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507
Ancient Greek Democracy
In 507 B.C. a political system was created by the Athenian leader Cliesthenes, which he called demokratia. This system only lasted for two centuries, and yet it continues to be a major influence for current politicians and governments, and is the root of modern democracy. The principles of liberalism were not represented in this early form of democracy because the majority of the population of Athen's did not have the right to vote. -
May 10, 1215
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter that outlined limits on the rights of the British monarch and established rights for the King's subjects. -
May 11, 1300
Renaissance (14th - 17th C.)
The Renaissance was a time of cultural, social, intellectual, political and artistic reform. These improvements led to the belief that humans are capable of making their own rational decisions and have inherent dignity. -
May 10, 1401
Haudenosaunee Confederacy (15th C. - 1776
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy (a.k.a. the Six Nations Confederacy or Iroquois Confederacy) was made up of several nations and tribes of indigenous people in North America. It was a political and diplomatic group that was created in opposition to European colonization, and ceased to exist after the American Revolutionary War (the Iroquois League still exists). The Confederacy`s Great Law of Peace inspired Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson in the the writing of the Constitution. -
May 11, 1517
Reformation
A German pastor named Martin Luther felt as though the church had too much power and was corrupt, and so he wanted a reformation of the church to happen. This was made possible because of the way people began to trust reasoning and logic over faith. -
The Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was a cultural movement that reformed society and advanced knowledge by promoting science. This period of time is responsible for creating the ideas about human nature that would eventually become classical liberalism. -
Industrial Revolution (18th - 19th C.)
The Industrial Revolution was a time period in which agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation and technology improved, and rational thought and science became more accpted. People became more independant and had more control over their own lives. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the time period in which thirteen American colonies banned together and gained independance from the British Empire, thus becoming the United States of America. This put an end to the poor treatment they received from the British government and allowed them to create their own government and in turn create rights for themselves. -
French Revolution
The French Revolution was a period in time in which the absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed. This was due to French peasants fighting to put an end to the many injustices that they were being subjected to by the church and the government. As a result, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was created which features common themes of liberalism, such as individual rights and freedoms, rule of law, and economic freedom and self interest. -
Changes to Class System
In the 19th century, changes were made to the class sytem. Before, people had no way of improving their place in lfe and were stuck in the social class that they were born into. Now, however, people have more rights and freedoms and are able to better themselves and, as a result, move to a higher social class.
