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Montesquieu publishes book, On the Spirit of Laws
Montesquieu, a philosophe, studied political liberty. His ideas became part of his book, On the Spirit of Laws. In it, he discussed an idea we now call checks and balances. -
America declares independence
Before declaring independance, Americans had to be aggravated. This aggravation came in the form of the king. An example of this would be the stamp act, where every paper had to be stamped with a stamp that cost 99 cents. However, it took Americans a long time to step up to the plate, and, inspired by the Enlightenment, declare independence in a document with a bit of plagerism. -
French Revolution
Pockets empty from funding the American revolution, the French now had a long road in front of them. Their king and queen were both very disconnected. Their actions, and lack of food/money would make France spiral into the revolution. -
Napoleon overthrows the Directory through a coup d’etat
Napoleon, who was considered a hero, persuaded the people of France to have an election for a new government, adding his biased opinion, to have a group of three consuls. This was chosen and he became first consul, with the power of a dictator. -
Haiti wins freedom from France
In Saint Domingue, or modern-day Haiti, it was 99% slaves. When they rose up, however, France brought in many soldiers. Yet, with the help of Tousaint L'Overture, an educated slave, and Jean Jaqques Dessaline, they are able to convince the French that the slaves are the true French, and in a vote, they were all declared French citizens. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor, begins to create a vast European Empire
Napoleon, who was the first consul, decided to become emperor with the support of the French people. In 1804, he, dressed in a robe of purple velvet, walked down the aisle of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. At the end, he took the crown from the pope and place it on his head, symbolizing he had more power than the church. Afterwards, he set forth to conquer areas of Europe, putting them under relatives, or allying with countries to create a vast empire. -
Padre Hidalgo calls for Mexican Independence
Padre Hidalgo began the call for independance in Mexico. He was educated, and realized that his people should rebel. He rung the bells at an odd time, and spoke of rights. They marched to Mexico City, where he was quickly arrested and assasinated. However, his comrad, Jose Maria Morelos takes over, and is about to win... when he is killed by Agustin de Iturbide, who switches sides afterwards and brings Mexico Independance (and then declares himself dictator). -
Napoleon is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon was already losing power. He had an ill-prepared army, and had suffered many attacks. However, this was the end of his power. He was up against a grand army, and soon afterwards, would be sent to his "green".
