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Jan 1, 1454
Publication of the Gutenberg Bible
Johannes Gutenberg created the first movable-type printing press (excluding the far earlier Chinese model, which was not nearly so influential on the western world) and used it to make the Bible available to more people. When paired with Martin Luther's Reformation and vernacularisation of the Bible, it quickly became a powerful tool that had a widespread effect across all social castes and got into nearly every corner of society. -
Jan 1, 1517
Martin Luther's 95 Theses
The posting of the 95 Theses marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, thereby weakening the power of the Catholic church and beginning the transfer of power from church to church-state, setting the stage for the independent support for scientific progress during the actual Age of Reason itself. -
Discourse on the Method is published
Rene Descartes published his iconic work "Discourse on the Method" and subsequently kicks off the age of reason. It outlined philosophies which govern the scientific method. -
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The Age of Reason
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Opening of the first English coffeehouse
Coffeehouses were major hubs of literary thought during the Age of Reason. People circulated and discussed books and ideas in coffeehouses back then, instead of the modern trend of being hipsters. -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is first published
This quarterly publication chronicled scientific thought in a much more magazine-ish way than the Encyclopedie, but nevertheless had a powerful impact on unifying the scientific community and furthering science as whole. It is still being published. -
French Academy of Sciences founded
The first major university which was hospitable to the Age of Reason, the French Academy of Sciences was founded in 1666 by King Louis XIV. It housed scientists like Christiaan Huygens (it is spelled correctly) and Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac. -
The Principia is published
Sir Isaac Newton publishes "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica," his dissertation on calculus and physics. It laid the foundations for modern physics and it is still widely consulted, although much corrected, to the present day. -
Two Treatises on Government is published
John Locke published his most well-known work, "Two Treatises on Government," at some point in the year 1689. It is a work that laid the foundation for the United States Constitution and government even to the present day. -
Freemasonry established in Europe
Freemasonry was a bastion of critical thought during the Age of Reason. It was the most popular Enlightenment organization. -
Encyclopedie first published
The "Encyclopedie," a landmark compendium of knowledge, was contributed to by many scientists over the course of its 21 years of publication and was the first book of its kind, setting the stage for modern scientific consultation, cooperation, and knowledge archival. -
Beginning of Debating Societies
The debating societies which began in London during the year 1780 were instrumental in furthering scientific and philosophic thought. It helped to refine the arts of thinking, public speaking, and civilized clash of ideas. -
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French Revolution
ImageOne of the bloodiest periods of European history, the French Revolution was a violent uprising against the oppressive caste system in place in France during the time. It created a large body of literature which is widely regarded as foundational "Age of Reason" thinking.
