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Agricultural Revolution
The Agricultural Revolution is defined as the period in Europe from the mid 17th century to the mid 19th century. During this time, great agricultural progress was made and the fallow or idling of fields was gradually eliminated. There were new practices, such as crop rotation and effective use of livestock. These new practices lead to better crop yields and made it easier to support larger amounts of livestock. -
Height of Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic Slave Trade shipped thousands of African people to the Americas to be used for slavery. African merchants and kings sold their people for guns and other European goods. Many Europeans didn't understand the full extent of the slave trade, but the ones who did petitioned an end to it in Great Britain. -
British and French Mercantilist Wars
These two countries fought in the War of Spanish Succession. France's loss meant that they had to give its northern American colonies to Britain. The Seven Years' War was the turning point of the conflicts between the two powers. Though the French had a series of wins against the British, in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, France lost its remaining control in North America. This established Great Britain as the supreme naval force, realizing its goal of monopolizing a huge trading empire. -
Last Outbreak of Bubonic Plague in Europe
The Bubonic Plague was a bacterial infection that resulted in a high body count in the Middle Ages. It was carried by fleas which were transported by rats. The Bubonic Plague started to disappear once greater measures of quarantine in major trading locations took place. The last significant outbreak of the plague was in France and was called the Great Plague of Marseille. Over time, the eradication of more and more diseases led to the increase in average lifespan and population growth. -
Illegitimacy Explosion
The increase of foundling homes in the early 1700s caused some people to believe that they could just abandon their unwanted children. This idea convinced many people that they could have sexual relations before marriage, leading to an increase of illegitimate births. Another influence was the new freedom for a person to choose their own partner rather than have their parents choose for them. This led to unsupervised relationships and illegitimate births. -
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a technological revolution that brought people into cities close to factories. Families reduced leisure time, stepped up their pace of work, and the labor of women and children was directed away from the production of goods for household consumption and toward wage work. The role of women and girls in this new economy is particularly controversial as women entered the labor market they almost always worked at tedious jobs for very low wages. -
Height of Parliamentary Enclosure in England
The English Parliament authorized the enclosure of open pasture fields. These acts created legal property rights that were once held in common. Many people that didn't own fields lost their ability to work. Many of these jobless workers flocked to urban areas in search for work. This large increase in unemployed workers contributed to the rise of the Industrial Revolution. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the revolt of the American colonies against Great Britain. The Thirteen Colonies argued that they shouldn't be taxed without representation. Tensions arose and the Revolutionary War began in 1775. The colonists, along with French, Spanish, and Dutch allies, fought against the British and the American loyalists. The Thirteen Colonies declared independence from Great Britain, and then proceeded to win the war a few years later. -
French Revolution
The French Revolution was a period when the French people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government. The revolution began on July 14th, 1789 with the storming of the Bastille. These events led to the reign of terror and the dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte. Some historians believe that the revolution was inspired by the American Revolution. The reign of terror took place between 1793 and 1794. It resulted in the execution of over 15,000 people. -
First Successful Smallpox Vaccine
The vaccine was introduced by Edward Jenner in 1796. He observed that those who had previously caught cowpox would not get smallpox, meaning that they developed an immunity to the virus. He concluded that being introduced to a weaker form of a virus would grant you some immunity to a much stronger form of the same virus. His discoveries paved the way to even higher average lifespans and a greater understanding of medicine and the treatment of disease.
