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500 BCE
Ancient Greek Democracy
Democracy as a political concept originated in the Greek city state of Athens. Though the democracies that arose during the 19th and 20th century differ in some parts greatly from Athenian democracy, the idea of a government where 'the people rule' that liberal thinkers valued was borrowed heavily from this earlier society. Looking back to ancient societies (especially Greece) for rediscoveries was an important feature of the renaissance. -
1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
The Magna Carta, medieval Latin for 'the Great Charter of the Liberties was a document signed by King John of England. The charter limited the power of kings and detailed some fundamental rights for the subjects of Britain. -
Period: 1300 to
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a time in European history loosely spanning the 14th and 17th centuries and was proceeded by the industrial revolution. During the Renaissance many thinkers looked back to the times of great ancient civilizations and 're-discovered' old technologies and ways of thinking. The intellectual basis of the times was partly founded in humanism and rationalism, a set of philosophical theories that will have a great affect on the liberal ideology of later dates. -
Period: 1500 to
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy or The Iroquois was a confederacy of six different tribes who all abide by the Great Law of Peace. The confederacy is believed by some to be the longest continually existing democracy. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were influenced by the Great Law of Peace for their part in drafting the American Constitution. -
Period: 1517 to
The Reformation
A name given for a time of restructuring for the Catholic church whom many believed had become corrupt and tyrannical. It began when a German pastor martin Luther published the Ninety-five Theses, a list of propositional reforms for the church. As a result of the Reformation, many branches of the church broke off to form their own denominations. The Reformation was influenced by humanist thinking a demonstrated a trend of reducing the role of religion in government. -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a time of great political and philosophical change. Most importantly to this assignment; various thinkers began publishing works and theories on a wide variety of topics such as economics, human nature, the social contract, etc. Some of the ideas that became widespread during this era would create the foundations of Liberalism as an Ideology -
Period: to
The American Revolution
The American Revolution was brewing since 1765 and came to a close in 1783. Though the whole thing really kicked off with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The american colonists were discontent with the high taxes places on them and their lack of representation in British government. As a result; they rebelled and founded the United States of America as a democracy where land owners cold vote.The revolution was inspired by the writings of liberal thinks such as john Stuart Mill. -
Period: to
Change to Class System
As the Ideas of Freedom and equality became more prevalent across the world, through contract or the threat of the guillotine the importance of nobility became of less importance. Though social inequality was and still is a thing, it's no longer written into law. -
Period: to
French Revolution
For various reasons France came under economic turmoil, that a belief that the ruling class of the country became tyrannical and a growing support for the ideas of liberalism among some members of the population resulted in the violent and sporadic french revolution. After the revolution, France became a republic founded in part on the Ideals of liberalism -
Period: to
The Industrial Revolution
Spurred on by significant technological breakthroughs and the popularity of liberal thinking, The Industrial Revolution was a time of great change for Europe and the world at large, many people by necessity and economic treaties were forced to move to cities to work in factories with wickedly poor labor conditions. Furthermore many who weren't of noble birth began amassing wealth such as merchants, inventors and foreman.
