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The Thirty Years' War
When Ferdinand II became head of state, he wanted to force all citizens into Catholicism, going against Peace of Augsburg allowing a choice in religion. Fighting between territories continued for 30 years, with power alternating between Catholic and Protestant forces. People suffered famine, disease, death, and became distrusting of other races and ethnicities. The Thirty Years' war ended with the Treaty of Westphalia separating politics and religion, and creating 360 separate states. -
English Bill of Rights
As part of the Glorious Revolution when James II was overthrown, the new monarchs agreed that Parliament was superior over the monarchy eliminating imprisonment without trial, unjustly raising taxes, not consulting parliament on foreign policy issues and finances, which was happening under Charles I and might happen under James II. The monarchy had to obey the law and the people had rights. This influenced the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the US. -
War of the Austrian Succession
An eight year war started when Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, a Hapsburg Provence, after Charles VI died and didn't have a male heir. However his daughter was able to get Hungarian, Britain and Russian forces to assist her. She retained her empire, but wasn't able to force Frederick out of Silesia. Maria was not a tyrant, she served the best interest of the people. She tried to ease the burdens on the peasants and forced nobles and clergy to pay taxes. -
The Stamp Act
The first taxes against the colonists from Parliament after Britain drained the treasury after the French and Indian War. The tax was on paper documents. The colonists didn't like the tax because they felt they shouldn't be taxed without representation in Parliament. However Parliament felt they should be paying for the defense provided by Britain. Tensions continued to rise and the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party occurred. This led to the colonists declaring independence from Britain. -
American Revolution
Britain's harsh treatment of the colonists and increased taxes without representation caused anger with the colonists and led to the American Revolution. George Washington, an "inspiring military leader", led the colonists in battle. With the colonists receiving alliance and support from France, and eventually Spain and the Netherlands, the army was able to force the British army to surrender. -
Treaty of Paris
Two years after the surrender of the British in the American Revolution, the Treaty of Paris was signed officially ending the war. This gave the colonists their independence from Britain, and the birth of the United States of America was official. It also gave more land, the Northwest Territory, increasing the future expansion of the United States. -
The French Revolution
The French Revolution lasted for 10 years and was ultimately a rise of the people against a absolute monarchy. The people wanted religious freedom, social reform and to cease high taxes (similar to the American Revolution and the Glorious Revolution). The people wanted their government to be in place for them. The French Revolution came to an end when Napoleon Bonaparte declared himself the "first consul" after abolishing the Directory due to political corruption and financial crisis. -
Storming of the Bastille
Parisians demanded the guards of the Bastille open the fortress as they were in search of weapons and gun powder, but instead, the guards opened fire on the crowd. Once the people overtook the Bastille from the guards, they killed the guards, set free the small amount of prisoners but didn't find any weapons. This was the beginning of the French Revolution, and a life of freedom for the citizens because absolute monarchy was coming to an end. -
Tennis Court Oath
The National Assembly was established as it was more effective to have a single body together to count votes instead of three separate Estates meeting separately. Because the meeting hall was locked and guarded, the Estates moved to a nearby tennis court to conduct business. This is when the National Assembly was created to "never to separate and to meet wherever the circumstances might require until we have established a sound and just constitution. This was an uprising against the monarchy. -
Reign of Terror
All citizens who supported the French Revolution, such as clergy, peasants, and nobles for example, were threatened by the Reign of Terror which was orchestrated by Robespierre. The trials were fast and unfair, and many people subjected to this were falsely blamed, or from mistaken identity. They received unfair death sentences. Prisons were filled with disease and death. Eventually, even the creators of the Reign of Terror, the Convention, became scared and turned on the Committee.