-
Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
In "On the Spirit of Laws", Montesquieu presented the idea of separation of powers. He believed this was the best form of government, because it would prevent any individual group from gaining total control of the government. This idea is now called checks and balances. -
America declares independence
In July of 1776, Thomas Jefferson completed the Declaration of Independence. This document was issued by the Second Continental Congress, and America was finally a free nation. -
French Revolution
One of the main reasons of the French Revolution is bases off of the success of the American Revolution. People of the Third Estate began questioning the rules of society, and thought about making their own rules. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory through a coup d’etat
The Directory had lost control of the French people, and they lost control of the political situation. Napoleon saw this as an opportunity to seize power. He gathered troops and surrounded the national legislature and drove out the Directory members. -
Haiti wins freedom from France
While Napoleon is becoming Emporer, Haiti wins its freedom from France. This was under the command of Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a lieutenant of Toussaint L'Ouverture, the leader of the slave revolt. Dessalines declared the colony an independent one in 1804. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor, begins to create a vast European Empire
In 1804, Napoleon declared himself emporer. During the ceremony, the Pope is traditionally the one to crown the royal. But Napoleon saw this as an opportunity for people to see he was the most powerful. He took the crown from the Pope, and placed it on himself, symbolizing that even he is more powerful than the Church. From then on, it began to create his empiring, conquering different countries. -
Padre Hidalgo calls for Mexican Independence
In 1810, a well-educated priest called for a town meeting. He rang the bells of the church and the people gathered. He explained to them the new ideas of enlightenment, and freedom. He was very persuasive because the very next day, his followers marched towards Mexico City. -
Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
In Napoleons last battle, he was defeated by the Duke of Wellington. This is because it was raining that day, and the main advantage Napoleon had was the element of surprise. But his horses could not go as quickly in wet soil, so he decided to wait it out. The Duke, being a clever man, discovered what Napoleon was doing, and attacked him with the element of surprise.