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Period: to
1750 - 1918
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Declaration of Independance
America wanted to be free from the holds of the British. They wanted to become independant. The Second Continental Congress appointed a committee of five men to write a Declaration of Independence from British Rule. Those five men were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. The Declaration of Independance was approved on the 4th of July, 1776, and America as we know it was born. -
Discovery of Uranus
Before this point in time, the universe was thought only to contain six planets; Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. However, once Frederick William Herschel discovered Uranus as a planet, it expanded the boundaries of the universe for the first time in history. Whilst Herschel found Uranus to be a planet, it was discovered my many astronomers before him. These people however believed it to be a regular star. -
First permanent photograph
The world's first permanent photograph from was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826. The image depicts the view from an upstairs window at Niépce's estate, Le Gras, in the Burgundy region of France. This invention is the ancestor of all modern film or photography devices and businesses Here is a website with more information -
Slavery is abolished in the British Empire
In July of 1833, a Bill to abolish slavery was passed in the House of Commons, and finally in the House of Lords on the 1st of August. After the French revolution, ideas of freedom came to Brittain, many people were inspired to revolt. The revolts shook the government, who eventually conceeded that abolishment of slavery was far less costly than a widespread war. -
First anisthetic
Crawford Long is recognized as the first surgeon to use an anisthetic for surgery. He used a form of inhaled diethyl ether as an anisthesia. -
California Gold Rush begins
James Wilson Marshall discovered gold while constructing a saw mill along the American River northeast of present-day Sacramento.The spark that ignited the gold rush occurred in May 1848 when Sam Brannan, a storekeeper in Sutter's Creek found gold and shouted it in the streets. Shortly after this, many residents flocked to the gold rush site.
Left is a picture of Sutter's Hill, where gold was discovered -
Charles Darwin publishes Origin Of Species
'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' is undoubtedly one of the most influential published pieces in history. It explained that animals adapted to their own surroundings by passing on charactistics needed to survive to their young, who passed it to their young. The species "evolved" in order to survive. It challenged the church's teachings by stating that humans were an advanced species of ape, who evolved in order to survive.
Left is a diagram of Darwin's evolution theory -
Women can vote
New Zealand becomes the first country to give women the right to vote. The women's suffrage was given assent be Governer Lord Glasgow, after two years of compaigning. Women voted for the first time on the 28th of Novermber. It was felt that if women were allowed to vote, it would encourage policies which protected families, as well as increasing the morality of politics. Left is a memorial, "Tribute to the Suffragettes" in Christchurch -
X-Rays Discovered
A German physicist named W. C. Roentgen discovered a unknown invisible light whilst working with cathode tubes. He discovered that this light would pass through thick paper, and eventually he found that it passed through flesh but left shadows of bone and metal on pieces of film. He named this the x-ray. This technology was used to observe bone fractures, gunshot wounds etc without cutting the flesh.
Left is an adaption of the first x-ray; Roentgen's wife's hand. -
Sinking of the Titanic
The Titanic was a ship that was the most luxuriest of its kind. It was also thought to be unsinkable. Therefore, the ship only carried 20n lifeboats, which was enough to carry only half of its 2,200 passengers. On its maiden voyage from England to New York, the Titanic sunk.
Left is a fragment from the "Washington Post" which announced the disaster. -
World War I begins
The First World War began when Britain and Germany went to war in August 1914, and the Australian Prime Minister Andrew Fisher's government pledged full support for Britain. The "War to end all wars" contained a staggering 50 countries that fought, as well as 26 neutral countries. The war was fought between the Entente Powers (allies) and the Central Powers. Many countries denied alliances with Germany, and did not participate in the war. -
1916 Summer Olympics cancelled for first time
After the outbreak of World War I in 1914, organization for the next summer Olympics continued because the war was not expected to last more than a few years. However, as the war contined, the 1916 Berlin Olympics were cancelled. This was the first time since their creation in 776 AD that the Olympics had been cancelled.
