The Development of Liberalism

  • Period: 594 BCE to 355 BCE

    Ancient Greek Democracy

    The first time a type of democracy was implemented was in 594 BC. It was done by a man named Solon in Athens that replaced Draconian Law. It didn't allow citizens to vote on legislators but it allowed them to vote on bills and laws of the land. It controlled who could vote so it wasn't like how modern day democracy has currently been implemented now. Ancient Greek democracy was very important to liberalism as it shaped a path for democracy. Democracy is the most used form of government rule.
  • 1215

    Magna Carta

    Magna Carta
    The magna carta was a very important document signed by King John of English. It was written up to make peace between King John and rebel barons. It promised protections of church rights, illegal imprisonment, access to justice, and limited feudal taxes. It re-balanced power between the king, citizens and the baron rebels. It was very important to the development of liberalism because it was the first time that protection of individual rights and government accountability was ever implemented.
  • Period: 1450 to

    The Renaissance

    The Renaissance was a medieval period in which Europe brought a greater interest in the individual. This period in Europe was described by a renewed interest in classical Greek and Roman culture. Painters began to study nature and the world around them. Many works showed the growing importance of books, education, and the study of nature and natural forces. This lead to the development of liberalism by reforming cultural, social, political, intellectual, and art.
  • Period: 1517 to

    Reformation

    The protestant reformation was the 16-century religious, political, intellectual and sudden cultural violence that split catholic Europe. The reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII in northern and central Europe challenged the popes authority and questioned the catholic church. They believed the church was corrupt and held to much power. They demanded the church be reformed and this led to many new ideas such as decision making.
  • Period: 1550 to

    Haudenosaunee Confederacy

    The Haudenosaunee confederacy were six native tribes across upper New York State Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. This was helped the development of liberalism as they came together to form "The Great Law of Peace" which divided powers between different levels of government, and established the equal participation of the people, including women in the government. This helped pave the way for liberalism principles.
  • Period: to

    Industrial Revolution

    The industrial revolution was an event that transitioned agricultural and mercantile society to a modern industrial one. Through the transformation of agriculture, industry, and economics, great wealth was created for some as well great poverty for others. The machines allowed for higher productivity by fewer workers. It had impacts on the development of liberalism by capitalism, the class system, social structure, family structure, and very thoughts of the individual.
  • American Revolution

    American Revolution
    The ideas of the enlightment contributed to the American revolution.It was an event in which American colonists declared independence from the British crown and established a form of government ruled by it's citizens and not the monarch. The american revolution was important to the development of liberalism because it a major revolutionary war in which the people got to control their leaders instead of answering an unelected ruler.
  • Period: to

    The Enlightenment

    The Enlightenment also known as the age of reason was a range of ideas centered around authority and legitimacy.
    The ideas of the enlightenment helped promote the beliefs of classical liberalism. Those beliefs congealed into the liberal ideology of the 19th century such as liberty, progress, tolerance, and constitutional government.
  • French Revolution

    French Revolution
    The French revolution vastly influenced by the ideas of the enlightenment thinkers. It happened after the American revolution. The purpose was to transfer power from the French monarch to the citizens. It led to the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" being signed in 1789. The French revolution was important to the development of liberalism because the document set the foundation for individual freedoms.
  • Period: to

    Changes to class system

    The changes to the class system was the end to social classes. It valued private property and encouraged more economic wealth. As social classes began to end it was replaced by a class structure based on wealth.
    This was very important to the development of liberalism because it changed the way we shaped view individuals.It allowed more individuals to join the wealthy and middle class.