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1803 BCE
Napoleonic Wars
Napoleon won major victories in the Battles of Ulm, Austerlitz, Jena, Auerstädt, and Friedland. The Napoleonic Wars involved an alliance between Russia, Austria, Sweden, and Prussia. -
Newton Changes Science
Isaac Newton publishes Principia Mathematica, where he lays out his three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation, forever changing physics. -
Locke Lays Down the Law
John Locke finishes Two Treatises of Government, where he argues that people have natural rights and rulers only have power if they actually serve the public. His ideas about political freedom later inspire the American and French Revolutions. -
Voltaire Sparks Controversy
Voltaire publishes Lettres philosophiques, taking direct shots at the established religious and political systems. His sharp criticism causes an uproar among authorities, and the backlash is so intense that he’s forced to flee Paris to avoid trouble. -
Rousseau Shakes Things Up
Jean-Jacques Rousseau publishes The Social Contract in France, saying society shouldn’t just follow laws from kings or the church. Instead, he argues that laws should only count if the people actually agree to them. -
Declaration of Independance
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approves the Declaration of Independence, mostly written by Thomas Jefferson. It declares the 13 colonies are done with Britain, listing King George III’s wrongs and pushing Enlightenment ideas like rights, freedom, and government by the people. -
Charles-Alexandre de Calonne
Charles-Alexandre de Calonne, France’s finance guy, gets a bunch of nobles and rich people together to talk about the country being broke. He’s like, “Hey, maybe the rich should pay taxes?” but they’re totally not having it. Instead, they’re like, “Let’s just call the Estates-General,” which hasn’t met in forever—since 1614! -
Estates-General: May 5, 1789
In 1788, people were super unhappy, so Louis XVI had no choice but to give in and agree to call the Estates-General. He also loosened press restrictions, and soon, pamphlets were everywhere, arguing for a total revamp of the government. -
Third Estate Takes a Stand
The fight over voting in the Estates-General pushes deputies of the Third Estate to break off and call themselves the National Assembly. Some clergy join them, and they threaten to move forward without the other two estates. -
Tennis Court Oath
The oath was taken in the Royal Tennis Court in Versailles and was a defining moment in the French Revolution. -
Louis XVI
King Louis XVI finally gives in and tells the other two estates to join the assembly, which now officially calls itself the National Constituent Assembly. But plot twist—he secretly starts gathering troops because he’s planning to break it all up. -
Storming of the Bastille
The revolutionaries stormed the Bastille, a prison in Paris that symbolized the monarchy's abuse of power. -
Big Moves in Paris
The National Constituent Assembly introduces the Declaration of the Rights of Man, inspired by Enlightenment ideas. But Louis XVI refuses to approve it, so angry Parisians march to Versailles and drag the royal family back to Paris. -
Women's March on Versailles
The march was sparked by women in Paris markets who were angry about the high cost of bread. The marchers demanded that King Louis XVI address their grievances. -
Legislative Assembly Established
The Legislative Assembly was established in 1791 during the French Revolution. The assembly favored war with neighboring countries and spreading the ideals of the Revolution. -
French Revolutionary Wars
France straight-up declares war on Austria, kicking off a seven-year-long mess called the French Revolutionary Wars, where France ends up fighting a bunch of European countries. -
September 1792: Monarchy Abolished
On September 21, 1792, the National Convention abolished the monarchy in France and declared the country a republic. This event took place during the French Revolution. -
Execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI was convicted of treason for refusing to give up his power to the revolutionary government. He was taken in a carriage from his prison to the execution site, which took over an hour. The executioner beheaded Louis XVI with the guillotine. -
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror was a violent period during the French Revolution when many people were executed for opposing the revolution. -
Arrest of Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre gets taken down in the National Convention and is executed the next day, officially ending the Reign of Terror. Not long after, the National Convention is shut down, and a new government takes over with a five-person Directory and a two-house legislature. -
execution of Maximilien Robespierre
France’s huge army won big at Fleurus in 1794, but people were done with the Reign of Terror. When Robespierre kept the executions going, he was arrested and guillotined. More moderate leaders took over and wrote a new constitution. -
Battle of the Pyramids
Napoleon led an invasion of Egypt to protect French trade interests. -
Battle of Marengo
In 1800, Napoleon crushed it at the Battle of Marengo, securing France’s win in the War of the Second Coalition. -
Napoleon's Coronation
In December 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of the French. -
Napoleon's Abdication
In 1814, Napoleon got defeated and had to give up power after France was invaded by his enemies. -
The Nuremberg Laws
These laws were enacted by Nazi Germany, legalizing racial discrimination against Jews and other minorities, laying the groundwork for the Holocaust. -
The Invasion of Poland
This event marked the beginning of World War ll, as Nazi Germany invaded Poland, leading Britain and France to declare war on Germany. -
The Wannsee Conference
High-ranking Nazi officials met to plan the "Final Solution," the systematic genocide of Jews, leading to the widespread extermination in concentration camps. -
The Battle of Stalingrad
A pivotal turning point in WWll, where Soviet forces defeated the Nazis, marking the beginning of Germany's retreat on the Eastern Front. -
The Liberation of Concentration Camps
As Allied forces advanced into Germany, they liberated numerous concentration camps, revealing the full extent of the Holocaust atrocities.