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Thirty Year's War
Starting in 1618, the Thirty Year's War sparked due to religious conflict between the Catholics and Protestants. The Protestants often rioted against Catholics and even threw two royal officials out of a castle window. This event would later be known as the Defenestration of Prague. The Catholics fought back by declaring war with the support of several Catholic states. However, the war eventually led to severe depopulation, resulting in a series of treaties known as the Peace of Westphalia. -
English Bill of Rights
After the overthrow of James II, Mary and William had to first agree with the ideas presented in the English Bill of Rights before they could rule. For example, the Bill of Rights prevented any Roman Catholic from ruling, but also stated the rights of citizens like trial by jury. Others include the principles of habeas corpus and the ending of unfair punishments and fines. This later influenced the American Bill of Rights. -
War of Austrian Succession
In 1740, the Prussian Emperor Frederick II took control of Silesia, a Hapsburg province. This act marked the beginning of the War of Austrian Succession. Maria Theresa fought hard to take back Silesia but never succeeded. However, she also fought hard for reform in Hapsburg, in which she did succeed. The war resulted in the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle stating Maria Theresa was the owner of the Hungarian, Bohemian, and Austrian thrones. -
Stamp Act
The parliament began passing new taxes in 1765. One of these taxes was the Stamp Act which started taxing items such as newspapers. The people did not approve of the new taxes, stating "No taxation without representation!" Due to the fact that parliament had no representatives, they thought they should not be passing taxes. This eventually led to a chain of curious events, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and can even be seen as the opening for the American Revolution. -
American Revolution
In 1775, the growing tensions between the British and the Colonists called for change. The Congress first worked to declare independence from Britain with the Declaration of Independence. At the Battle of Saratoga, Americans proved to be victorious, even with the disadvantages in their military. After several more brutal battles, it all ended in Yorktown, Virginia, where the British were forced to surrender. Shortly after, the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially marking the end of the war. -
Treaty of Paris
After the war, diplomats officially ended it by signing the Treaty of Paris in 1783. With this treaty, Britain recognized America's independence. It also declared the Mississippi River as the nation's new western frontier. This was seen as a peace negotiation and ended all foreign military threats from Britain. -
French Revolution
The French Revolution was triggered in 1789 after Parisians struggled to thrive with poor pay and limited food. Several horrific events happened during this time such as the Storming of Bastille and the Reign of Terror, but progress was made as well. The Declaration of the Rights of Man gave birth to the new slogan "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity". By the end of the Revolution, the French brought the Church under the control of the states and equality among all Men was established. -
Tennis Court Oath
In 1789, delegates took the Tennis Court Oath swearing to gather in order to establish a fair constitution. This event eventually led to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Storming of Bastille. The Tennis Court Oath suggested that political power came from the people rather than the monarchy. -
Storming of Bastille
In 1789, an angry mob of over 800 Parisians stormed Bastille, after hearing rumors of the Assembly being disbanded. Bastille was seen as a symbol of authority in Paris. It was believed by the citizens that items such as gunpowder and weapons were being held here. Soon a battle broke out leaving several dead including a commander and five guards. This battle marked the beginning of the French Revolution as well as the end of absolute monarchy. -
Reign of Terror
Starting in 1793, the Committee of Public Safety was created in reaction to the war threats outside of France. The leader of the committee, Maximilien Robespierre, declared the Reign of Terror. With this, hasty trials were conducted on the wrongly accused which often led to a death sentence. Members of the Convention soon had enough of Robespierre and had him arrested and executed. After this event, the Revolution was able to progress and the execution rate fell dramatically.
