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476
The Fall of Rome
Rome was one of the world's leading powers back in then, and the fact that they lost power eventually is a big deal in-and-of itself. This was a turning point in history because one of the greatest world powers was taken off the board, which allowed for the powerful to be even more powerful, and that others could take Rome's place. -
507
The First Steps of Democracy
In Athens, Cleisthenes decided to create a system of government which allowed the people to have a say as to what the country does. This is called a Democracy, and it is still in use today. This was a turning point in history because it was the first step in creating a great democratic system, that of which are still in place today. -
Period: Jan 1, 1096 to
The Crusades
The Crusades was a movement that was started by Pope Urban II to try and take back the "Holy Land" from the "enemies of Christendom". This was a turning point in history because of the fear that the French instilled into the hearts of many of the places that they conquered, thus creating numerous enemies that would cause many wars in the future. -
Jan 1, 1348
The Black Death
The Bubonic plague, otherwise known as the Black Death, was an epidemic which killed roughly 60% of Europe's population. This was a turning point because it caused many people to look into how they could prevent such outbreaks again, and it also killed most of the economy for a long time, because there were simply less people alive to buy/sell products. -
Jan 1, 1450
The First Printer
Johannes Gutenburg created the world's first movable printing press, which allowed for the mass-production of documents. This was a turning point in history because it allowed for the general public to hear about news, spread their own ideas, and for the spread of propaganda. -
Jan 1, 1492
The Last Discovery of America
In 1492, Columbus sailed the world and came across what we now call "America". This was a turning point because it was the start of our country. -
Jan 1, 1519
The First Translation of The Bible
Martin Luther was a German friar, and he disagreed with the ways of the Church at the time, so he translated The Bible (Which was only in Latin at the time) into German, specifically so the general public could read it. This was a turning point in history because it led people to stop relying on the Church for the interpretations of the book, and allowed people to decide for themselves what it meant. -
Period: to
The Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was a time which society started to seperate itself from the Church, and focus more on the human experience and logic. This was a turning point in history because humanity started to learn more about the world around us, about anatomy, and also about the cosmos. -
The Creation of Versailles
Louis XIV created his (and his wife's) home using most of France's money. This sent the country spiraling into even more debt, which infuriated the rest of France. The creation of this building was a turning point because it was one of the final straws to push the residents of France into a revolution. -
The Steam Engine
Thomas Savery created a working steam engine which revolutionized machinery for centuries to come. This was a turning point in history because the creation of this engine allowed for even more grand creations to be made, which sparked the Industrial Revolution. -
The Discovery of Gravity
Sir Isaac Newton was allegedly the first person to discover gravity. Upon his discovery, it led him to study it further, and relate it to why things orbit eachother, and why things fall. This was a turning point in history because it was the groundwork for many great theories, such as Einstein's Theory of Relativity. -
The Storming of The Bastille
Many of the people of France were upset with how the government was doing things, so they started to revolt. One of the first events of this revolt was when French citizens took over a large prison named The Bastille. This was a turning point in history because it was the start of the French Revolution, and it showed the nobility that the people were serious. -
The Reign of Terror
The leader of France during this time was Maximilien Robespierre. He was a strong believer of equality, and anybody who spoke out (Or was thought to have spoken out) about it was executed. This was a turning point in history because it caused many civil wars, and also led to the execution of Maximilien himself. -
Child Labor
During the Industrial Revolution, child labor and poor work conditions were all too commonplace. This caused many deaths and defects in people all over the world, and this was a turning point because it opened up people's eyes to better working conditions for everyone, and to increase the living conditions of many people in cities. -
The Death of Socrates
Socrates was a monumental figure in history, mainly for his contribution of the Socratic Method. Because of his ideals, he was executed. This was a turning point in history because his students developed their own radical forms of government (which are still in place today) due to his death.