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The Storming of the Bastille marked the start of the French Revolution. The people of Paris attacked the prison-fortress, a symbol of royal tyranny, in search of weapons and ammunition.
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This document declared freedom, equality, and universal rights for all men, becoming a cornerstone of human rights and the French Revolution.
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King Louis XVI called the Estates General, a meeting of representatives from the three estates (clergy, nobility, and commoners), to address France's financial crisis. This event led to the rise of the Third Estate.
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Written by Olympe de Gouges, this document demanded equal rights for women, challenging the male-focused Declaration of 1789.
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King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine after being convicted of treason during the French Revolution.
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A period of extreme violence during the French Revolution, led by Robespierre, where thousands were executed as "enemies of the revolution."
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This coup overthrew Robespierre, ending the Reign of Terror and leading to a more moderate phase of the French Revolution.
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A five-member committee governed France during this unstable period, marked by corruption and challenges.
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Napoleon Bonaparte staged a coup to overthrow the Directory, marking the end of the French Revolution and beginning the Consulate period.
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A new form of government established by Napoleon, where he was the First Consul, consolidating his power.
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Napoleon declared himself Emperor, expanding French territory and implementing reforms before his first abdication.
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One of Napoleon's greatest victories, where he defeated the combined Austrian and Russian armies.
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Brother of Louis XVI; restored the Bourbon monarchy after Napoleon's fall. He ruled as a constitutional monarch during a period of political tension.
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A diplomatic meeting after Napoleon's defeat aiming to restore European monarchies and balance of power; it redrew the map of Europe and established the Concert of Europe.
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Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba after his defeat in 1814, but he escaped to reclaim power for 100 days.
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A German customs union initiated by Prussia to promote economic unity among the German states and exclude Austria. It laid the groundwork for German unification.
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The final battle where Napoleon was defeated by British and Prussian forces, ending his rule as Emperor.
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After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of St. Helena, where he lived until his death.
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A brief liberal period in Spain where a constitutional monarchy was restored. Ended by French intervention restoring absolutism under Ferdinand VII.
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Greece fought a war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, with eventual support from Britain, France, and Russia. Recognized as an independent state in 1830.
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Napoleon died in exile on St. Helena, possibly from stomach cancer or poisoning, marking the end of an era.
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Last Bourbon king of France, he attempted to restore absolute monarchy, leading to the July Revolution and his abdication.
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Belgium declared independence from the Netherlands after the Belgian Revolution and became a neutral, constitutional monarchy.
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Known as the "Citizen King," he came to power after the July Revolution. His reign ended with the 1848 revolution due to growing discontent.
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A wave of liberal and nationalist uprisings across Europe demanding constitutional reforms, national unification, and workers’ rights. Mostly suppressed but set long-term changes in motion.
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Established after the fall of Louis Philippe. It introduced universal male suffrage and ended with the rise of Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte became Emperor Napoleon III, modernized France, and engaged in several foreign wars. He was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War.
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Key battles in the Second Italian War of Independence. French and Sardinian forces defeated Austria, advancing Italian unification.
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Giuseppe Garibaldi led the "Expedition of the Thousand" and successfully unified southern Italy under the Sardinian crown.
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Proclaimed King of a united Italy (excluding Rome and Venetia at the time), he became the first monarch of modern Italy.
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Fought over the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Prussia and Austria defeated Denmark, increasing Prussian influence in German affairs.
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Prussia defeated Austria and excluded it from German affairs, leading to the creation of the North German Confederation.
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Conflict between France and Prussia. Prussian victory led to the collapse of the Second French Empire and the unification of Germany.
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After the victory in the Franco-Prussian War, Wilhelm I was crowned Emperor in Versailles, marking the unification of Germany under Prussian leadership.