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Period: 500 BCE to 400 BCE
Ancient Greek Democracy
Ancient Greek Democracy was a system called demokratia. It was made up of three areas: a government that made laws and policies, a council made up of reps from different tribes, and citizens who could bring cases to lottery-selected jurors. Its effect on classical liberalism is that the Greeks had citizen control of government and all citizens were equal under the law. -
Jun 15, 1215
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is a charter of liberties signed after a rebellion based on taxation and policies led by England’s nobles. Its effect on classical liberalism is that citizens were given more rights and freedoms, and the monarchy had to obey the laws as well. -
Period: 1300 to
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period in Europe where arts, philosophy, and politics were discussed by great thinkers, writers, politicians, and scientists. Exploration of the world opened up new opportunities and cultures. Its effect on classical liberalism is that it gave citizens the ideas of individual human rights which lead to property and religious rights and freedom from servitude. -
Period: 1450 to
Haudenosaunee Confederacy
The members of the Haudenosaunee confederacy of Aboriginal nations are the Seneca, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga Mohawk, and Tuscarora. They are united by the Great Law of Peace as a political alliance with the spirit of togetherness. Its effect on classical liberalism is that the Great Law of Peace included individual rights such as freedom of speech and religion. -
Period: Oct 31, 1517 to
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a religious and political shift based on Martin Luther’s proclamation that splintered the Catholic church into a new group, the Protestants. Its effect on classical liberalism is that it gave citizens the option to break away from the controlling church and encouraged them to read the Bible for themselves, which increased reading skills. -
Period: to
Age of Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers in Europe questioned tradition and thought human life could be improved by changing old systems. embraced the notion that humanity could be improved through rational change. This period is also known as the Age of Reason. Its effect on classical liberalism is that it was the age of thinking when citizens began to think for themselves and question traditional thinking. It directly inspired the American and French revolutions. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period of scientific and technological development that encouraged citizens to move into cities to get jobs. Mass production gave them access to goods that used to be hard or impossible to come by. Its effect on classical liberalism is that citizens began to move into cities and form a middle class that owned property, traded,and pushed for social changes. -
Period: to
American Revolution
The American Revolution or the Revolutionary War was the result of colonies wanting to separate from Britain to have control of their lives, property, juries, and government. In 1776 they signed the Declaration of Independence to create a new set of rules to live by. Its effect on classical liberalism is that it gave citizens control of the government and individual rights. -
Period: to
French Revolution
The French Revolution was a period where French citizens completely changed their politics and how they were governed by forcefully ending the monarchy and the feudal system. It was successful because it was based on the will of the people. Its effect on classical liberalism is that it was the end of the feudal system in France, meaning citizens were no longer forced to live on nobility land and pay them. -
Changes to class system
Social classes are set divisions within a society that keep people separated and locked into that way of living. As classical liberalism grew, social classes weakened because that philosophy encouraged individualism and humanism, where each person had a worth they didn’t have in the past. This gave them more opportunities to make money, build a new life, connect with different groups, move to cities, etc.