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Montesquieu, a French philosophe, published his book The Spirit of Laws in 1748. The book focused on his beleifs and ideas, such as the separation of powers, the abolishment of slavery, and the rights that people deserve.
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After being oppressed and excessively taxed by the British, the American colonists declared their independence in 1776.
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The French 3rd estate, which accounted for about 97% of the French population at the time, was starving and poor. Their rich leaders, who belonged to the 1st and 2nd estates, were living lives of luxury until the commoners started to rebel in a war that would demolish most of the French government in 1789.
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In 1799 Napoleon took over the weak French authority in a Coup D'etat, or a sudden overthrow of a government by an individual or small group.
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Napoleon, a strong military leader, crowned himself the emperor of France and began to conquor many European countries in 1804.
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The huge slave population o f Haiti wanted freedom from their cruel masters, and they overthrew the French presence and control over their island in 1804.
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Padre Hidalgo, a Mexican priest, called for Mexican independence from Spain by ringing his town's church bell in 1810.
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Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo to the Prussians in 1815. After the crushing defeat he was exiled to Saint Helena for the rest of his life.
