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Napoleon is Defeated in the Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo began on June 18th in Waterloo, now modern-day Belgium. The battle ensued when Napoleon returned after exile, leading an army of supporters. He hoped for a swift victory, but he was defeated due to the environment, a weak army, and insufficient knowledge of the battle. After his scathing loss, Napoleon was exiled for a second time and sent to St. Helena. -
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley, is published in London
Frankenstein was created because of a friendly competition between three prominent writers of the 19th century. Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and John William Polidori created a challenge to write a work similar to the German book Fantasmagoriana. Byron wrote "The Darkness'', Polidori wrote "The Vampyre", and Shelley wrote "Frankenstein". Of these works, Frankenstein is the work that prominently shaped the literary world, having been adapted into films, video games, and more literature. -
The Peterloo massacre occurs in Manchester
The Peterloo Massacre, otherwise known as the Battle of Peterloo, was an attack on civilians gathered in St. Peter's Field. The fighting began when a cavalry charged into an assembly of 60-80,000 people. They were assembling to demand more parliamentary representation. The soldiers killed 18 people and injured 400-700 demonstrators. -
King George III dies and George IV succeeds to the throne
King George III of American Independence fame died on January 29th, with his son succeeding him to the throne. He is suspected to have died from either porphyria or arsenic poisoning. His son, King George IV helped to advance the ceremonies of the monarchy that still hold today. -
British settlers arrive in Cape Town, South Africa
As with many other countries during this time, settlers were beginning to arrive in Cape Town, South Africa. Due to an unemployment crisis in1 Britain, many people immigrated to the Cape. -
Napoleon Dies after 6 years of exile
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who served as First Consul and Emperor of France. His rule of 15 years was full of tyranny and socially restrictive laws. His goals of expanding French territory led to his demise when he was annexed from France twice. -
The Monroe Doctrine is established
The Monroe Doctrine stated that the US would not get involved in European affairs. Additionally, they would not interfere with European colonies near the US. -
First Passenger Train Rides from Stockton and Darlington
The first passenger train was called Locomotion no. 1. It was built by the Robert Stephenson and company. The Locomotion no. 1 carried 450 passengers from Stockton to Darlington. -
The Decemberist Revolt Comes to an End in St Petersburg
The Decemberists Revolt happened because 3,000 soldiers' refusal to pledge allegiance to the new Czar. This occurred when Czar Alexander died and his brother, Nicholas took the throne. -
"Young Italy" is founded by Giuseppe Mazzini
Young Italy was an Italian nationalist group. This revolutionary group was organized because its leader, Mazzini, was disgruntled with his imprisonment for his revolutionary activities. This organization had 50,000 members in its prime, spreading throughout Italy. Eventually, Young Italy was transformed into the Italian National Committee. -
Charles Babbage Creates a Machine Called a "Difference Engine"
The Difference Machine or the "difference engine" was created by Charles Babbage. This machine allows one to calculate and add numbers. This machine was acknowledged by mechanical and engineering greats of the time, but not brought into the mainstream until years later. This machine was the building blocks for many illustrious inventions of the 19th, 20th, and 21st century. -
Spanish Civil War Erupts
The Spanish Civil War was caused by an uprising composed by Emilio Mola and Francisco Franco. Their goal was to overthrow the Democratic elected government. This attempt was successful as negotiations of peace failed and the Nationalists gained power over Spain. They remained in power 1975. -
The First Photographic Negatives are taken by Fox Talbot
The first photo, created by Henry Fox Talbot, was titled "view from the window at Le Gras". The image was taken using a plate of metal and silver salts that react with the light. -
Queen Victoria takes the throne
Queen Victoria took the throne of the British Empire a few weeks after her 18th birthday. Due to the death of her father at a young age, she was destined to succeed to the throne. Before her 18th birthday, England was ruled by her uncle, William IV. Queen Victoria was a prominent figure in 19th-century politics, particularly in the world affairs of the British Empire. -
First Christmas card is commissioned
The First Christmas card was commissioned by Henry Cole. Cole asked John Callcott Horsley to design a postcard to celebrate the Christmas season. The scene displays three generations of a family, toasting to the holiday season. This card turned out to be a smash hit, inventing a tradition that still goes on to this day. -
The Irish Potato Famine begins
The Irish Potato Famine, otherwise known as the Great Hunger, killed an estimated 1 million people. The famine was caused by a disease affecting potato crops. This was a problem because potatoes were the main source of nutrition for the people of Ireland. The famine lasted for four years, forcing over 1 million Irish people to emigrate to different places. -
Edgar Allen Poe publishes The Raven
The Raven is a poem by Edgar Allen Poe. This poem signifies the doubting of one when they question the world around them. -
The Communist Manifesto is published
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto to unfold the history of the working class’s struggles. Additionally, the manifesto inputs commentary on the struggles of the Russian proletariat. This book paved the way for the Communist and Socialist revolutions and governments in the next two centuries. -
The source of the Cholera epidemic is discovered
John Snow, a London scientist, discovered the source of cholera. This source was the water supply of London and other large cities. Cholera causes fluid loss, erratic heartbeat, and shriveled skin. These symptoms were often deadly, raising the importance of finding the source of this disease. -
India is placed under the control of the British Government
The time that India was ruled by Britain is called the British Raj. This almost 100-year rule was very tyrannical and led to instanced of infanticide, child marriage, and a higher prevalence of the caste system. -
Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species
On the Origin of Species was the first published book displaying evidence of the theory of evolution. This book covers the causes and effects of evolution. While this book was revolutionary in the scientific field, it also caused nationalists to believe in the theory of Social Darwinism. Social Darwinism sparked the belief that Anglo-Saxons were biologically superior to other races. -
Florence Nightingale opens a nursing training school
Florence Nightingale was the centerpiece of the development of nursing as a serious practice in Europe. During the Crimean War, due to a lack of care for soldiers, Florence was asked to form a corps of nurses to help care for injured soldiers. Met with horrible conditions, Nightingale and her army of 34 nurses cleaned the cesspool of disease. In the report that she wrote after the war, 16,000 out of the 18,000 deaths of the Crimean War were deaths of disease, not of inflicted wounds. -
Alexander II frees the serfs
Alexander II enacted many progressive reforms during his time as the Czar of Russia. His most significant reform was the emancipation of the serfs. This granted citizenship to more Russians than ever before. -
Prince Albert dies
Prince Albert was the husband of Queen Victoria. He assembled the crystal palace. This building housed Britain's first world fair. It was very successful, hosting people from 44 foreign countries. The marriage between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria was one of mutual attraction. Queen Victoria remained in mourning for the remainder of her life. -
Les Misérables is published by Victor Hugo
Les Miserables is the story of an escaped prisoner and his encounters with the revolutionaries of post-Napoleonic France. This novel is considered one of the greatest books of the 1800s. Les Miserables has been adapted into to various languages, tv shows, and movies. -
A bill is introduced to disestablish the Irish Anglican Church
The disestablishment of the Irish Anglican Church meant that the clergy was able to redevelop the Irish church. This allowed separation between Ireland and Britain. -
Life expectancy rises by 5 years
A study was commissioned to study the life expectancy of the people of Europe. The study showed that life expectancy had risen by 5 years since the turn of the century. -
Karl Marx dies
Karl Marx was an innovator of communist and socialist ideology. He was heralded at his time for his thoughts on gender and class equality. -
The Picture of Dorian Gray is published
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a story of delusion and paranoia written by Oscar Wilde. His only book, it thrusted him into the literary renoun. -
Queen Victoria dies
Queen Victoria was the figurehead of England since the death of her father. She led Britain into being the leader of the world with colonization and economics. When she died, her son, Edward VII took the throne. -
Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, discover radioactivity
Marie Curie was a scientific innovator of her time. Looked over because of her sex, she was almost excluded from the opportunity of winning a Nobel Prize. Along with her husband, Pierre, she revolutionized science with her discovery of radium and polonium, eventually winning a Nobel Prize for their efforts. -
The Dreadnought is launched by the British
The Dreadnought was a warship launched by the British Army. This boat was faster and quieter than their boyant counterparts. -
World War I began after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand along with his wife was assassinated. On a trip to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, a member of a Bosnian nationalist group, Gavrilo Princip. He was arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison as he was very young at the time of the assassination. He ended up dying in prison in 1918. -
The Easter Rising begins
The Easter Rising, also known as the Easter Rebellion killed 590 people. Of the dead, 374 were civilians, 116 were British soldiers, 77 were insurgents, and 23 were police officers. The rebellion occurred because of Irish Republicans who were against British rule. -
The Russian revolution begins
The Russian Revolution began when Russian troops fired on a group of peaceful protesters outside the Winter Palace. This event injured and killed 1,000 people. The tensions continued when a coup takes place, leading to the kidnapping and eventual murder of the Romanov family. -
Czar Nicholas II is executed along with his family
Czar Nicholas II was the leader of Russia until the coup that would take his life and the life of his family. Unpopular among the poor and working-class, Nicholas was led by unsuited advisors who persuaded him not to listen to the demands of the people. The Murder of himself and her family came as a shock to the world and a rocky start to the new governing body in Russia. -
Mussolini gains power in Italy
Mussolini was the dictator of Italy for 21 years. He was known for his harsh policies and his opposition to progression, especially the progression of women. He banned abortion and significantly restricted access to birth control. His tyrannical rule came to an end when he was voted out of power and arrested. -
The Stock Market crashes
The Stock Market crash led to the worst economic crisis in history. The unemployment rate rose to 40% in some European countries. Of the countries in Europe, Germany was hit the hardest with a 43% unemployment rate. The great depression was a large factor of the rise of nationalism in Germany. -
Kristallnacht ensues due to Nazi policy
Hitler and the Nazi Party's hate spread to the people of Germany, especially with the instance of Kristallnacht. On November 9th, a mob of people began to burn and loot Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses. These instances were not punished and forced the Jewish people of Germany to live in fear more than they already were. -
World War II begins when Germany invades Poland
While Germany is feeling the effects of having to pay for the damages of WWI, they are additionally hit with the economic effects of the Great Depression. With these economic setbacks that were due to outside country interference, the citizens of Germany leaned on Nationalism to isolate themselves from who they believed to be the enemy. This led to the rise of Hitler. When he became chancellor he invaded Poland, beginning WWII. -
The Nuremberg Trials begin
The Nuremberg trials were the trials of prominent Nazi figures after the event of the Holocaust and WWII. 177 people were put on trial for their crimes against humanity, 24 of them were sentenced to death, 2 were sent to lifelong imprisonment, 98 were imprisoned for a determined amount of time, and 25 of them were found not guilty. These trials were significant because it was the first time that the Nazis were held responsible for their actions during WWII. -
The Soviet Union blocked resources from allied areas of Berlin
The Berlin Blockade occurred for 11 months. This blockade was enacted because the Soviet union wanted to make West Berlin dependent on them for food and other resources by cutting off their contact with the rest of West Germany. As a result, the West began to airlift supplies for the people of West Berlin. -
Queen Elizabeth II is coronated to the British throne
Queen Elizebeth, born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, is the current figurehead of the United Kingdom. She came to the throne after the death of her father, George VI. She is the longest ruler in English history, having ruled for 70 years. -
Stalin dies
Joseph Stalin died at the age of 74 in 1953. He was the leader of the Soviet Union after de-throning Vladimir Lenin. After his death, Nikita Khrushcev and Geirgi Malenkov took control of the running of the country. -
Sputnik is launched into space
Sputnik, a USSR satellite, was a product of the Cold War space race. This vessel was the first craft to reach space. A win for the Soviet Union, Sputnik provided data on the density of space. Sputnik was a large triumph for not just the Soviet Union, but a triumph for the entire scientific world. -
The Berlin Wall is erected
The Berlin wall was created in order to keep the “fascist west” out of Soviet-controlled East Berlin. To this day, the wall is one of the strongest reminders of the cold war. -
Francisco Franco dies
Francisco Franco was the dictating ruler of post-civil war Spain. He was a nationalist and fascist individual who ruled with an iron fist. As he ruled, he was known for being ruthless. He has been identified as one of the worst dictators in history. -
The Chernobyl nuclear plant explodes, effecting 100,000 people
The Chernobyl explosion originally only killed 31 people during the blast, but the radiation infected a hundred thousand people sent to clean the nuclear site. This disaster shocked the world and brought down people’s confidence in nuclear energy. Due to the explosion the 1,000 square miles around the plant are uninhabitable, but within the safe radiation limits for human life. -
The Berlin Wall Falls
The Berlin wall was up for almost 30 years, spanning 27 miles. During the time of its prominence, 171 people were killed in the attempt to cross this wall. On November 9th, 1989, The East Berlin Communist party announced that East Berliners were free to cross. -
The Cold War ends
The Cold War, spanning from March 12, 1947 - December 26, 1991, was a tense rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. The 45-year span of different proxy wars was