -
National Assembly is formed in France
The National Assembly was made up of the 3rd estate members who were locked out of the Estate's Generals meeting. They decided to make their own assembly that would make decisions for the people of France. -
Declaration of Rights of Man
The DOROMAC was extremely important to the French nation and it's future because it held to the sacred rights and privileges that the French people would have as they rebuilt their government after the revolution. -
Bill of Rights signed
This event was significant because the Bill of Rights and the DOROMAC showed two revolutions around the world succeeding and their new nations being founded upon human rights and liberty. -
Legislative Assembly is formed in France
The Legislative Assembly in France was an organized revolutionary legislature that took the place of the traditional monarchy in France during King Louis XVI’s reign. This assembly gave power to more than once person unlike the system of monarchy. -
Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Women is published
Now that the revolution for men was going on, women tried to take the opportunity to give them more rights to and this book was an example of one of those attempts. -
Execution of Louis XVI
This radical end of France's monarch shocked Europe, especially the countries with Monarchies. The other Monarchs around Europe were shocked at this mutiny and worried that their people would do the same to them. -
Period: to
The Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a series of massacre killings that led to the downfall of Robespierre for his tyrannical rule. The Reign of Terror was significant because it was a period when people did not follow and abused enlightenment ideals, which was not what the French people wanted. -
Execution of Marrie Antoinette
The execution of the king's wife signified the official end to French royalty. France was now a nation without a monarch run by the people. -
Napoleon’s coup
Napolean's coup was when Napolean entered the government building of the directory with an army of followers and forced the governing body of France to give him power. This is significant because the French had just fought a har, long revolution to end the era of absolute monarchy in France and then this happened.
