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Voltaire is born
François-Marie Arouet was born into a upper-class family. His mother, Marie Marguerite d'Aumart died when Voltaire was seven years old. His father, François Arouet was a lawyer who was very wealthy. This is important because it is the start of the great Voltaire and his father being as wealthy as he was enabled him to go to a good college to study.
Source: (Bio.com) -
War of Spanish Succession
The war of Spanish Succesion broke out over a dispute of the throne following the death of Charles the second who had no children. England, Dutch Republic, and France were the participants of the war. This was important because Canada was lost to France after the war.
Source: (Sparknotes) -
Published Oedipe
This tragedy play was written by Voltaire when he was exiled to Bastille for making fun of a nobleman that had him assaulted and imprisoned in Bastille. He was imprisoned for eleven months then was let go because he was wrongly accused. This is important because after he got released from his imprisonment in Bastille he published Oedipe and it won him a lot of fame and was his first major work. After this was the first time he used his pen name Voltaire.
Source: (Bio.com) -
Voltaire publishes Henriade
Henriade was written is honor and celebration of the life of Henry IV of France. It also it written to the concern of France's political state. First printed in 1723 as La Ligue then changed to La Henriade and printed many more times. Henriade was so important and so informative that it was used in schools in the early nineteenth century which was analyzed by students.
Source: (Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet)) -
Exiled to England
Voltaire was exiled to England because he was fighting with a nobleman in the streets of France. Intead of going to the feared Bastille again he chose to go to England. When he was exiled to England he learned English and saw many plays which inspired him to write plays in English and wrote about John Locke.
Source: (Voltaire in England) -
Published Philosophical Letters on the English
The Philosophical Letters on the English included letters on religion, and political practices, science and art, and other famous Englishmen such as John Locke. In these letters Voltaire is "attacking the French Government" by wrting these letters based on what he saw in England when he got exiled. These were important because they gave people who read them another piont of view on the topics he wrote about.
Which meant that the people of France started to beilieve less in what people said. -
Establish Press Freedom
John Peter Zenger published newspaper articles about a currupt government official and was later jailed for writing and telling the truth about him. Then when his trial came around his lawyer pleaded that every man had the right to speak his mind freely. This was important because it was the start of the freedom of the press or the first ammendment.
Source: (Newseum) -
Voted into the Acadimie Francaise
Voltaire was voted into the Acadinmie Francaise after the death of Marquise du Chatelet and also the king of Prussia invited him into it. Then he moved to Potsdam then back to France. This was important because it helped him learn and get recognized from the invitation.
Source: (Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet)) -
Attacked President of the Berlin Academy of Science
In the writing Voltaire describes the president of the Berlin Academy of Science as a buffoon. He was ordered to retract his text or leave Berlin. This is important because it shows that Voltaire is an honest man that isn't afraid of getting punished for the truth.
Source: (Stanford University) -
Seven Years War
The Seven Years War began as a result of trying to get back Silesia and also overseas struggle for control of North America. The war ended in the Treaty of Paris. This was important because it provided Great Britian with a huge amount of land that they now owned. Then it led to colonial dispute and then that led to the American Revolution.
Source: (French and Indian War) -
Writes Candide
Voltaire wrote Candide in response to many terrible events happening around the world. For example, the volcanoe eruption is Lisbon, and the Seven Years War outbreak. Also he wrote about his Enlightenment ideas in it. This was important because it was said to be "the writing of the Enlightenment" and critizes many things like philosophy and the church. When people read it, they got the idea of listening to something else rather than the church telling them everything.
Source: (Bio.com/Purpose) -
Published Dictionnaire Philosophique
The Dictionnaire Philosophique was written to fire criticisms at French political institutions. It is written about everything from adultery to climate. This is important because after it was written many things changed in France. Also it was used to fight against the Catholic Church.
Source: (Durant, Will. The Story of Philosophy) -
Boston Tea Party
When the tea came from the Britsh East India Companym, the Sons of Liberty stormed onto the ship and dumped all of the tea into the Boston Harbor. When they did this they dressed up as Indians to disguise themselves. This was imprtant because after this the British induced the Intolerable Acts.
Source: (Boston Tea Party) -
First Conteinental Congress
Memebers from the colonies met from September 5th to October 26. They met in response to the Coercive Acts that were induced in response to the colonists actions toward the acts. This meeting was important because it led to things like the Declaration of Rights and the Continental Association.
Source: (Continental Congress) -
Battle of Bunkerhill
This was a battle between the British and the Americans and the Americans were stationed on top of a hill to get a height advantage on the British. There were over 800 wounded and over 200 dead for the British, and 1,200 dead for the Americans 450 killed and wounded even. This battle proved that the American militia could stand up to the great British army.
Source: (American Revolution) -
Voltaire dies
Voltaire died in Paris at the age of 83 in his sleep. His last word were "For God's sake, let me die in peace". Then he was not allowed to be buried because of all of his critisms on the church. This was important because it was the end of one of the greatest philosiphical thinker and enlightenment thinkers.
Source: (Bio.com)
