-
Period: to
Maximillien Robespierre
Maximillien was a French lawyer and politician, he was very influential during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. He was very outspoken with the needs of the poor in mind, he was part of the Estates-General, the Constituent Assembly, and the Jacobin Club. He was a member of the powerful Committee of Public Safety. He believed that the people of France were good, and as one of the representatives of the Revolutionaries, he wanted to help them with their injustices. -
Period: to
Napoleon Bonaparte
In 1789 Napoleon Bonaparte became involved in the French Revolution. Starting as a second lieutenant in an artillery regiment of the French Army, he quickly moved up the ranks over the course of the revolution and eventually announced himself the Emperor of France in 1804. -
Period: to
Louis XVI
He was the King of France from 1774 until his deposition in 1792, he died in 1793 by guillotine. Louis attempted to reform France using enlightenment ideals by wanting to abolish serfdom, remove the taille, and improve tolerance towards non-Catholics. He also implemented deregulation of the grain market which led to revolts. France underwent a huge financial crisis under his rule, thus the Estates-General meeting was called in 1789. -
First American Novel Published
The first American novel is published, written by WH Brown, 'The Power of Sympathy' was a novel about a New England boy, Thomas Harrington, who has fallen for a girl named Harriot, against his father's wishes. -
Pennsylvania Ends Prohibition of Theatrical Performances
On May 31, 1759, the House of Representatives in Pennsylvania passed a law that forbade any showing and acting of plays with a penalty of 500 euros. When this law was passed the Northern parts of the USA still considered theatrics to be unethical, whereas in the South most people had a taste for it. After 30 years of having theatrical performances banned, they ended the prohibition in the state. -
First United States Congress
The first United States Congress met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791. This was the first time that the US officially began under the new (and still current) frame of government from the 1787 Constitution. -
George Washington's Inauguration
On April 30, 1789 George Washington took the oath as the first president of the United States. After the oath was completed, he and the members of congress went to the Senate Chamber, where Washington delivered the first inaugural address to a joint session of Congress. This marks the government's advances into what we have today. -
Period: to
George Washington
The first president of the United States, first became elected, and inaugurated in 1789. To this day he is the only president that has received all of the electoral votes. During his presidency he set many precedents, including the four year term, and only being allowed to serve two consecutive terms. -
First Meeting of the French Estates-General Since 1614
A meeting of the Estates-General is called by Louis XVI in Versailles to discuss and impose a new tax plan. There are three estates; the clergy, which was made up of 100,000 Catholic priests, bishops, and abbots; the nobility, which was made up of 400,000 men and women who owned about 25% of the land and collected rent from the tenants (peasants); and the commoners, 578 men chosen to represent 95% of the population. -
Incorporation of Tammany Hall (Tammany Society)
Officially founded in 1786, Tammany Hall was the political base for the Democratic Party in New York City and New York State, as it helped run both city and state. It also helped many immigrants, mainly the Irish, in coming into politics. -
US Constitution Goes Into Effect
Made up of 7 different articles, it has been amended twenty-seven times since it first came into effect. The US Constitution has been the backbone to their government, and the idea has been adopted by other countries as well. -
Tennis Court Oath Taken
The Third Estates-General took an oath vowing "not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the kingdom is established". The oath is both a revolutionary act, and an assertion that the people (and their representatives) have more political power than the monarch. -
Abolition of Feudalism in France
The National Constituent Assembly, announced on this night that they were abolishing feudalism, and the old rules, taxes, and privileges. It was suspended in November, and officially abolished in 1790. Peasants no longer had to pay tithe to the church, but the land owners were allowed to raise their rent by the amount of the tithe. The government also raised land taxes, which although was a burden for both tenants and landlords, helped productivity which benefited everyone. -
William Herschel Discovers Mimas
Herschel discovers Saturn's moon, which he named Mimas, after the son of Gaia in Greek mythology. This shows how the advances in technology allowed for more discoveries, inventions, and ideas to come. -
Thanksgiving Proclomation
The first Thanksgiving Holiday, George Washington had proclaimed that on this day the nation should thank the Almighty God for all the things he does, especially for the opportunity to peacefully establish a new government system for the nation's safety and happiness. Originally the assigned day for this was November 26, which was a Thursday, but as we know has changed over the years.