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1300
Petrarch's humanism
In the early 1300's, Petrarch spread his ideas of humanism. His ideas set the foundations for the Italian renaissance of later years. -
1337
Hundred Years War
The Hundred Years War, lasting from 1337 to 1453, was a series of conflicts between England and France. There were many early victories in England's favor, such as the Battle of Poitiers (1356). The conflict ended after that decisive victory. -
1347
Black Plague
The bubonic plague lasted from 1347-1350. It spread from rats and fleas, and absolutely decimated Europe. The people of Europe were so susceptible to the plague due to the unsanitary conditions in cities and primitive medical practices. -
1348
Giovanni Boccaccio recording reactions to the plague
During the Black Plague, Giovanni Boccaccio, an Italian humanist, recorded various reactions of the people of Europe to the plague. Some sought moderation and temperance, claiming that the plague was an act of God being angry and that the only way that they could get rid of it was through good behavior. Others adopted a nihilistic point of view, and gave in to sin and temptation entirely. Others fled. -
1350
End of the Black Plague
The Black Plague ended in 1350. In the end, it left around 25 million people dead, which was around 35% of the entire population. These numbers are disputed, however, and it is very much possible that over half of the people in Europe died during the plague. -
1360
Treaty of Bretigny
The Treaty of Bretigny ended the first phase of the Hundred Years War. It was signed in France in 1360. -
1378
Great Schism of the Papacy
The original Pope, Urban VI, was disputed by 13 cardinals from France, who elected Pope Clement VII to be Pope. Thus, the papacy was disputed. Then, Pope Alexander V was elected. Neither other pope accepted this, but most of Latin Christendom did. -
1422
Henry VI's reign
King Henry VI's reign lasted from 1422-1461. He was crowned king when he was just an infant. He was "weak minded" and "insane", and relied on advisors that ended up manipulating him. He sent England into financial ruin and caused them to lose the war. -
1429
Joan of Arc's victory at Orleans
Joan of Arc was originally a peasant woman from France. She declared to King Charles VIII that God sent her to stop the English seize of Orleans. She led troops and was successful. -
1445
Botticelli
Botticelli was another famous renaissance artist, born in 1445. He is famous for his painting "Birth of Venus", as well as "Adoration of the Magi". -
1450
Italian renaissance reaches its peak
During the mid 15th century, the Italian renaissance reached its peak. This was when all of the well-known renaissance artists were being commissioned by wealthy families and the expansion of knowledge was steady. -
1452
Leonardo DaVinci
DaVinci, born in 1452, was well-known for being the ultimate "Renaissance Man". He studied medicine, and made many crucial advancements. He also painted, as well as create new inventions. Most known for his painting of the Mona Lisa. -
1455
The War of Roses
The War of Roses (1455-1485) occurred between the Yorks and the Lancasters. In 1471 Edward IV defeated the Lancasters, restoring domestic tranquility. Later Henry VII defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field and established the Tudor dynasty. -
1475
Michelangelo
Michelangelo, born in 1475, was an Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor. He is famous for his 18-foot statue of David, as well as the Sistine Chapel frescoes. Those frescoes cover 10,000 square feet and took 4 years to complete. -
1478
Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition started in 1478. The purpose of it was to seek out people who were not catholic or not true converts and put them to an end. -
1483
Raphael
Raphael, born in 1483, was an influential Italian renaissance artist. He is famous for his many paintings of the Madonna. He is most known for his piece "School of Athens", commissioned by Pope Julius II. -
1492
Christopher Columbus's voyage
Christopher Columbus crosses the Atlantic in 1492. He is sponsored by Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, who send him out to explore for Spain's gain. The three G's is what they were after- God, Glory, and Gold. -
1517
Martin Luther's 95 theses
Martin Luther was critical of the corruption in the Catholic Church, specifically their practice of selling indulgences. Indulgences, he said, was the church's way of telling people that they could basically buy their way into heaven. He posted 95 theses on the door of the church. -
1532
Machiavelli's The Prince
Machiavelli, a political theorist, publishes The Prince, a guide for nobles and kings on how to act the part. It includes the famous question: is it better to be loved, or feared? -
1534
Act of Supremacy
The Act of Supremacy declared King Henry VIII the Supreme Head of the Church of England. He wanted a divorce with his first wife, but the Catholic church didn't allow it, so he split with the church and created the Church of England. -
1543
Nicolaus Copernicus proposes the heliocentric universe
In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus proposes the heliocentric model of the universe, in which the planets revolve around the sun. His findings are not initially adopted by the general public, who still believe the earth is the center of the universe. -
1545
Council of Trent
The council of Trent is held between 1545 and 1563. It was under the Pope's control, and its main focuses were internal discipline within the church. No doctrinal concessions were paid to the Protestants, who had been persecuted for a while. It did, however, affirm the exact issues that had been controversial- indulgences, authority of tradition, and the role of good works. -
1553
Reign of Mary Tudor
Mary Tudor's reign began with the death of Henry's son in 1553. She was Catholic, and quickly reversed the progress that had been made for Protestants. Many of them were killed and burned at the stake, lending her the nickname "Bloody Mary". -
1558
Reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I gained power in 1558 and ruled until her death in 1603. She believed in unity between religions, since she believed that national unity was the most important thing. She brought England to its golden age with her policies and leadership. -
Galileo introduces his ideas
In 1632, Galileo proposes his idea of the heliocentric universe, and his proof for it. His ideas backed up Copernicus's original ideas. Unfortunately, the public also did not take well to his ideas, and he was persecuted. -
Reign of Louis XIV
Louis XIV ruled France from 1643-1715 as an absolute monarch. He was the perfect example of an absolute monarch- he believed that he "was the state". He also declared himself the "sun king". Under him, the Palace of Versailles was built. He also expanded France's military, and forced religious unity. -
English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was passed in 1689. It detailed the civil and constitutional rights of the people of England. It also gave Parliament power over the monarchy. -
Marriage of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette, a young girl from Austria, travels to France and marries Louis XVI. They become the king and queen of France. -
Marie Antoinette causes financial trouble
Marie Antoinette was a big spender, who lived a life of extravagance. She spent so much on things for herself and her palace that it sent France into financial ruin. -
Third Estate creates National Assembly
The third estate, fed up for not getting a vote that has weight to it, declared themselves the National Assembly, where they tried to have some form of political power. -
Siege of the Bastille
On July 14th, 1789, French revolutionaries (peasants who were upset with the french government and revolted) seized the Bastille. The Bastille was an armory full of weapons that revolutionaries managed to capture. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was published in August of 1789. The revolutionary French document detailed the rights of the citizens of France. It was quite like the American Bill of Rights, as it detailed freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom from cruel and unjust punishments. -
March on Versailles
A bunch of peasant women, fed up with the conditions of France (prices of bread, taxes, etc), marched on Versailles. They picked up many other revolutionaries on the way, and the protest began to get violent. It basically scared the royals out of Versailles. -
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) was caused by the Committee of Public Safety and Robespierre. They hunted down people who were "threats to the revolution" and executed them via guillotine. Even people who were neutral were killed- there were very few restrictions- basically just a witch hunt. There was no freedom of speech or religion, or anything, really. -
Louis XVI executed
Like his wife, Louis XVI was executed because of his status and role in government in France. Just like with her, the crowd cheered when he was executed, as he was seen as the main enemy of the revolution. -
Committee of Public Safety is formed
The Committee of Public Safety was formed in 1793. It was the temporary government of France of the rebels during the revolution. Its main leader was Maximillian Robespierre. -
Marie Antoinette executed
Marie Antoinette was executed due to her role in the financial ruin of France. She was executed publicly by guillotine, and the crowd cheered. -
End of the Reign of Terror
The reign of terror ended in 1794 with the death of Robespierre. Things went back to a more peaceful state, and public executions died down. -
Robespierre executed
At the end of the reign of terror, the people realized that Robespierre was a menace and a danger to society. They decided to execute him, just as he had executed many people before. With his death, the reign of terror ended. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directorate
Napoleon was a French military general, who quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the most powerful military leaders. Then, with the help of his military, overthrew the French Directorate, and became the leader of France. -
Concordat of 1801
The Concordat of 1801 promised safety to the clergy and restored some powers and freedoms of the Church. Napoleon specifically did this to gain the favor of the church and keep them under his control, to make sure he kept all of his power. -
Napoleon declared "Consul for Life"
Napoleon declares himself Consul for life after naming separate less powerful consuls for each part of France. This title both separated his power and kept him in control of everybody. -
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1803-1815. Led by Napoleon, these conflicts occurred between France and various other European powers. France was largely successful. -
Fransisco Goya
Fransisco Goya was a Spanish painter who was active during the reign of Napoleon. He is famous for his anti-Napoleon stance and his painting depicting the French (and specifically Napoleon) as cruel and corrupt. -
Napoleonic Code established
The Napoleonic Code reduced the rights of women and increase the authority of men in the household. It did, however, establish all male citizens as equal under law, and all of France had to follow these laws. -
Napoleon crowned emperor
Napoleon crowns himself emperor in 1804 after being the head of government for 5 years prior. Instead of letting the Pope crown him, the act of crowning himself established him as more powerful than the church. -
Napoleon's invasion of Russia
In 1812, Napoleon led his troops into a battle they could never win. It was set in the Russian winter, which was famous for its cruel conditions that very few people could endure. This proved true, and Napoleon's men could not survive winter as the Russians retreated inland, practicing the scorched earth tactic as they went. Of the around 600,000 French soldiers that entered, only around 100,000 came out. -
Congress of Vienna
After Napoleon's rule fell apart, European nations gathered to discuss and plan European political order. The three goals of the conference are as follows: 1) To surround France with strong countries to prevent future French aggression, 2) To restore a balance of power so no country would be a threat to others, and 3) To restore previous monarchs from before Napoleon's rule back to their thrones -
Napoleon's exile
After the failed invasion of Russia, the public opinion on Napoleon plummeted. He was blamed for the loss of soldiers and national failure. With the help of other surrounding countries and their armies, Napoleon was forced into exile to Elba, a small island off the coast of Italy. -
Waterloo
Napoleon escapes his exile and leads the French army into battle against a coalition of his enemies. The conflict comes to a climax at the Battle of Waterloo, where he is finally defeated for the last time. This marks the final defeat of Napoleon. -
Napoleon's final exile
Following his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon is once again forced into exile. This time, the island he is sent to is farther away to make sure he doesn't return. He lives out the rest of his days on St. Helena, a small island in the southern Atlantic. -
July Revolution
The July Revolution of France was an insurrection that brought Louis-Philipe to the throne. It was the second French Revolution, after the first in 1789. Fun fact: this image is the album cover for Coldplay's Viva La Vida. -
Revolutions of 1848
The Revolutions of 1848 were a series of revolutions against monarchies across Europe. In France, revolutionaries fought against Louis-Philipe. This is regarded as the most widespread revolutionary wave in European history. It effectively ushered in a new era of government in Europe. -
Imperialism
Imperialism was the act of one country gaining power over another and using it as a colony. This practice, usually done by European powers such as England, was at its height from around 1850-1914. -
Crimean War
The Crimean War lasted between 1853 and 1856. It was fought between Russia and an alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom, and Piedmont-Sardinia. The cause of the war related to the rights of Christian minorities in Palestine. Russia ended up losing to the alliance. -
Italian Unification
The Italian Unification, 1861, was the unification of multiple Italian states into one large state with a centralized political system. It was a monarchy, at the time called the Kingdom of Italy. -
2nd Industrial Revolution
Also known as the Technological Revolution, the second industrial revolution was a time where there was an increase in scientific discoveries and industrialization. Machinery was standardized and production was increased. -
German Unification
The process of German unification lasted from 1850-1871, becoming official in 1871. Within this time, the German states became politically and economically linked as one Prussian-dominated country. -
Berlin Conference
The Berlin Conference took place between 1884 and 1885. The purpose of the Berlin Conference was to divide Africa into states and divide the control of the states among several Western European powers, including Great Britain. This severely negatively impacted the African people, as they borders were drawn with no regard to tribe borders or traditional lands. -
Bloody Sunday
During the Russian Revolution of 1905, a group of workers gathered in St. Petersburg, Russia, to protest the government and demand reforms. They were gathered peacefully, but they were massacred by imperial forces. -
World War I
This conflict, taking place between 1914 and 1918, was a war between most of Europe, plus a few other countries, including the United States. Germany Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire fought against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Canada, Japan, and the US in a war of loyalties. During World War I, the very idea of war was modernized as technology was advancing, leading to the use of trench warfare and new weapons that killed many more people than ever before. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
While on a diplomatic visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot by a young member of the Black Hand, a Serbian terrorist group who planned to assassinate him. They also killed his wife, Sophie. This event sparked a conflict that eventually turned into World War I. -
Armenian Genocide
Lasting from 1915-1923, the Armenian Genocide was the intentional and systematic genocide of the Armenian people and destruction of their culture by the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It is estimated that there were approximately 1 million casualties. -
Russian Revolution
The first Russian Revolution (February 1917) overthrew the imperial government in Russia. It essentially aimed to change the tsar's government into one that represented the people. -
October Revolution
The second Russian Revolution of 1917, also known as the October Revolution, put Vladimir Lenin and the Bolshevik party in power. It was intended to be a socialist revolution that brought power to the people. -
Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
The treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between Russia and the central powers, who Russia was fighting against previously. This created peace for Russia so that it could essentially drop out of the war and focus on its own internal issues. -
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles defined the terms of peace between the Allied Powers and Germany. It essentially weakened their country to a point where they were powerless and lowered morale. They would not have been able to pull themselves back up after the Treaty's harsh terms without help. They were forced to demilitarize, pay unfairly large reparations, and concede territory. -
First Wave Feminism
The First Wave of Feminism lasted from around 1919-1930. It focused on legal issues, such as giving women the right to vote. -
Totalitarianism Introduced
Totalitarianism begun to be used by European dictator in the early 1920's Examples included Mussolini in Italy, Hitler in Germany, and Stalin in Russia. -
Mussolini Comes to Power
Benito Mussolini began to come to power in Italy in 1919. He started as a revolutionary socialist, becoming Prime Minister in 1922. He became the fascist dictator of Italy in 1925. -
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War lasted from November of 1917 to October of 1922. It was fought between the Bolsheviks + their Red Army, led by Vladimir Lenin, and the anti-Bolsheviks. It was caused by the recent instability in the new form of government after the tsar was overthrown earlier that year. It resulted in the victory of the Red Army and the Bolsheviks. -
Death of Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin was the founder and first leader of the Soviet Union. He died at age 53 of disease of the blood vessels, leaving the Soviet rule in the hands of Joseph Stalin. -
Rise of Italian Fascism
Fascism rose in Italy after World War I, when people sought a sense of security and strong leadership, as well as national unity. Mussolini, like any other fascist leader, used his large personality and nationalistic sentiments to win over the Italian people and gain support during the interwar period. -
Great Depression
The Great Depression lasted in Europe from 1929-1939. Essentially, economies plummeted, and unemployment rose while economic output fell. -
Hitler Rises to Power
After the Treaty of Versailles' harsh terms, Germany was left humiliated and in shambles. This left them particularly vulnerable to have a dictator rise to power by giving the people hope and turning the people's humiliation into hatred and anger. This led Hitler to be able to rise to power and do whatever he wanted in 'the interest of the people of Germany' -
Anschluss of Austria
The Anschluss of Austria, or the annexation of Austria, took place on March 12th, 1938. Nazi Germany annexed Austria into its territory. This was significant, as it violated the Treaty of Versailles and was technically an act of aggression by Germany. -
World War II
Lasting from 1939 to 1945, World War II was the second time all of Europe came to conflict in this manner. This time, the Axis powers were Germany, Italy, and Japan, while the Allied powers were Great Britain, France, the United States, and Russia (for a while). The goal of the war was to stop Germany's invasion of Europe. Germany committed many atrocities during the war in the Holocaust, mainly targeting anyone who did not fit his standards of the perfect race. -
The Holocaust
The Holocaust was the horrible persecution and mass execution of the people that the Nazis did not like: these included Jews, Romanian people, homosexuals, disabled people, and political enemies. These people were put through horrible situations, forced to work, and quite often killed for the sole crime of being one of the before mentioned identities. It lasted from 1941 until 1945. -
Siege of Leningrad
As Germany invaded the Soviet Union, they targeted Leningrad in specific, knowing it would kill Soviet morale if the city fell to German hands. Because of this same reason, the Soviets defended it fiercely, which resulted in an 872-day siege (1941-1944). During this siege, around 1 million deaths within the red army and civilians. The Soviets won this conflict in the end. -
D-day
Often called D-day, the Normandy landings were when American, British, and Canadian troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, to fight Nazi Germany. It is often regarded as the turn of the tides of WWII in favor of the Allies. -
The Cold War
The Cold War (1945-1991) was a time period of threats made between Russia and Western powers as communism spread. The West was very opposed to the spread of communism by the Soviet Union, and threatened to stop it in any way possible. The Soviet Union fired back saying that any act to stop them would be considered an act of war, and they would act accordingly with their nuclear weapons. This threat was enough to cause a huge scare within countries that at any second they could be destroyed. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was a meeting between the Big Three: Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Harry Truman. It sought to continue conversations left from the Yalta conference, and to to determine the post-war borders and politics in Europe. -
End of Holocaust/Liberation of Concentration Camps
The Holocaust was officially over in 1945 when the war was over and Allied troops came in and liberated camps. Most people across the world were entirely unaware of the conditions of these concentration camps, so it came as a horrible shock to the entire world when they discovered the gruesome truth. -
VE-Day
VE Day, or Victory in Europe day, is celebrated as the day that Nazi Germany was defeated (May 8th, 1945). That was the end for the War in Europe; the victory in Japan was to follow soon after. -
Formation of the United Nations
Winston Churchill and FDR created a declaration called the "United nations" which vowed to create an international peacekeeping organization. 26 countries signed the declaration. -
Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" Speech
Churchill's speech symbolically ushered in the Cold War as an official, well-known event. The words “From Stettin in the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent" became iconic. The "iron curtain" mentioned is a reference to the borders of Soviet control. -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was a blockade lasting from June 24th, 1984, to May 12th, 1949, where Soviets blocked Allied supply paths from reaching the section of Berlin controlled by the West. During this time, the West turned to airlifting supplies into Berlin, as attacking an Allied plane would be an act of war, and the Soviets did not want that. -
Marshall Plan Created
On April 3rd, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed into effect the Marshall Plan. The plan essentially provided financial aid to 17 Western European countries in hopes that it would rebuild their economies and keep democratic governments alive. It had the underlying goal of keeping communism away from Western Europe. -
NATO Formed
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949. It was formed to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. It included the United States, Belgium, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. -
Korean War
The Korean War lasted from 1950-1953. It occurred when North Korea invaded South Korea while South Korea was politically unstable. North Korea was communist, while South Korea had a democratic government at that point. -
End of Stalin Era
The Stalin Ear lasted when he was in power between 1928 and 1953. It came to an end when he died in 1953, and was replaced by Khrushchev, who moved to de-Stalinize the Soviet Union. -
Start of Space Race
The Space Race began in 1955. It was a competition between two large powers, the United States and the Soviet Union, to achieve more in the realm of space. It happened during the Cold War, when tensions between the US and the Soviet Union were high. -
Warsaw Pact Signed
The Warsaw Pact was created by the Soviet Union and signed by other states in Eastern and Central Europe. It was created in order to secure other states as Soviet satellite states and to give the Soviet Union control over the military endeavors of the states. -
Sputnik Launch
The Sputnik was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4th, 1957 as a part of their new space program. It was the first man-made satellite to orbit the earth. -
Second Wave Feminism
The Second Wave of Feminism, occurred between 1960-1980. It focused on giving women more social and political, as well as economic equality, based on previous feminist advances. -
Berlin Wall Built
The Berlin Wall began construction on August 13th, 1961. It divided Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin, so they were separated both physically and ideologically. One side was controlled/influenced by the Soviet Union and the other was controlled/influenced by the allied powers. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
The Soviet Union took control of Cuba, which scared Americans, as it was the middle of the Cold War and Cuba was so close to the United States. It used Cuba's proximity to intimidate Americans with nuclear weapons. The US was having none of that, so a standoff ensued, resulting in Soviet leader Khrushchev withdrawing nuclear weapons form Cuba. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War lasted from 1955-1975. It was a war between communist north Vietnam and democratic south Vietnam. The United States became involved to try and stop the spread of communism in the world. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
As Cold War tensions eased, authorities on the communist side of Berlin announced that it was time the wall was torn down in order to allow for free travel from side to side. It was a momentous occasion, one that symbolized the end of the Cold War tensions for many. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Russian leader Gorbachev decided to loosen official control on satellite in the Soviet Union. This created a democratic movement that overthrew communist rule in Eastern European countries and effectively led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
