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1400
15th Century Most Important Event: Colombus' First Voyage
This is the most important event seen in the 15th century because it led to the colonization and habitation of America as a whole, and led to Cortes conquering the Aztecs. This also led to a greater expansion of the economy throughout Europe as a whole in the 16th and 17th centuries. -
1453
Fall of Byzantine Empire
-The buffer between the Muslim Middle East and the Latin West no longer existed.
-The Byzantine's were unable to reestablish power in the Balkan's
-The power over territories such as Serbia, Bosnia, and Wallachia shifted from the Byzantine empire to the Turks. -
1486
The Oration on the Dignity of Man
-It Introduced a new faith in human potential which was different from ideas of previous eras.
-It encouraged people to cultivate skills such as painting and sculpting.
-It pushed the idea of humanism and creating one's own destiny towards a larger amount of people. -
1492
Colombus' First Voyage
-This helped establish European settlements in the "New World", which aimed to enrich Europe
-Further ignited the spark of exploration
-Many Amerindians were killed -
1500
16th Century Most Important Event: 95 Theses
This is the most important event of the 16th century because it spread the ideas of protestantism, and strongly led to the questioning of the catholic church. -
1517
95 Theses
-This circulated the ideas Luther had on the corruption of the church
-Caused a Social revolution with the peasants
-This caused religious wars between the Catholics and reformers who were against the Catholic Church's malpractice -
1519
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs
-After Cortes conquered the Aztecs overworking, & warfare took a large toll on the indigenous people. This contributed to a total of 24 million deaths from 1519-1605.
-Europeans discovered that sugar could flourish in the newly conquered land, leading to the creation of sugar plantations with large amounts of manual labor from African slaves being used.
-After the conquering of the Aztecs, Animal-bourn diseases ravaged the indigenous population, also contributing to the 24 million total deaths. -
1534
The Act of Supremacy
-This declared the king the supreme head of the English Church
-The Church of England became a Separate Church
-It gave the church less ruling power and issued measures to control the clergy. -
1543
On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres
-It introduced the idea of a heliocentric solar system
-It caused Giodorno Bruno to teach and expand upon Cornicus´ ideas
-It caused Catholics and Protestants to denounce heliocentricity, saying it was against Christian dogma. -
1545
Council of Trent
-The Council of Trent banned the selling of indulgences
-It established methods to clean up corruption in the clergy
-It reestablished church doctrines such as the belief in purgatory and transubstantiations. -
1555
Peace of Augsburg
-This established the Lutheran Church as an alternative to Catholic Church
-Allowed Princes to define their country as Catholic or Lutheran
-Lastly, this split the unity of the Christian Church seen in the Middle Ages -
Edict of Nantes
-The edict of Nantes ended the Religious wars
-It introduced religious tolerance to France
-France gained a small respite from violence -
17th Century Most Important Event: Glorious Revolution
This is the most important event of the 17th century, because it secured the position of parliament, and led to other major events like the industrial revolution because of parliament's openness towards the free spread of ideas. -
Defenstration of Prague
-It caused Ferdinand II to go to war to convert Bohemia to Catholicism to prevent an imbalance in power.
-This caused a civil war to start, which soon went international.
-Albrecht Wallenstein recognized Ferdinand needed help, so he introduced a new to fund wars, where wars would be funded by potential losers and winners -
English Civil War
-Radicals, Men and Women, raised new demands for social justice.
-Groups of Protestant radicals arose called Llevers, due to the poverty they faced after the war.
-Charles surrendered to the Scotts and was turned back over to England where he moved through prisons, eventually being executed due to accusations of Treason. -
Peace of Wastphalia
-The Peace of Westphalia ended the 30 years' war
-It allowed German princes to choose the religion of their state, but individuals still could not choose their religion
-It introduced balance of power which ensured peace by making all European countries equal in power. -
Ottoman Siege of Vienna
-Austrian forces fought back and took control over the majority of Hungary
-The Ottoman Empire ceased to expand and gain new territories
-The Ottoman's source of wealth dried up
-The Ottoman's military tactics fell behind the rest of Europe
-Ottoman leadership and powers further deteriorated -
Principia
-It introduced the ideas of gravitational attraction to the public
-It introduced the laws of motion
-It introduced the idea that the universe is infinite and has no center; it is held together by atomic explainable forces -
Glorious Revolution
-The parliament demonstrated that the power to rule rested in the people through representatives.
-The position of Protestantism in England was secured, by making Catholics ineligible to rule
-It Caused parliament to begin meeting annually to secure the authority of the revolution
-It caused John Locke to write "The Second Treatise of Government" to justify the revolution and the legitimacy of William of Orange. -
Essay Concerning Human Understanding
-It caused many to question the wisdom of the enlightenment
-It introduced the idea that at birth the human brain is like a blank sheet of paper
-It caused skepticism among many writers about religious dogmas -
18th Century Most Important Event: Invention of The Steam Engine
This is by far the most significant event of the 18th century because it led to a period of industrialization, especially in Britain. The steam engine allowed the use of coal as a more viable source of fuel, allowing factories to be placed anywhere, instead of near a body of water. This caused a sharp increase in the production of goods, eventually all leading to the start of the industrial revolution. -
Peace of Utrecht
-The Peace of Utrecht ended Louis XIV's ambitions to create a strong partnership of bourbon Monarchs in France and Spain.
-He lost many of his land holdings in North America
-This Further decreased his popularity throughout the French Monarchy. -
Seven Years' War
-Caused the forming of an alliance between France and Austria and Russia
-Great Britain allied with Prussia
-The Treaty of Paris was formed
-Great Britain became one of the world's biggest colonial powers -
The Social Contract
-It greatly influenced the development of democratic theory
-It offered a solution to the conflict between freedom and social restrictions: people could enter a compact with one another, agreeing to surrender individual liberty, but gaining freedom by being part of society's general will
-It justified authoritarian political systems and supported participatory democracy -
Invention of the Steam Engine
-It allowed factories to move away from bodies of water such as rivers
-It led to the building of canals for cheaper and easier coal transport
-It led to an overall increase in coal transport -
Wealth of Nations
-Introduced an emphasis on commerce, welfare, and nature, rather than agriculture
-Introduced the idea that individuals should pursue self-interest
-Laissez-Faire adopted the book for economic guidance -
The Tennis Court Oath
-It marked the beginning of the French Revolution
-It caused Louis XVI to grudgingly accept the National Assembly
-It caused Sans Cullotes to storm the Bastille -
Reign of Terror
-16,000 Parisians died to the guillotine, and a total of 50,000 died throughout all of France
-The committee of Public Safety was created which suspended the constitution and controlled the nation
-A policy of de Christianization was enacted, to establish enlightenment ideas
-Robespierre was executed -
Napoleon's Coup
-It ended the era of the French Revolution
-France now dominated the European continent and spread revolutionary ideas around the world.
-Frances colonies now sometimes fought against colonial rulers -
19th Century Most Important Event
The second industrial revolution was the most important event of the 19th century because it introduced new industries which we see today, such as chemical fabrics and power plants. It also introduced more modernized technologies such as the combustion engine. These new technologies were eventually applied in both world wars, introducing an era of modernized warfare. -
Napoleon's Invasion of Russia
-Only 40,000 of the original 600,000 French soldiers returned home
-The Russians implemented the scorched earth policy, burning everything behind them to prevent the French from living off the land
-The French hegemony ended -
Congress of Vienna
-It created territorial adjustments, such as the creation of the German Confederation
-It imposed the congress system to prevent future conflict
-It treated France moderately to ensure no feelings of revenge.
-There was 100 years without major conflict -
1848 Revolutions
-It caused Fredrick William IV to reject the German crown, therefore preventing a liberal and united Germany.
-Many People died including 300 early in the revolution, and over 1,500 in the bloody June Days
-It caused Meissoner to paint "Memory of Civil War" -
Crimean War
-It caused the death of over 250,000 soldiers
-It made Russia's military less formidable
-The Sebastopol was attacked by France, Britain, Piedmont, and the Ottomans -
Austro-Prussian War
-Austria was expelled from the German Confederation
-Prussia gained control over the Northern German Confederation
-Four times as many troops died in Austria than Prussia -
Franco-Prussian War
-The Liberals overthrew the government of the second empire and declared the third empire of the French Republic
-King William I became emperor of German Empire
-German Unity was Achieved -
Second Industrial Revolution
-The annual production of steel rose more than 50 fold from 1850
-By 1912 the Us was the world's largest producer
-New chemical-based fabrics spawned many infant industries
-Electricity and Petroleum became practical sources of power because of the electrical dynamo, steam turbine, and internal combustion engine. -
Berlin Conference
-It established guidelines for dividing Africa for colonization
-Otto Van Bismarck was dismissed, because he was a broker for stability
-There was increased tensions throughout the world because of colonial exploitation -
Most important Event 20th century
WW1 was the most important event of the 20th century because it was the beginning of an era of more modernized warfare with tanks, planes, and machine guns. Additionally, WW1 eventually led to other events including WW2 because the treaty of Versailles, which was made to punish Germany for its actions in WW1, left Germany with a small army and feelings of resentment towards the other European Countries. This eventually led Germany on a path of rebuilding its power, causing the start of WW2. -
Start of WWI
-The introduction of better weapons and vehicles in warfare including the machine gun, tanks, and dreadnoughts
-The era of trench warfare began, with troops using trenches as a means of protection and to gain a defensive advantage
-The Schlieffen plan was enacted, with Germans thrusting through Belgium to take France, which would allow them to take Russia.
-The Battle of Verdun took place, with Germans attacking the French fortress of Verdun, in order to bleed them out -
Bolshevik November Revolution
-It allowed Lenin power over Russia
-The Communists set up the Pyramid of the People's Councils
-it caused Lenin to open peace negotiations with Germany
-It kickstarted communism in Russia -
End of WWI
-10 million soldiers & 7-10 million citizens perished
-Russia along with Germany lost 2 million citizens
-Serbia lost 15-20 percent of its population
-One-tenth of the richest region of France was laid to waste
-The treaty of Versailles was created -
Treaty of Versailles
-Offered to give Japan rights in the Chinese mainland, causing China to refuse to sign it
-It made the Arabs mad because they were promised independence, but they did not receive it
-Britain promised the Jews a homeland in Palestine, but they did not receive it in the treaty, outraging them -
Great Depression
-Stocks lost almost 2/3 their value
-Thousands of banks and businesses throughout the West failed
-Japan's imperial ambitions in Asia were revived
-30 million people in the West were unemployed -
Hitler Appointed Chancellor
-It caused Nazi propaganda and terror to confuse and frighten voters into voting for the Nazi Party
-Hitler suspended the civili liberties of communists, and arrested many of them
-Hitler outlawed all other political parties
-The Enabling act was passed, which allowed hitler to make laws for 4 years -
Spanish Civil War
-Hitler and Mussolini sent arms and troops to support France, hoping to gain an ally and advance fascism
-Germans attacked the town of Guernica
-Picasso painted "Guernica" depicting the slaughter of the attack from the Germans -
Nazi invasion of "Poland"
-Germans already living in "Poland" began destroying the "Polish" people
-The French and the British mobilized
-Great Britain and France declared war on Germany
-Britain blockaded Germany by sea
-Soviets reannexed territiories in "Poland" and Eastern Europe lost in WW1 -
Operation Barbarossa
-600,000 Soviet soldiers died in the first 20 days
-3 million Soviet soldiers died, and 3 million were captured by December
-The Germans were forced to halt and even retreat in some places due to the harsh weather -
End of WW2
-The UN was formed, promoting international peace and cooperation
-The Nazis killed 11-12 million people in total in their genocidal program
-Over 60 million people died, total
-It paved the way for the US and USSR's conflicts in the cold war -
Berlin Airlift
-Prompted Soviets to back down from West Germany
-It allowed the Western allies to merge three western zones of Germany, forming the German Federal Republic
-The Soviet Union established the German Democratic Republic
-Germany divided capitalist West Germany with communist East -
Hungarian Rebellion
-Imre Nagy became the leader of Hungary
-The multiparty system was introduced
-Soviets sent in troops to Hungary after they proposed to leave the warsaw pact -
Prague Spring
-Dubcek Government initiated economic decentralization
-The Government initiated greater national independence
-They initiated democratic reforms
-They eliminated censorship -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
-East and West Germany reunified
-Communists in Berlin lost power
-Albania's communist regime collapsed
-Bulgaria's communist ruler was deposed with an internal coupe -
Fall of the USSR
-Many of the republicans in the USSR joined the commonwealth of independence
-Poland and Hungary quickly transitioned to capitalism and liberal democracy
-Many workers lost their jobs after closing of the now inefficient industries
-The removal of price controls invoked instant inflation -
Maastricht Treaty
-Established the Euro which was a common currency controlled by a central European bank
-Controlled large yearly budget deficits that most nations had in the EU
-Members of the EU had a combined gross national production greater than the US's -
Most Important Event Overall: WW1
WW1 was the most important event overall because it marked the beginning of an era of modernized warfare, and caused future conflicts and events as well. WW1 played a part in causing WW2 with Germany's hard feelings towards the Treaty of Versaille's harsh policy, and their eventual policy of rebuilding power for Germany. It also caused the great depression because of lingering economic problems in many countries after the war. WW1 also greatly changed the structure of Europe's borders.