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Birth
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 and was the second of eight children of parents John Dickens and Elizabeth Barrow. His family was very poor and dreamed of one day finding wealth. His father was a naval clerk and his mother hoped to become a teacher. This event was significant because Dickens would one day become one of the most esteemed authors of the nineteenth century.
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War of 1812 Ends
On December 24, 1812, the Treaty of Ghent was signed in Ghent, Belgium, ending the War of 1812. The war was fought between Great Britain and the United States. This war was significant because it created a sense of pride in the American colonists because they were able to defeat the strongest army in the world at that time.
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Working at a Young Age
In 1824, when Charles was 12, his father was arrested because he was in debt and could not repay it. Charles was forced to leave school and go to work to provide for his family. He worked in a boot blacking factory under horrible conditions. His job made Charles lose his innocence along with his trust in his parents. Working in the blacking factory was a significant part of Dickens's life because he later wrote about the dreadful working conditions in his books.
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Working at the Doctor's Common
Charles's father received a family inheritance and paid off his debts, so Charles returned to school. He did well but did not take it too seriously. However, he had to leave school again in 1827 to help provide for his family. He got a job as a reporter at a Doctor's Common, which dealt with wills and divorces. Charles wrote down what lawyers said and was the best reporter at the Common. This job was significant because it helped start Dickens's writing career.
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The Invention of the Modern Match
British chemist John Walker accidentally invented the modern match in 1827. He discovered that a stick coated with a certain mixture of chemicals would catch fire when rubbed against a rough surface. He began to sell these "Friction Lights" in his shop on April 12, 1827. Walker's invention was significant to world history because it revolutionized the way fire was created. It made fire-making much easier and is still used to light fires today.
("John Walker's Friction Light") -
Meeting Maria Beadnell
In 1830, Charles Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell. He fell madly in love with her and dreamed of her being his wife. However, Maria's family disapproved of Dickens and did not think of him as a suitable son-in-law. They sent Maria to school in Paris so Dickens could not see her. The heartbreak of losing Maria was significant for Charles because he would write about his love for her in David Copperfield and base the wife in the book on Maria.
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Oliver Twist
In November 1838, Charles Dickens published Oliver Twist. It is about an orphan living in England and emulates how the boot blacking factory stripped Dickens of his innocence as a child. It depicts factories as horrible places to work. It was first published in parts in different English magazines before it was published as a book. Oliver Twist was significant to Dickens because it was his first published novel and was popular in both America and England.
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Irish Potato Famine
From 1845-1852, a fungal infection known as Phytophthora infestans arose in Ireland, poisoning the potato crops. The stable crop of Ireland at the time was potatoes, and the loss of crops caused many Irish people to starve or emigrate from Ireland. This event was significant because over one million Irish starved to death and another million were forced to leave the country.
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The Communist Manifesto is Published
On February 21, 1848, the Communist Manifesto was published in London, England. The pamphlet, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, claimed that if the working class were dominant in a country's society, conflicts between social classes would end. The publishing of the Communist Manifesto influenced many countries in the 20th Century, and Marxist governments ruled over almost half of the world's population by 1950, making it a significant part of the world's history.
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David Copperfield is Written
David Copperfield was written in 1849 and 1850. The book was a combination of social events occurring in England and Charles's life during his career at the time it was written. The book used elements from his life, such as his depressing childhood, pursuit of a job in literature, and love life. This book was significant because it was Dickens's favorite book out of the all of the ones he had written.
("Charles John Huffam Dickens") -
Family Deaths
In 1851, both Charles's father and daughter passed away within two weeks of each other. Their deaths deeply saddened Dickens and started a period of time where he wrote his "dark" novels, some of which include Little Dorrit, Bleak House, and Hard Times. The deaths of Charles's father and daughter were significant to his life because the dark novels he wrote while mourning these deaths are "...[ranked] among the greatest triumphs of the art of fiction."
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Publishing Little Dorrit
Little Dorrit was written from 1855-1857. It was one of Dickens's dark novels and symbolized England as a prison and through a little girl who is shown the darkness of the world. The conflict of the book is between the cruelty of the world and the morals of people, and through this conflict he had shown his knowledge of society at the time. Little Dorrit was significant to Dickens's life because it was regarded as one of the best novels he ever published.
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A Tale Of Two Cities is Published
A Tale of Two Cities was written and published in 1859. It is a historical fiction novel about the French Revolution and the self-sacrifice of the main character. The book is still read today mainly in schools. This novel was significant in Charles Dickens's life because it led Dickens out of his dark novels era.
("Charles John Huffam Dickens") -
The Origin of Species
On November 24, 1859, Charles Darwin published a book called the Origin of Species. This book explained the theory of evolution and how animals develop traits based on what they need to survive in their environment. His book was based on observations of 14 types of finches that he studied in the Galapagos Islands. This event was significant because Darwin's work went against the beliefs of the church and caused a lot of controversy between science and religion.
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Assassination of President Lincoln
On April 14, 1865, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth at the Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. While watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" from his own private box over the stage, Booth sneaked into Lincoln's box and shot him in the back of the head. He was pronounced dead the following morning. Lincoln's assassination was significant because the whole nation went into a state of mourning, and Booth was hanged.
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Death
Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870, at age 58 in Kent, England. He had been in a train accident in 1865 that left him weak with health problems. In 1870, Dickens had a stroke and died. Dickens's death was significant because the entire country of England was heartbroken by it. Dickens is remembered today as one of the greatest and most important writers of the nineteenth century.
(Biography.com Editors)
