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The Age of Napoleon's Rule
Napoleon swooped in just at the end of the French Revolution and soon became a well loved hero and eventually ruler of France from 1804-1815. He was the first consul and emperor of France and introduced much of the legal basis of French law today. -
Invention of the Typewriter
Originally invented to help the blind write, Italian inventor Pellegrino Turri first created the early typewriter for a childhood friend of his who was in the early stages of blindness. As time passed, many other inventors improved and patented Turri's concept, churning out the first commercially-successful typewriter in 1873. -
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a an international diplomatic conference to reconstitute the European political order after the end of Napoleon's rule. It met from 1814- 1815 and was the base model for later organizations like the UN. -
First photograph is taken
The world's earliest surviving photograph was taken by Nicéphore Niépce in a commune in France and is titled "View from the Window at Le Gras". This was the first successful photograph to not fade quickly once exposed to light. -
The French Revolution of 1830 (July Revolution)
The July Revolution of 1830 was a series of romantic nationalist revolutions that resulted in the establishment of constitutional monarchs in France and Belgium. This revolution abdicated Charles X from the throne and replaced him with Louis Philippe of the House of Orleans, who agreed to rule as a constitutional monarch. -
Revolutions of 1848
The Revolutions of 1848 were a series of political uprisings across Europe that are still known today as the most widespread revolutionary wave in European history to date. These revolutions were in democratic and liberal nature, wanting to eradicate the rule of monarchs and to create independent nation-states. -
First Wave Feminism
The first wave of feminism was officially started at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848 when 300 people rallied for equality between men and women. The first wave consisted mostly of challenging the "cult of domesticity" and even held the claims of some that women were morally superior to men and would improve politics. -
The Second Industrial Revolution
Lasting from 1850-1914, the second industrial revolution, also known as the technological revolution, created rapid scientific discovery, standardization, and mass production. This time period created a larger well off middle class and included the invention of the electric light. -
Imperialism
Imperialism lasted from 1850- 1914 in Europe and mostly included Great Britain, France, and Germany. This, along with industrialization, increased the gap between the nations of Europe and the underdeveloped countries by strengthening the European powers through exploiting lands. -
German Unification
Prussia provoked three short wars against Denmark, Austria, and France, and united the German states to defeat France. Prussia then officially unified Germany into a nation-state, forming the German Empire. -
Berlin Conference
The Berlin Conference lasted from November 15, 1884 – February 26, 1885 and met to discuss the partitioning of Africa as well as the resources in it at the expense of the African people. Great Britain, France, Germany, Portugal, and King Leopold II all made their claims and mapped out the territories in a formalized plan. -
Einstein publishes the Theory of Relativity
Einstein's Theory of Relativity introduced the idea that gravity itself is the bending of space and time by mass and energy. This changed the history of science forever by improving physics, chemistry, and astronomical studies. -
Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday, also known as Red Sunday, was a series of events that happened in St. Petersburg, Russia, when unarmed demonstrators were shot by soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Their goal was to present a petition to Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. There were up to 234 deaths and 800 injuries while 6831 were arrested. -
World War I
World War I lasted from the 28th of July, 1914 and ended on the 11th of November, 1918. The main reason for the beginning of the war was the assassination of of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His assassination caused Austria to declare war on Serbia and soon enveloped most of the European countries. In the end, the Central Powers lost to the Allies. -
Armenian Genocide
The Armenian Genocide was primarily implemented by the mass murder of around one million Armenians during death marches to the Syrian Desert. As the Ottoman Empire suffered a series of military defeats, the safety of the Armenians became more threatened and the Ottoman Empire decided there was Armenian resistance and a rebellion that didn't exist. They then mass deported as many Armenians as they could find until 1917. -
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution lasted from March 8, 1917- November 8, 1917 and consisted of 2 major events. The first event was the overthrowing of the imperial government, and the second of which was in October, placed the Bolsheviks in power. -
October Revolution
On November 7, 1917, members of the Bolshevik political party seized power in Petrograd, the capital of Russia. This victory secured the victory of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War and the establishment of the Soviet Union in 1922. -
The Russian Civil War
Lasting from November 7, 1917 to October 25, 1922, the Russian Civil War was a very violent revolution that marked the end of the Romanov dynasty and Russian Imperial rule. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power and would later become the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles is a very controversial armistice treaty. The main goal of this was to use "war guilt" clause to force Germany and the other central powers to take all the blame for World War I. This forced the central powers to compensate the allied power for their losses of territories, military forces, and reparation payments. -
Totalitarianism is first introduced
Totalitarianism was first introduced in the 1920s by Benito Mussolini in order to differentiate the new fascist state of Italy. By World War II totalitarianism had come to mean an absolute and oppressive single-party government. -
Mussolini comes to power
In 1922 Mussolini along with a coalition of fascist leaders forced the king of Italy to yield the government and appoint him prime minister. By 1925 he had completely removed the democratic government and made himself "the Leader" and an effective dictator. -
Death of Vladimir Lenin
At the age of 53, Vladimir Lenin died after falling into a coma caused by a blood disease. He was the leader of the October Revolution and set up the Communist Party for success. Lenin's death was used to inspire nationalism in Russia by putting his body on display and publishing about it. -
The Stalin Era
The Stalin Era was a literary era from 1928-53 during the rise of power of Joseph Stalin. He strengthened Russian nationalism and increased the power of Soviet rule. -
The Great Depression
The Great Depression, originally beginning with the stock market crash in America, hit Europe very hard because many of the European countries relied heavily on American financing to recover from the war. Europe's response to the great depression was fascism and militarism -
Anschluss of Austria
The Anschluss, or union, of Austria to Germany was a political union acheived by Adolf Hitler. Troops from Austria were sent to fight with their "German comrades" and over 99% of voters agreed with the idea to annex Austria. -
World War II
Lasting from September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945, World War II included most of the countries in the world and was divided into two military alliances, the Allies and Axis powers. The war was driven by Hitler's invasion of Poland and was declared by France and Great Britain on Germany. The war ended with VE day and the death of Hitler and the victory of the soviets. -
The Holocaust
In 1939 Germany invaded Poland and over the next six years murdered around 6 million Jews in order to "purify" Germany and blame the lost war on someone other than the government. Jews were stored in concentration camps where they were burned, gassed, shot, and and malnourished/diseased. -
Normandy Landings (D-day)
Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle of D-Day occurred when 156,000 American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along the heavily guarded coast of France's Normandy region. This battle resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany's control and is known as the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was a meeting of the three World War II allies to discuss the Soviet Union's entrance into the war against Japan. Roosevelt and Churchill also pressed Stalin to try to change to free elections and democratic governments in Eastern and Central Europe. -
Victory in Europe Day
On May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered its military forces to the Allies and marked the end of World War II in Europe. Celebrations erupted around the world and Europe continues to celebrate every May 8th to this day. -
Potsdam Conference
From July 17 to August 2, 1945, Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Harry Truman met in Potsdam, Germany to negotiate the end of World War II. This conference helped to define European borders postwar and the surrender of Germany. -
Formation of the United Nations
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill issued a declaration, signed by 26 countries, called the United Nations (UN). The UN was created to have an international postwar peacekeeping organization that still runs to this day and has triggered action on environmental change. -
Winston Churchill Iron Curtain Speech
The Iron Curtain speech was delivered by former British prime minister Winston Churchill in Fulton, Missouri. In the speech he stressed the need for the U.S. and Britain to act as the as the guardians of peace against Soviet Communism, which had put in place an "iron curtain" across Europe. -
The Cold War
The Cold war was a slow burn rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from March 12, 1947 – December 26, 1991. Much of the conflict of the Cold War originated from the end of World War II and included the fear of nuclear power and the threat of communism in America. The Cold War was filled with many small battles spread out through Europe and the surrounding continents. -
The Truman Doctrine is issued
The Truman Doctrine was a reorientation of U.S. foreign policy, away from its stance of withdrawal from regional conflicts not directly involving the United States, to one of possible intervention in far away conflicts. Its purpose was to counter Soviet geopolitical expansion during the Cold War. -
The Marshall Plan was created
On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948, now known as the Marshall Plan. This plan proposed that the U.S. help provide economic assistance to restore Europe's economy postwar. -
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
In 1948, West Germany decided to start a new form of currency, in response to this East Germany cut all contact, travel, and resources with West Germany, including West Berlin who was trapped by East Germany. In response to this, West Berlin flew resources to Berlin until East Berlin eventually gave up trying to trap West Berlin. -
NATO is formed
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created in 1949 by the U.S., Canada, and a couple Western European nations to have have security with each other against the Soviet Union. The allied powers needed security after the Soviet's formation of the Warsaw Pact, and the nuclear threat that came with it. -
The Korean War
The Korean War began when the North Korean Communist army invaded non-Communist South Korea and the U.S. came to South Korea's aid. The war never truly ended since no peace treaty was signed and almost 40,000 Americans died in action. -
The Warsaw Pact is signed
The Warsaw Treaty Organization was a political and military alliance between the Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries. This pact was established in order to try to balance the new power of West Germany joining NATO. -
The Start of the Space Race
The competition began when the Soviet Union responded to the US announcement of their similar intent to launch artificial satellites. This competition's origins can be traced back to the nuclear arms race post World War II between the countries. -
The Vietnam War
Lasting from November 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War was a long costly war between communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war finally ended when the U.S. withdrew their forces in 1973, uniting Vietnam under communist control two years later. -
Sputnik launch
On October 4, 1957, at 7:28 pm, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite in our solar system, beginning the space age. Sputnik allowed us to measure the density of the atmosphere and transmit radio waves. -
Berlin Wall built
The Berlin wall was built by the Soviet Union to try to prevent Germans from escaping to West Germany. Between 1949 and 1961 over 2.6 million East Germans had escaped out of the population of 17 million. The wall consisted of over 30 miles of barbed wire and was a barrier that slowed the escapes as well as fueled conflicts such as the Berlin Airlift. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day standoff between the Soviet Union and the U.S. in October 1962. The Soviet Union had placed missiles on Cuba, about 90 miles away from U.S. shores and this conflict marked the moment they came closest to nuclear conflict. -
Second Wave Feminism
The second wave of feminism began with protests against the Miss America pageant in 1968 and 1969. The second wave was soon adopted in Europe and women started to fight less for just political equality, but more so for equality within their households and reproductive rights. -
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty opened for signing
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was an agreement signed by several of the major nuclear and non-nuclear powers that pledged their cooperation in stemming the spread of nuclear technology. This treaty limits the spread of nuclear power, preventing non-nuclear states from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. -
Solidarity in Poland
Solidarity in Poland was an anti-authoritarian social movement using civil resistance to demand changes in worker and social rights. The government tried to use martial law to break up the union in the early 1980s, but were unsuccessful. -
Collapse of the Berlin Wall
On November 9, 1989, five days after a half million people in East Berlin protested, the Berlin wall crumbled to the ground. Loosening borders to make travel for East Germans easier was the East German government's last ditch attempt to ease the protesting. -
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was started by Gorbachev's decision to allow elections with a multi-party system and create a presidency for the Soviet Union. This started a slow process of democratization that destabilized and eventually collapsed the Soviet Union.