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Enlightenment Timeline

  • Start of the Enlightenment

    Start of the Enlightenment
    An intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional doctrines, laying the groundwork for modern science and political thought.
    Smith, J. (2020). The Enlightenment: An intellectual revolution. Academic Press.
  • Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica

    Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica
    This landmark work formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation, reinforcing the role of rationality in understanding the natural world.
    Newton, I. (1999). The Principia: Mathematical principles of natural philosophy (I. B. Cohen A. Whitman, Trans.). University of California Press. (Original work published 1687)
  • Publication of John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government

    Publication of John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government
    Locke's work advocated for the idea of a social contract and natural rights, influencing future democratic governance and revolutionary thought.
    Locke, J. (1960). Two treatises of government (P. Laslett, Ed.). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1689)
  • Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws

    Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws
    Advocated for the separation of powers within government, an idea that would heavily influence the formation of modern democratic institutions.
    Montesquieu, C. de S. (1989). The spirit of the laws (A. M. Cohler, B. C. Miller, H. S. Stone, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1748)
  • Voltaire’s Candide

    Voltaire’s Candide
    A satirical novella criticizing optimism and established religion, embodying Enlightenment ideals of reason and criticism of power structures.
    Voltaire. (2005). Candide, or optimism (T. Cuffe, Trans.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1759)
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s The Social Contract

    Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s The Social Contract
    Proposed that legitimate political authority comes from a social contract agreed upon by all citizens, which would later influence the French Revolution.
    Rousseau, J.-J. (1968). The social contract (M. Cranston, Trans.). Penguin Books. (Original work published 1762)
  • American Declaration of Independence

    American Declaration of Independence
    Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this document asserted the colonies' right to self-governance and reflected Enlightenment principles of individual liberty.
    Jefferson, T. (1776). The declaration of independence. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris
    Ended the American Revolutionary War and marked the first significant success of Enlightenment-inspired political change.
    Morris, R. B. (1970). The peace negotiations of 1783: An examination of the Treaty of Paris. Yale University Press.
  • Meeting of the Estates-General

    Meeting of the Estates-General
    Convened by King Louis XVI to address France’s financial crisis, this event triggered the beginning of revolutionary action as the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly.
    Doyle, W. (2001). The Oxford history of the French Revolution (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
  • Storming of the Bastille

    Storming of the Bastille
    A pivotal event in the French Revolution symbolizing the fall of the monarchy's absolute power and the rise of the people's voice.
    Schama, S. (1989). Citizens: A chronicle of the French Revolution. Random House.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

    Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
    Adopted by the National Assembly, this document outlined the fundamental rights of citizens and emphasized liberty, equality, and fraternity.
    National Assembly of France. (1789). Declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen. In J. Stewart (Ed.), Documents of the French Revolution (pp. 45–48). Academic Publications.
  • Women’s March on Versailles

    Women’s March on Versailles
    Thousands of Parisian women marched to Versailles demanding bread and forcing King Louis XVI to move to Paris, signifying popular pressure on the monarchy.
    Hunt, L. (2004). Politics, culture, and class in the French Revolution (20th anniversary ed.). University of California Press.
  • Execution of King Louis XVI

    Execution of King Louis XVI
    The king was tried for treason and executed by guillotine, which marked the radical phase of the French Revolution.
    Doyle, W. (2018). The French Revolution: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
  • Reign of Terror

    Reign of Terror
    Led by Robespierre and the Committee of Public Safety, this period was characterized by intense political purges and executions to defend the Revolution.
    Hampson, N. (1974). The terror in the French Revolution. Arnold.
  • Fall of Robespierre

    Fall of Robespierre
    Robespierre’s arrest and execution ended the Reign of Terror and led to a more moderate phase of the Revolution known as the Thermidorian Reaction.
    McPhee, P. (2012). Robespierre: A revolutionary life. Yale University Press.
  • Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

    Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte
    Napoleon's coup d'état of the 18th Brumaire led to the establishment of the Consulate, marking the end of the revolutionary government and the start of his rise to power.
    Roberts, A. (2014). Napoleon: A life. Viking Press.
  • Napoleonic Code

    Napoleonic Code
    Napoleon's comprehensive set of laws unified French legal principles, emphasizing meritocracy and the protection of property rights, and spread Enlightenment ideals across Europe.
    Bertaud, J. P. (1986). The Napoleonic Code and its legacy. Harvard University Press.
  • Napoleon Crowned Emperor

    Napoleon Crowned Emperor
    Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor of the French, consolidating his power and signaling a shift from revolutionary ideals to imperial rule.
    Jones, C. (2002). Napoleon: Emperor of the French. Basic Books.
  • Battle of Austerlitz

    Battle of Austerlitz
    Known as Napoleon’s greatest victory, this battle demonstrated his military prowess and secured French dominance over Europe.
    Chandler, D. G. (1966). The campaigns of Napoleon. Macmillan.
  • Russian Campaign

    Russian Campaign
    A disastrous military campaign in which Napoleon’s Grand Army suffered severe losses due to harsh winter conditions and Russian tactics, leading to his downfall.
    Zamoyski, A. (2004). 1812: Napoleon’s fatal march on Moscow. Harper Perennial.
  • Napoleon’s First Exile

    Napoleon’s First Exile
    Following defeat by the Sixth Coalition, Napoleon was exiled to Elba, signaling the temporary restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in France.
    Dwyer, P. (2013). Napoleon: The path to power 1769–1814. Yale University Press.
  • Hundred Days and Battle of Waterloo

    Hundred Days and Battle of Waterloo
    Napoleon returned to power for a brief period known as the Hundred Days but was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, ending his rule.
    Horne, A. (2006). The age of Napoleon. Modern Library.
  • Congress of Vienna

    Congress of Vienna
    A conference held to reorganize Europe after the Napoleonic Wars, aiming to restore stability and balance of power across the continent.
    Kissinger, H. A. (1957). A world restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the problems of peace 1812–22. Weidenfeld Nicolson.