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44 BCE
the roman state
The Roman Senate votes to give extraordinary (dictatorial) powers to Octavian who then adopts the name Augustus, essentially ending the Roman Republic - democracy vanishes for centuries -
5 BCE
democracy in Athens
Image result for democracy in athens
Athenian democracy developed around the fifth century BC in the Greek city-state (known as a polis) of Athens, comprising the city of Athens and the surrounding territory of Attica, and is the first known democracy in the world. -
john locke
John Locke writes Two Treatises of Government outlining some liberal political ideals -
the spirit of laws
Montesquieu writes The Spirit of the Laws, explaining the need for three branches of government -
benjamin franklin writes to james parker
Benjamin Franklin writes to James Parker about the federal organization of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (Iroquois League) -
The continental congress
The Continental Congress (representing the Thirteen Colonies) adopts the Declaration of Independence, starting the process of creating the US republic -
british north america act
The nation-state of Canada is created through the passage of the British North America Act, providing responsible government for the former colonies -
secret ballot vote
Canada holds the first federal election to have secret ballot -
lenin dies
Lenin dies, opening the door for Stalin to take power in the USSR (leading to a ruthless dictatorship) -
The Persons’ Case
The Persons’ Case determines that women are in fact persons and should have full rights -
enabling act
Hitler passes the Enabling Act, moving Germany from a democracy to a dictatorship -
world war 2 ends
World War II ends, which also ends American-Soviet cooperation -
the Marshall Plan
Truman establishes Truman establishes the Marshall Plan to contain communist expansion (policy of containment) -
Berlin blockade
Berlin blockade and consequent airlift increases tensions -
NATO
Creation of NATO to deter any aggression from the Soviet bloc -
Korean War begins
Korean War begins after the USSR fails to show up for a veto in the UN, starting the first proxy war -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
Creation of the Warsaw Pact as a response to NATO through collective security -
peaceful co-existence
Khrushchev calls for peaceful co-existence -
The Hungarian Uprising
The Hungarian Uprising demonstrates that the Warsaw Pact is not ideologically unified, but this liberation movement is crushed by Warsaw Pact forces -
first nation suffrage
First Nations peoples in Canada are granted suffrage -
berlin wall
Berlin Wall is built to prevent further Western expansion in the region -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis almost leads to a nuclear war between the superpowers due to brinkmanship -
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty is signed -
The Prague Spring ends
The Prague Spring ends when the Soviet Union invades, followed by the Brezhnev Doctrine -
Vietnam War ends
Vietnam War ends, demonstrating the failure of containment and the Domino Theory -
Helsinki Accords
Helsinki Accords provide a degree of détente during the Cold War -
The Soweto Uprisings in South Africa
The Soweto Uprisings in South Africa protest the majority tyranny laws that prevented Black students from getting an education in their preferred language under the Apartheid rules; some students are killed by police. -
Solidarity trade union organizes the pro-democracy movement in Poland
Solidarity trade union organizes the pro-democracy movement in Poland -
reform party of canada
The Reform Party of Canada is created; one of their key platforms is the Triple E Senate -
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan leads to an increase of hostilities -
Berlin Wall is torn down
Berlin Wall is torn down, a year later Germany is reunified -
The Soviet Union ceases to exist
The Soviet Union ceases to exist, effectively ending the Cold War -
The Warsaw Pact is dissolved
The Warsaw Pact is dissolved, with some members seeking to join NATO -
START is signed
START is signed to reduce the number of nuclear weapons being created as a form of deterrence -
charlottetown accord
The referendum on the Charlottetown Accord, which would include special rights for First Nations and Francophone Canadians, fails to pass -
george w bush
George W. Bush wins his first term as president of the United States without winning a majority of the votes due to the US electoral college system. -
zimbabwe blames the uk
President Mugabe of Zimbabwe blames the UK for the cholera outbreak in his country, thus making the UK a scapegoat for the problems being faced in his country. -
bill c-16
The Harper Government passes Bill C-16, An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act, which brings in fixed date elections to Canada’s federal electoral system
