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Military Revolution of the 17th century (Parker, 1988)
The 16th and 17th century was a moment in time which saw a series of changes in the "art" of warfare, these events have since been grouped together as the Military Revolution. The change that was noted as particularly important was the appearance of large state armies.
(David Eltis, Military Revolution in 16th century Europe) -
Period: to
European History
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Publication of Urania Propitia (Date of exact publication unknown)
In 1650 Maria Curitz, a German astronomer, published her book Urania Propitia. Urania Propitia provides a more comprehensible version of Kepler's Problem and includes other astronomical tables. -
Premiere of Ballet de la Nuit. Source: Ballet royal de la Nuit. Louis XIV en Apollon., 1653. Watercolour. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.
Jean-Baptiste Lully was the principal composer for the court of Louis XIV. His "Ballet de la Nuit" premiered on February 23, 1652. "Ballet de la Nuit" was a court ballet featuring Louis XIV as the Olympian god Apollo. This painting depicts Louis XIV dressed in his Apollo costume. The ballet was composed specifically for Louis and his portrayal as a Greek god further reinforces his absolutist power. -
The Bill of Rights, 1689 (Glorious Revolution)
The Bill of Rights was created and ratified by the Parliament of England; it marked the end of the Glorious Revolution. The revolution resulted in the deposition of James II and the ascension of William and Mary to the throne of England. The bill augmented the authority of parliament, allowing it to place key restrictions on the power of the Monarchy; hence it encapsulates England's transition into a constitutional monarchy. -
Widespread use of Gunpowder Weapons (Merriman, 2010)
The 17th and 18th century marked the beginning of the increased use of gunpowder weapons in conventional warfare. The real effects of this change were felt in colonial settings, where aboriginal forces were severly outmatched in terms of weaponry.
(Highlanders in combat, by Dmitrii Zgonnik) -
Publication of the French Translation of Newton's Principia Mathematica (Exact date of publication unknown)
The cover page of Emilie du Chatelet's French translation of Newton's Principia Mathematica. Emilie du Chatelet was a French mathematician and physicist who lived from 1706 to 1749. She is best known for this translation, which is still in circulation, and her relationship with Voltaire. -
Mozart's opera Mitridate, rè di Ponto opens in Milan. Source: Mozart, Wolfgang A. Wolfgang A. Mozart to Maria A. Mozart, December 29, 1770. In Mozart's Words.
"Mitridate, re di Ponto" is one of Mozart's earliest operas. The opera impressed the audience of Milan. Although Mitridate is overshadowed by Mozart's later works, his first opera marks his transition between writing music for a patron and writing for the public. In his letter to his wife, he describes the audience response and comments on the changing role of patronage in composing. Specifically, he notes that even having a notable patron will not guarantee the success of a work anymore. -
Princess Dashkova of Russia
Princess Dashkova of Russia lived from 1743 until 1810. She was a member of Catherine the Great's court and is known as a major figure in the Russian Enlightenment. She was not a scientist in her own right, but is known for her patronage of the sciences and as a director of the Imperial Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Russian Academy. -
Discovery of the 35P/Herschel–Rigollet Comet
The date that the 35P/Herschel–Rigollet Comet was first spotted. It was discovered by the German British astronomer, Caroline Herschel. Herschel lived from 1750 until 1848 and was a well known astronomer and the first woman to be paid for her work in the field of science. -
Women's March on Versailles, 1789. (French Revolution)
The Women's March on Versailles was a vital part of the French Revolution; the painting depicts women whose anger at high bread prices combined with revolutionary actvities leads them to March on the French Court in Versailles and compell them to return to Paris. The event effectively ended the independence of the monarchy and symbolized how the French Revolution swept away the old rules and privilliges of the Ancien Regime along with the French Monarchy. -
Steamships (Chambers, 2000)
Much like their railroad counterparts, steamships allowed for easier transportation of supplies and soldiers. What set both appart is that steamships were eventually used for war, as they outmaneuvered and outran sail driven ships.
(HMS Devastation) -
La Muette de Portici, by Daniel Auber, 1828. (Belgian Revolution)
The Mute of Portici is an Opera by Fench composer Daniel Auber; it was first performed on 29 Febuary 1928, it contained several liberal political implications and experienced a surge in popularity in France after the 1830 July Revolution. A rehearsal of the Opera in Brussels inspired audiences to join nationalist rioters, linking the viewing to the struggle for Belgian Independence from the Netherlands. The event reflects the growing popularity of liberal and nationalist ideals across Europe. -
Robert Schumann's first music review. Source: Schumann, Robert. "Review of Chopin’s variations on Mozart’s 'Là ci darem la mano,' Op. 2," Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung 33, no. 49 (1831): 805-06.
Robert Schumann, a composer and music critic of the 19th century, wrote his first review in 1831, on Chopin’s variations on Mozart’s “Là ci darem la mano." The review is published in a musical journal, and written in the style of a story, to appeal to a middle class public that is beginning to attend performances. The growing popularity of music created demand for music journalists. Reviews became a valuable way for the middle class to learn about composers and performers. -
Premiere of Verdi's Nabucco. Source: Verdi, Giuseppe. "Va, pensiero," from Nabucodonosor.
Verdi was the most dominant composer in 19th century Italy. Nabucco was considered Verdi's first successful opera. The chorus "Va, pensiero" was used as a nationalist anthem during Italian unification and after it. The chorus describes home and the longing to return home, a theme that resonated with many Italians in the 19th century. -
Manifesto of the Swiss Diet to the Army, 1847. (Sonderbund War)
This manifesto addresses the Swiss Federal Amry and is aimed to justify the cause of the Confederate forces and de-legitamize the claims of the catholic, seperatist Sonderbund alliance. The diet at the time was controlled by Radicals who championed secular, federal nationlist ideals in the manifesto. Their centralizing, secularising efforts were suppourted by a majority of cantons despite the Catholic resistance; showing the rise of secular nationalism in Europe during the 1800s. -
Steam Locomotives (Creveld, 2004)
During the Franco-Prussian war, Prussia began to use their railroads to supply the front with soldiers, horses, vehicles, and supplies, while also using them as a means to communicate first with messengers then to house telegraph wires. The impact here is seen in the importance of logistical support, which is said to have won WWI for the allies.
(Picture of Prussian T7) -
First year FA Cup is played. Source: "Football." The Times (London, England), Nov. 12, 1880, 4. Gale Virtual Reference Centre.
Football was originally introduced by the government as a means of controlling the working class. It grew in popularity and the standardization of rules allowed the sport to spread across Great Britain. The Football Assocation was created with a standard rule set and a challenge cup for all the clubs involved. The article "Football" in The Times newspaper praises how economical the sport is and analyzes its growth in popularity over the 15 preceding years. -
Aviation (Eye Witness History, 2001)
On top of its other uses with the scope of warfare, aviation eventually resulted in civilians becoming a strategic target for countries to target. This is seen in cases like the London Blitz, in which the German Luftwaffe bombed London for 57 straight days.
(Luftwaffe bombers) -
Radar (Foley, 2001)
Radars, or RAdio Detection And Ranging, is a device which allows for the locating of large objects. After slow development, it saw heightened interest during WWII and ultimately helped the Allies win (for they have superior radar tech). Extending far beyond impacting the war, combined with jet engines, radar technology allowed for the development of the travel airlines of the 21st century. -
The Order of Merit Awarded to Florence Nightengale
Florence Nightengale was awarded The Order of Merit in 1907 for her contributions to modern nursing. She was English born in 1820 and died in 1910. She is known for reforming nursing practices. The Order of Merit was awarded to her for her ongoing contributions to the field of nursing. -
Marie Curie is awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry
Marie Curie was a Polish French physicist and chemist. She lived from 1867 until 1934 and was at the forefront of research on radioactivity. She contributed immensely to the field and was awarded her second Nobel Prize in 1911 for discovering radium and polonium and the work she did with both elements. -
"Long Live World October", 1917. (October Revolution)
The October Revolution in Russia led to the rise to power of Lenin and his Bolshevik Party; this was the beginning of Soviet Russia. This propagnada poster commemorates the revolution and highlights its global aspiration along with outlining the social class of its enemies (Capitalists and Clergymen). The document is symbolic of the growing influence of Communism in Europe and the panic this created among the European establishment, particularily the Bourgeois. -
Giovanni Gentile "Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals." Il Mondo, April 21, 1925. (Fascist Revolution in Italy)
The Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals was authored by Giovanni Gentile an actuaist philosopher; it was published in Il Mondo, the newspaper of the Fascist Party. It resulted from the March 29, 1925 Conference of Fascist Culture in Bologna; 250 Italian intellectuals signed the Manifesto which provided ideological justification for Mussolini's Fascist Revolution of 1922. Hence it signifies the poularity of Fascism in post WWI Europe; particularily among the newly unified European states. -
Metropolis premieres. Source: Lang, Fritz. "The Future of the Feature Film in Germany." Die literarische Welt 2 no. 40 (1926): 3-6.
Metropolis is a German expressionist film that was made during the Weimar period. It is a science ficture film and one of the first feature-length films ever created. The director, Fritz Lang, writes the article "The Future of the Feature Film in Germany" to predict the future of film. He praises the visual effects film lends itself to and foresees film as a universal form of communication that could express ideas to all languages and peoples.
