-
Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
Montesquieu believed in the seperation of powers, where power was distributed throughout a government, so one branch of governement would not overpower another branch. Montesquieu sparked the idea of checks and balances. -
America Declares Independence
Thomas Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence, taking ideas from Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Beccaria. In the Declaration, they state how the king imposed "taxation without representation" and how their rights were being taken away by the King. -
French Revolution
The French Revolution is started by the Enlightenment, when members of the poor 3rd estate of France are educated about basic rights of man and the sucess of the American Revolution. In addition, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were weak leaders who did not pay attention to the needs of their people. -
Napoleon Overthrows the Directory through a Coup d'Etat
After a long and bloody French Revolution, Napoleon seizes power by "Coup d'Etat," or a sudden siezure of power. Led on by his friends and France's need for a strong leader, he is elected through a plebicite, or the "vote of the people." Napoleon soon crowns himself emperor of France by taking the crown from the Pope and become the supreme leader of France. -
Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor, Begins to Create a vast European Empire
With a coup d'etat, Napoleon suddenly takes power as one of the consuls. However, Napoleon wanted to become the most powerful person of France. So, by the support of the French, Napoleon takes the crown from the Pope and places it on his own head. By doing his Napoleon signified that he was more powerful than the Church. -
Haiti wins Freedom from France
The slaves in Haiti were inspired the the Vodou priest named Boukman, when he told the slaves about the Enlightenment. The slaves, having realized that they had the same rights as their slaveholders, began an uprising in Haiti. Toussaint L'Ouverture emerged as a leader for the uprising in Haiti. Toussaint leads the slaves to victory, and the slaves are in control of the island. -
Padre Hidalgo Calls for Mexican Independence
Padre Hidalgo, although only a poor priest of a small village, was the man responsible for the Mexican independence. Hidalgo starts the revolution by ringing the bells of the local church to call the people. When the peole gathered around the church, he called for Mexican independence, influenced by the Enlightenment. -
Napoleon is Defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
After escaping his first prison in Elba, Napoleon returned to France for his final "Hundred Days." Napoleon commands his army in the Battle of Waterloo against the Duke of Wellington, but loses to the British and the Prussians. After Napoleon's defeat, he is sent off to St. Helena, where he dies in exile.
