-
Feb 20, 1543
Start of the Enlightenment Period
The Enlightenment period is characterized by advances and dramatic changes. in terms of a new way of thinking, in science, philosophy, society and politics. New inventions gave way to new discoveries that changed the way people thought about the world, religion, and thinking in gerneral. -
Feb 20, 1543
Copernicus Challenges the Geocentric Idea
Copernicus published his book On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres which challenged the Ptolemaic system of a geocentric universe and put into play the idea of a heliocentric universe where the sun was considered the center of the universe. -
Galileo Galilei
Galileo bring mathematics into the Universal laws. He popularized the Copernician system and argued that nature displayed a mathematical rationality. -
Francis Bacon: The Baconian Method
Bacon is regarded as "the father of empiricism andof experimentation in science."(Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). Francis Bacon's book Novum Organum is published and "attacks the long-held belief that most knowledge had already been discovered." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). Bacon championed innovation and change and also encouraged people to trust in their own abilities. Knowledge was encouraged to be gained by observation and experimentation. References
Kagan, D., Ozmen -
Thoman Hobbes
His book Leviathan was published -
New Institutions of Expanding Natural Knowledge Created
The Royal Society of London was established and was the first institution of many to be established to share, exchange, and debate the ideas of the new science. This was in response to universities of the time being slow to incorporate the new sciences of the time in a timely fashion. -
John Locke
John Locke's Letter "Concerning Toleration" was published where he advocated toleration to different religions. This literary work laid the groundwork and paved the way for "future extension of toleration, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage Eleventh Ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education. -
Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu
Published "The Persian Letters" that critized the political institutions of European life and wanted to reform the governemnt. Came up with the division of power in the government and was one of his most influential ideas of the time. This idea had a profound effect on the forming of the Constitution of the United States and other liberal democracies. -
The High Enlightenment
"Centered on the dialogues and publications of the French “philosophes” (Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu, Buffon and Diderot), the High Enlightenment might best be summed up by one historian’s summary of Voltaire’s “Philosophical Dictionary”: “a chaos of clear ideas.” Foremost among these was the notion that everything in the universe could be rationally demystified and cataloged." (A&E Television Networks, 2016). References
A&E Television Networks. (2016). Enlightenment. Retrieved from Histor -
Philosopes: Voltaire's "Letters on the English" Published
The philosophes were writers and critics who wanted reform in all facets of life based on reason and commonsense. They also advocated for religious reform. Voltaire was a frenchman and one of the most influential philosophes of his time and published his book "Letters on the English" where he praised the English for their liberal policies and religious toleration and criticized France for abusing the French society. -
The Rise of the Agricultural Revolution
New techniques in land cultivation where land could be cleared quicker, experimentation with new crops , new inventions such as the speed drill greatly increased crop production which in turn was a factor in the increase in population. The increase in population increased the supply of food and theryby increased the demand for more jobs and services. This was the precurser to the Industrial Revolution. -
The Publication of the "Encyclopedia"
A project overseen by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert was considered as "one of the greatest monuments of the Enlightenment and its most monumental undertaking in the realm of print culture." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013).
The Encyclopedia contained the most advanced ideas of the time on religion, government, and phillosophy." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage Eleventh Ed. Upper -
Rise of the Industrial Revolution
"The Industrial Revolution was a time in the 18th century when many important inventions were made. Many of these inventions made work easier and cheaper. As these inventions created new manufacturing and industry, many people also moved away from farms into cities. It was a time of very rapid change in the world." (Softschools.com, 2005-2016). References
Softschools.com. (2005-2016). Industrial Revolution Timeline. Retrieved from Softschools.com: http://www.softschools.com/timelines/industri -
The Spinning Jenny is Invented
James Hargreaves invents the spinning jenny. This invention allowed multiple spindles of thread to be spun. The spinning jenny was a cottage machine used by people in rural areas. -
The Water Frame
This invention took the production of cotton out of the home and placed it in a factory setting. This machine was water-powered and created cotton of a purly cotton fabric instead of cotton fabric containing linen fiber. As a result of this invention, "many factories sprang up in the country side around springs that provided the necessary water power." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013).
References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage Eleventh Ed -
The Steam Engine
James Watt patents the steam engine which was powered by coal and provided an unlimited source of inanimate power to factories and had a "major impact on the growth of the industrialization." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage Eleventh Ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education. -
The Start of the French Revolution
France was deep in debt largely due to France's participation in the Seven Years' War during the American Revolution. This, in combination with the deeply burdoned peasants who bore most of the taxes, a bad harvest in 1788 which left most of the people starving, and an inept King Louis XVI and his lavishily spending wife Marie Antoinette left France in the midst of a civil war. -
Maximilien de Robespierre
The dominant figure of the Committee of Public Safety and the leader of the terror that brought so much suffering to the people of France. He was executed on July 28, 1794. -
The Reign of Terror
"In September 1793, the "Reign of Terror" spread all over the country. This was a cruel period when France was killing its people by hundreds in a frightening movement of rage and decadence. People were arrested and executed without trial if they were accused of being enemies of the revolution. It is estimated that about 40,000 people died during this 15 month period." (Bastille-day.com/, 2015).
References
Bastille-day.com/. (2015, July 1). Bastille Day and the French Revolution (1789). Retriev -
Establishment of the Directory
A five man executive body set up by the Constitution of Year III. The Directory was disliked by Conservatives and Republicans alike and was accused of corruption and incompetence. -
Coup d'etat
Napoleon overthrows the Directory replacing it with the French Consulate and Napoleon was the first consulate of three. -
Napoleon crowned Emperor
"Napoleon conquered most of Europe. France's victories changed the map of the Continent. The wars put an end to the Old Regime and its feudal trappings and forced those European states that remained independent to reorganize themselves to resist Napoleon'a armies." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013).
References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage 11th Ed. . Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education. -
The Battle of Waterloo
Marked the final defeat of Napoleon. -
The Congress of Vienna Renewed
"Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia renewed the Quadruple Alliance on November 20, 1815 . Henceforth, it was as much a coalition for maintaining peace as for pursuing victory over France." (Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). The original Congress of Vienna assembled in September, 1814.
(Kagan, Ozment, Turner, & Frank, 2013). References
Kagan, D., Ozment, S., Turner, F. M., & Frank, A. (2013). The Western Heritage 11th Ed. . Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
