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Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
Baron de Montesquieu's most famous book, On the Spirit of Laws, proposes that separation of powers would keep any individual or group from gaining total control of the government. This idea would later come to influence the United States Constitution. -
America declares independence
In July of 1776, the Second Continental Congress, a group that protested the treatment of the British colonies in the Americas, issued the Declaration of Independence. This document, written by political leader Thomas Jefferson, reflected the ideas of John Locke and the Enlightenment in its eloquent argument for natural rights. It ended by declaring the colonies' separation from Britain. -
French Revolution
June 17, 1789 was the dawn of the French Revolution when the delegates of the Third Estates voted to establish the National Assembly, to pass laws and reforms in the name of the French people. This proclaimed the end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of representative government. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory through a coup d'etat
By 1799, the Directory, the executive body of the new French government, had lost control of the political situation and the confidence of the French people. Napoleon Bonaparte, a young general who was hailed throughout Paris, took action. Troops under his command surrounded the national legislature and drove out most of its members. Lawmakers then voted to dissolve the Directory and establish a group of three consuls, one of whom was Napoleon. -
Haiti wins freedom from France
While the French Revolution was taking place, the oppressed people in the French colony of Haiti rose up against their French masters. In 1804, General Dessalines, one of the leaders of the revolution, dfeclared the colony an independent country. It was the first black colony to free itself from European control. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor, begins to create a vast European Empire
With the support of the French voters, Napoleon decided to make himself emperor. Once crowned, he turned his attention to conquering the colonies in America and the rest of Europe. -
Padre Hidalgo calls for Mexican Independence
Padre Hidalgo, a poor but well-educated priest, firmly believed in Enlightenment ideals. On September 16, 1810, he gathered peasants in his church, and called for rebellion against the Spanish. The next day, Hidalgo and his followers marched towards Mexico City. This was the first step toward Mexican Independence. -
Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
When Napoleon escaped from his exile on the island of Elba and once again became the emperor of France, other Europena countries quickly gathered their forces. The British army, led by the Duke of Wellington, prepared for battle near the village of Waterloo in Belgium. On June 18, 1815, Napoleon attacked. However, the British, later joined by the Prussians, held their ground. This defeat signaled the end to Napoleon's reign as emperor.