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Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
Montesquieu classifies three main kinds of government: democratic republics the willingness to put the interests of the community ahead of private interests. monarchies, the desire to attain greater rank and privilege. despotisms, One supreme ruler -
America declares independence
Before the American Revolution, rights were something granted by a king and his government. After the revolution, rights were naturally possessed by every individual. -
French Revolution
It was the first modern revolution because it changed the structure of society, rather than simply replacing the existing ruler or even the political regime, and created new ideologies to explain its course when nothing suitable could be adopted from the past. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory through a coup d’etat
He and two other people replaced the directory and were known as consuls. They created the napoleonic code which changed the government. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs should go to the most qualified. -
Haiti wins freedom from France
Haiti is the only country where slave freedom was taken by force. It was the only successful slave revolt in modern times. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor, begins to create a vast European Empire
This is important because Napoleon used this to justify the re-creation of a hereditary monarchy in France. He had a plebecite vote to justify this. He put the crown on himself to signify he had more power than the church. -
Padre Hidalgo calls for Mexican Independence
The Mexican Revolution destroyed the old government and army of the dictator Porfirio Diaz, and eventually changed the country's economic and social system in important ways. -
Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
This was the fall of Napoleon he is then sentenced to spend the rest of his life in saint helana.
