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Locke was Born
John Locke was born on August 29th, 1632 in Wrington, UK. Hi mother died while he was an infant and Locke was raised by his father, who was an attorney in Pensford. He was homeschooled because of the civil war outbreak in 1642. After the civil war, when Locke was 14, he went to Westminister School. This event is significant because if Locke wasn't born, the enlightenment thinkers may have not been influences and the world may have never changed. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478-480) -
The English Civil Wars
The English Civil Wars was a series of wars starting in 1642. These wars were between King Charles I and the Parliament over the King having divine right and the Parliament following the constitution and placing limits on the monarchs power. The significance of this event is a break in the monarchy line when they executed King Charles I. This gave the people what they wanted which was getting rid of the monarch. A military dictatorship came from this. Source: (Swygart 404-408) -
End of the Ming Dynasty
On April 25th, 1644, The Ming Dynasty ended due to many problems in the Chinese Territory. Rebel invaders came to capture the last emperor but he didn't want that. The emperor told his people to commit suicide and he hung himself. The significance of this event is that the monarch system is an ineffective system. Some of the emperors had interest in different things that the people did not want but had to deal with. Ending the dynasty marked a new era in Chinese history. Source: (Zhang 437-439) -
Li Tzu-Ch'eng's Death
In July of 1645 Li Tzu-Ch'eng was killed by villagers. Li Tzu-Ch'eng was a Chinese bandit who called himself "Dashing General". He was caught during one of his rebellions and pretended to surrender but soon rebelled again. Later, he was defeated by villagers while raiding the villages food supply. The significance of this event was that it caused the downfall of the Ming Dynasty and there were to be no more rebellions led by him. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 452) -
Earthquake Destroys Cuzco, Peru
On March 31st, 1650, a deadly earthquake hit Cuzco, Peru. This earthquake would have measured a 7.5 on the Richter Scale. The earthquake destroyed the whole colony and killed many people. The significance of this event is that it brought changes to the way the future colonies were to be constructed. They rebuilt the churches with murals on canvases so they could easily be stored away. They also built the colony to hold a larger population to fit the growing population. Source: (Shuman 477-478) -
Locke was elected Senior Student at College
In 1658, John Locke was elected a Senior Student at Westminster College. During this time, Locke taught Greek and moral philosophy and he would have obtained his fellowship but instead he switched to medicine and received his license to practice. The significance of this event is that Locke taught Greek and moral philosophy which started his interest in philosophy event though he switched out to another faculty, medicine. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478) -
Made a fellow of the Royal Society
In 1668, John Locke was made a fellow of the Royal Society. It started as a friendship between Locke and Robert Boyle, one of the founders of the Royal Society. Locke took up the study of natural science and was made a fellow of the Royal Society. The significance of this event is that the friendship made that brought Locke into the Royal Society drew him into political affairs. This caused him to draft The Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478) -
Locke's Discussion concerning Mortality and Religion
In 1670, John Locke had a discussion concerning Mortality and Religion. This discussion wasn't resolved which made Locke think about "what objects our understandings were or were not fitted to deal with". The significance of this event is that it inspired some of Locke's essays. Without this discussion, Locke may have never wrote some of his famous writings that inspired people like the enlightenment thinkers and the world wouldn't be as it is. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478-479) -
Locke went to France for his Health
In 1676, John Locke traveled to France to check up on his health. Locke had a very delicate health and he when he was a child he had to be homeschooled during the civil war. The significance of this event is that if Locke didn't go check up on his health he may have lost his life due to a severe illness. If he died then he would have never written the essays and he would have never inspired the Enlightenment thinkers. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478) -
John Locke was released from Exile
Locke followed Shaftesbury to Holland and he remained there in exile from 1683 to 1689. While Locke was in exile he got his studentship taken away by Charles III. Locke was able to travel back to England after the Glorious Revolution in 1689. The significance of this event was that John Locke was able to come back and share the writings he composed during this time which would eventually inspire more people. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478) -
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
In 1699, John Locke wrote the Essay Concerning Human Understanding. This essay askes and tells about how people think and perceive things. It also talks about how people react to things. The significance of this writing is that it tells people that you may not be seeing things as they are. He is telling the people that they may be seeing only the surface of what is actually happening and people soon developed a deeper understanding of the world. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478-479) -
Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government
In 1690, John Locke wrote Two Treatises. In this writing, Locke asserted to the people that if a government did not protect them then they had the right to try and change it for the good of the people. The Significance of this event is that it inspired the enlightenment thinkers to act on the unfairness of the government and change it. This led to the Enlightenment period in Europe. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478-479) -
Locke drafted The Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina
In 1690, John Locke drafted the Fundamental Constitution of Carolina. This document gave a basis for the government of the new colony, Carolina. The significance of this event is that it created a foundation for the Carolina colony to be build on. They would already have a set government so no one can overrule the new colony. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478-480) -
Bank of England is Chartered
On July 27, 1694 the Bank of England was Chartered. The Bank of England is one of the oldest banks and it started a trend that other Western European countries follow. The idea started because the merchants needed a trustworthy place to store their money and then the bank was created. The significance of this event is that it created a more modern sense in the country and it gave greater political and economic control to the government. Source: (Schweikart 835-837) -
Ireland's First Public Library is built
On July 9th, 1701, Ireland's First Public Library is built by Narcissus Marsh. He realized that only students had access to the library. They couldn't check out a book and an employee had to be with them at all times. Marsh created a free library where people could take the books they wanted. The significance of this event is that it provided many books that impacted the intelligence of the people. It also provided a place for all of the past writings to be held in. Source: (Diana 25-26) -
Locke's Death
John Locke died on October 28th, 1704 at age 72. He was in his retirement home at Oates in Essex as a guest of the Mashams. Ralph Masham was also a philosopher like John Locke. This event is significant because it marked the end of John Locke's life but not his legacy. His death shows that Locke was very important. All of his works are still read by people and those people are continuing to be inspired by John Locke. Source: (Encyclopedia of World Biography 478)
