Western European History

  • Period: 500 BCE to 1500 BCE

    The Middle Ages (dark ages)

    After the fall of the roman empire, the Catholic Church became the most powerful institution of the medieval period. Meanwhile, the Islamic World was growing larger and more powerful. Then the Crusades started in 1095. The Middle Ages was the darkest period causing its nickname to be the Dark Ages.
  • Period: 476 BCE to 480 BCE

    Fall of the Roman Empire

    The Visigoths, led by Alaric, invaded, looted and burned the Roman Empire. They continued for 3 days.Other problems contributed to the Fall of the Roman Empire. For a while, the Germanic Barbarian tribe kept sweeping through the Roman Empire.
  • Period: 1095 to 1291

    Crusades

    The Crusades was a series of religious wars. It was between Muslims and Christians. All 8 major crusade expeditions happened between 1096 and 1291. In May 1097, the Crusaders and the Byzantine allies attacked Nicea. The city surrendered in late June.
  • Period: 1300 to

    The Renaissance

    The Renaissance captured many experiences of the individual and beauty and the mystery of the natural world. Masaccio the painter, painted for less than six years during this time period. Most art produced was by rich families. At the end of the fifteenth century, Rome displaced Florence as the center of Renaissance Art.
  • Period: 1518 to

    Protestant Reformation

    When German peasants protested in 1524 , Luther sided with Germany princes. In England the reformation began Henry V111's quest for a male heir. The Catholic Church responded slowly after the death of Henry. New religious and political freedoms came at great cost.
  • Period: to

    The Age of Enlightenment

    The Enlightenment gave way to 19th century Romanticism. It's roots are usually traced to the 1680's England. There was no single Enlightenment. It was also a time of religious innovation. Newspapers and other media became new venues for ideas to circulate.
  • Period: to

    French Revolution

    Over 17,000 people were executed during the Reign of Terror. Frances population had changed greatly since 1614. On June 12th, as the national assembly continued to meet at Versailles. The Directory’s four years in power were riddled with financial crises, popular discontent, inefficiency and, above all, political corruption.
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    Industrial Revolution

    Took place from the 18th century to the 19th. Britain's main plus was that it had a good amount of coal and iron ore. Later on, the rise of mechanization and factory system happened. By the early 20th century , the US had become the world's leading industrial nation.
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    WW1

    This war began in 1914. The central powers and the allied powers were against eachother. The new military weapons caused a great deal of destruction. By the end, more than 16 million civilians were dead.
  • Period: to

    WW2

    This war happened only two decades after world war 1. The second war was the most widespread war and deadliest war. This was sparked by the invasion of Poland By Adolf Hitler. The war dragged on for 6 years.
  • Period: to

    Cold War

    The US and the Soviet Union fought against the Axis Powers. Even though the United States and the Soviet Union were allies doesnt mean they didnt have their disagreements. After the war ended, these grievances turned into an overwhelming sense of mutual distrust. No single party was to be blamed for the war.
  • NATO/ Warsaw Pact

    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance. It is an intergovernmental military alliance between several North American and European countries based on the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949. It started exactly 60 years ago. For the advancement of science as much for the Allied Nations at the height of the Cold War.
  • Fall of Berlin Wall

    The Fall of the Berlin Wall happened on November 9th, 1989. Citizens were shouting"Tor auf!" or " open the gates".More than 2 million participated in the " greatest street party in the history of the world". One year later, East and West Germany reuinited.
  • Period: to

    Collapse of the Soviet Union

    Since the SU was pushing industrialization this caused food shortages. The USSR also faced foreign attacks on the Soviet economy. Political revolution eventually led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Soviet Union didn't exist anymore on December 31, 1991.
  • Creation of the European Union

    Created by the Maastricht Treaty on November 1st,1993. It is a political and economic union between European countries. This treaty makes its own policies. The making of the Union was a result of gradual integration since 1945.