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The Peace of Westphalia and the Treaties of Westphalia
The Peace Treaties of Westphalia were signed on October 24, 1648, which brought an end to the Thirty Years' War (conflict within the H.R.E.). They were not typical of that period, as they created a new framework for modern international relations, with an emphasis on the principles of non-interventionism and state sovereignty. The Peace of Westphalia is significant, as it also promoted religious toleration, redrew the map of Europe and allowed many states to become sovereign (ie: Netherlands). -
The Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) and the Final Act (1815)
The Final Act of the Congress of Vienna was signed on June 9, 1815 by most European powers and includes all the agreements in one. The date is notable as the events occurred right after the downfall of Napoléon I and the end of the Napoleonic Wars; the goal of this summit was to restore peace and political order. This act is significant, as it redrew the European map, laid the framework for international relations up until WW1 and caused the eventual repression of nationalist movements (1848). -
The Greek War of Independence (1821-1832) and the Chios Massacre (1822)
The painting that depicts the Chios Massacre is a 4 m tall oil on canvas by Eugène Delacroix, a French Romantic artist (the leader of the French Romantic school). "Scènes de massacre à Scio" (1824), his second major artwork, hangs at The Louvre. This painting is significant, as it graphically depicts the events of this slaughter which is so decisive in Greece's modern history; also, there is no heroic figure, suggesting that there is no hope among all the horror. His work aroused much attention. -
The Treaty of Versailles (1919) & Hitler's Speech (1923)
Hitler's speech on April 17, 1923, was about German grievances and the unfairness of the Treaty of Versailles (one of the causes of WW2). Germans were revolted by the penalties imposed on them (alongside the financial burden and the fact that they had to take full responsibility for WWI damage). This oration is significant, as it demonstrates the surge of nationalist sentiment and the anger that the Germans felt towards the rest of Europe, and it foreshadows the rise of Hitler to power and WW2.