-
Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
In his book, he proposed that separation of powers would keep any individual or group from gaining total control of the goverment. He Wrote "power should be a check to power." This idea later became called checks and balances -
America Declares Independence
The Second Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence. It was written by Thomas Jefferson, it was based on the ideas of John Locke and the Enlightment. -
French Revolution
On June 17, 1789 they voted to establish the National Asembly, in effect proclaiming the end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative governemnt. They stormed into Bastille, and sezied the prison. The fall of Bastille became a great act of revolution to the French people. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory through a coup d’etat
When Napoleon returned fro Egypt, his friends urged him to seize poltical power. He took action and troops under his comman surrounded the national legistlature and drove out most of its memebers. Lawmakers who remanied then voted to dissolve the Directory. -
Haiti wins freedom from France
100,000 slaves rose to revolt, and a keader emerged Toussaint L'Overture. In 1802 30,000 French troops landed in Saint Domingue to remove Toussaint from power. They made an agreement he would halt the revolution if the French would end slavery. Despite the agreement they accused him of planning an uprising, so they sent him to a prison in the Alps. Toussaint's lieutenant Jean-Jacques Dessalines took the fight for freedom. General Dessalines declared the colony an indpendent country. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor, begins to create a vast European Empire
Napoleon decided to make himself emperor, and the French voters supported him. In the church he walked down the asile, and took the crown from the Pope and placed onto his head. This signaled that he was more powerful then the Church. -
Padre Hidalgo calls for Mexican Independence
He rang the bells of hisvillage church. When everybody gathered in the church, he issued a call for rebellion against the Spanish. The very next day, his followers began a march toward Mexico City. -
Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
He escaped Elba, and he landed in France and happy crowds welcomed him. He was emperor again. Napoleon attacked the British army in Belgium, but they held ground. Then the Prussian Army arrived, and together the British and the Prussian forces attacked and deafted the French.
