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Period: 1300 to
Renaissance
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1453
Early Renaissance
The Ottoman Empire captures the city of Constantinople, signaling an end to the Byzantine Empire. -
1469
Early Renaissance
Lorenzo de Medici becomes head of the city-state of Florence. He is one of the great patrons of the arts. -
1485
Early Renaissance
Henry VII becomes king of England beginning the reign of the House of Tudor. -
1509
High Renaissance
Henry VIII becomes king of England -
1517
High Renaissance
Martin Luther posts his 95 theses on the door of the Church of Wittenberg. This signals the start of the Reformation. -
Period: 1550 to
Age of Absolutism
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Age of Absolutism
Philip sent a fleet of 130 massive Spanish warships armed with 3,000 cannons to crush England, but poor weather and Sir Francis Drake's smaller faster ships destroyed the Spanish Armada. -
Period: to
Enlightenment
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Enlightenment
Enlightenment was the Thirty Years’ War. This horribly destructive war compelled German writers to pen harsh criticisms regarding the ideas of nationalism and warfare. These authors, such as Hugo Grotius and John Comenius, were some of the first Enlightenment minds to go against tradition and propose better solutions. -
Enlightenment
The first major Enlightenment figure in England was Thomas Hobbes, who caused great controversy with the release of his provocative treatise Leviathan. -
Enlightenment
A half century later, John Locke came into the picture, promoting the opposite type of government—a representative government—in his Two Treatises of Government. -
Enlightenment
Many of the major French Enlightenment thinkers, or philosophes, were born in the years after the Glorious Revolution, so France’s Enlightenment came a bit later. -
Period: to
French Revolution
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Period: to
Industrial Revolution
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Period: to
American Revolution
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Industrial Revolution
The first practical steam engine is invented by Thomas Newcomen. Steam would become an important source of power for the Industrial Revolution. -
Enlightenment
In reaction to the rather empirical philosophies of Voltaire and others, Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote The Social Contract, a work championing a form of government based on small, direct democracy that directly reflects the will of the population. -
American Revolution
Britain sets a tax that requires a stamp on all public documents like newspapers or legal documents. The colonists did not like having this tax placed on them. -
American Revolution
After the Boston massacre, the Boston tea party occurred, angry with a new tax on tea, some Boston colonists calling themselves the Sons of Liberty board British ships and dump crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
American Revolution
The Revolutionary War starts and Paul Revere makes his famous ride to warn the colonists that the "British are coming". Battle of Lexington and Concord .The actual fighting starts with the first "shot heard around the world". The Americans win as the British retreat. Capture of Fort Ticonderoga . Major battle where William Prescott told the American troops "don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes". -
American Revolution
The Continental Congress agrees to Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence. George Washington Crosses the Delaware. George Washington and his troops cross the Delaware River on Christmas night and surprise the enemy. -
American Revolution
Articles of confederation defined the official government of the United States. The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. British General Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown was the unofficial end to the war and leaded to the Treaty of Paris. -
French Revolution
The Third Estate (commoners) declares the National Assembly. -
French Revolution
The "Flight to Varennes" occurs when the royal family, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, attempt to flee France. They are captured and returned to France. -
French Revolution
King Louis XVI formally signs the new constitution. -
French Revolution
The September Massacres occur, thousands of political prisoners are killed before they can be freed by royalist troops. -
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution spreads to the United States when Samuel Slater opens the first textile mill in Rhode Island. Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin greatly increasing the productivity of processing cotton. -
French Revolution
Napoleon overthrows the Directory and establishes the French Consulate with Napoleon as leader of France. This brings an end to the French Revolution. -
Period: to
Napoleonic Era
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Napoleonic Era
Napoleon restructures French educational system. -
Napoleonic Era
Napoleon sells the Louisiana territory to the U.S.A. -
Napoleonic Era
Britain declares war on France. -
Napoleonic Era
Napoleon crowns himself Emperor, in the company of the Pope. -
Napoleonic Era
Napoleon and Spain divide Portugal through a secret treaty. -
Industrial Revolution
Robert Fulton starts the first successful steamboat operation with his boat the Clermont. -
Industrial Revolution
The telegraph is invented by Samuel Morse. This changes the way people can communicate from long distances. Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanized rubber. -
Industrial Revolution
Around this time the Second Industrial Revolution begins. This phase of the Industrial Revolution is characterized by rapid expansion of new technologies such as the telephone, railroads, and electrical power.
