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links and bibliography
Fisher, M. (n.d.). Exploring democracy · global events · museum of Australian democracy at old parliament house. Gov.au. Retrieved May 11, 2023, from https://explore.moadoph.gov.au/timelines/global-events Democracy (ancient Greece). (n.d.). Nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved May 11, 2023, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/democracy-ancient-greece/ -
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origins
The earliest well-documented direct democracy is claimed to be the Athenian democracy of the 5th century BC. The main bodies within the Athenian democracy were the assembly, composed of male citizens; the boul, composed of 500 citizens; and therefore the law courts, composed of a huge number of jurors chosen by lot, with no judges. Ancient Attica had only about 30,000 male citizens, but several thousand of them. -
Jan 1, 753
birth Roman republic
By the 4th Century BC, the plebs were given the right to stand for consulship and other majorween the leading families as a whole and the rest of the population, especially the plebeians. After years of conflicts the plebs forced the senate to pass a written series of laws which recognized certain rights and gave the plebs their own representatives, the offices of the state. -
american revolution
In July 1776, the 13 American colonies declare independence from Great Britain and establish the United States of America. The revolutionaries are inspired by republican ideals of equality, liberty and people’s right to govern themselves. A peace treaty in 1783 ends the war with Britain and recognises the sovereignty of the United States. -
French Revolution
The French people rise up against absolute monarchism and the feudal privileges of the aristocrats and Catholic clergy during a time of famine, unemployment and a national financial crisis. The revolution’s leaders support Enlightenment ideals of reason, liberty, equality and fraternity. -
Europe's first democratic constitution
The Polish Constitution of 3 May under King Stanislaw August is Europe’s first democratic codified constitution creating a constitutional monarchy. It introduces political equality between townsfolk and nobility, and places peasants under government protection. It is influenced by the British and American experience. -
Slave trade outlawed in the British Empire
Britain outlaws the slave trade in the British Empire, although it is still legal to own slaves. The complete abolition of slavery in Britain and its colonies does not occur until 1833. -
Napoleon defeated Waterloo
The defeat of France gives Britain about a century of largely unchallenged dominance as an imperial power. -
peterloo masacre
On 16 August a crowd of 60,000 assembles on St Peter’s Field in Manchester, England, to demand parliamentary representation for the city. ‘Rotten boroughs’, like Old Sarum with only 11 voters, had two Members of Parliament whereas Manchester, with 200,000 people, had none. Troops violently attempt to arrest the main speaker. Eleven people are killed and 500 injured. -
Spanish civil war
Forces of the Fascist General, Francisco Franco, are victorious in the overthrow of the Republican government in the Spanish Civil War. The war began when Army generals attempt a coup against the elected government. -
European Union
The Treaty on European Union (better known as the Maastricht Treaty) is signed in the Netherlands on 7 February by members of the European Community. The euro, the currency of the majority of the 27 EU member states, is introduced to world financial markets in 1999.