AP Euro Anchor dates: Topic 1 , 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

14th Century (1300s)

Humanism develops.  Focus on Antiquity and value of man (as opposed to Scholasticism, which drew inspiration from Medieval period & Bible).  Develops into Italian and Northern (Christian) Humanism

1450

Printing Press invented by Gutenberg - allows the spread of ideas more quickly through the printing of books & pamphlets. Helps spread the Reformation

1453

Fall of Constantinople - Ottoman turks sacked Constantinople.  Allows Ottoman expansion into Eastern Europe.  End of Roman (Byzantine( Empire)

1453

End of Hundred Years’ War - fought between England and France.  EFFECTS: loss of all English territory in France except Calais.  Increased taxes -> unrest.  Decline in importance of nobility in battle due to longbow

1490-1527

High Renaissance - paintings and sculpture influenced by Humanism (antiquity & value of man).  Shading (chiaroscuro) & linear perspective create more lifelike art.  Botticelli, Michelangelo, Rafael, da Vinci, etc

1492

Ferdinand and Isabella unite Spain - rise of consolidated monarchies in Europe.  Subdued the nobility & expelled Moors and Jews (reconquista & inquisition).  Similar state consolidation in France & England while HRE & Italy remain fragmented

1492

Voyage of Columbus - begins Age of Exploration & Columbian Exchange which introduced new food to Europe -> population growth.  Inflation from influx of silver/gold bullion from the New World

1509

Erasmus writes In Praise of Folly. Northern Humanism.  “Laid the Egg that Luther Hatched”. Criticized the Church for lack of true piety (also criticized Pope Julius II)

1517

Luther’s 95 Theses. Against sale of indulgences (Tetzel) and other abuses (simony, nepotism etc).  Later ideas include salvation through faith alone (sola fide) and Bible in the vernacular - more direct relationship with God.  Ideas embraced by Princes who wanted independence from the Pope.

1534

Act of Supremacy in England - Henry VIII was “Defender of the (Catholic) Faith” but est. the Anglican Church to get a divorce.  Book of Common Prayer in England.

1555

Peace of/Treaty of Augsburg - in HRE “he who rules determines the religion”.  Same year - HRE divided into East & West by Charles V: split between Philip II & Ferdinand -> Hapsburgs divided into Spanish & Austrian branches.

1558-1603

Reign of Elizabeth I - Golden Age (literature: Shakespeare) - politique (allows religious toleration).  Unmarried.  Defeated the Spanish Armada -> England becomes naval superpower.  Last of Tudors. Next is Stuarts in 17th C.

1598

Edict of Nantes ends French Wars of Religion (“Can’t harm the Protestants in France”) - Henry IV (of Navarre) publicly converts to Catholicism (“Paris is worth a Mass”)

1618-1648

Thirty Years’ War - 4 phases.  Started with Defenestration of Prague.  Later phases were less religious and more political. Ends with Treaty of Westphalia which legalizes Calvinism & Lutheranism in HRE & recognized independence of the Dutch Republic -> no more wars of religion

1642-1651

English Civil War - James I & Charles I try to rule without Parliament. Roundheads (anti-king) vs. Cavaliers (pro-king). Charles I overthrown and executed → “interregnum” under Cromwell creates Puritan “Republic” but becomes a military dictatorship →  Charles II restored to the throne

c.1650

Baroque art develops - used by absolutists like Louis XIV in Versailles. Very ornate and dramatic use of light and shading. Often Catholic subjects. Artists: Bernini & Caravaggio

1651

Thomas Hobbes publishes Leviathan - supports absolutism - negative view on human nature.  Influenced by turmoil of the English Civil War.

1682

Peter the Great becomes Tsar - wants to westernize Russia. Inspired by Louis XIV.  Builds new capital at St. Petersburg. Forces boyars (nobles) to shave beards. Establishes “Table of Ranks” – more of a meritocracy.

1688

Glorious Revolution - fear England will become Catholic was a motive. William & Mary of the Netherlands invited to take throne. Bloodless coup. English Bill of Rights protects rights of Parliament and establishes a Constitutional Monarchy in England.

1713

Treaty of Utrecht - ends War of the Spanish Succession which was triggered by the death of Charles II (last Habsburg king of Spain). Philip V (grandson of Louis XIV) accepted on the throne, but there could be no union of Spain & France. Balance of power shifts toward France & Bourbons.

1543

Copernicus proposes Heliocentric theory - updates Ptolemaic system (geocentric) but maintains circular orbits. Kepler will discover orbits are elliptical and driven by force of gravity

1588-1672

Dutch Golden Age - religious toleration, commercial enterprises like stock exchange in Amsterdam & Dutch East India Co. Art like Rembrandt & Vermeer. Decline after Anglo-Dutch Wars/Franco-Dutch Wars & “disaster year”

1633

Galileo forced to recant his theories by the Inquisition - accused of heresy by publicizing Copernicus’s model. Books placed on “Index of Forbidden Books.” Placed under house arrest

1713

Pragmatic Sanction -- allows Maria Theresa to ascend to Austrian throne in lieu of male heir → War of Austrian Succession provoked as Frederick the Great invaded Silesia. Maria Theresa keeps throne and becomes an “enlightened despot” but Prussia rises as a European power. Son Joseph II will abolish serfdom & allow toleration unlike Catholic Maria Theresa.

1729

Catherine the Great - acquired warm water ports on the Black Sea (Crimea). Made educational reforms including schools for girls. Corresponded with Enlightenment philosophers like Voltaire & Diderot. Some religious toleration to Jews. Allowed settlement in Western Russia (“Pale of Settlement”) Challenges: Pugachev’s Rebellion shows discontent of serfs

1740

Frederick the Great - Hohenzollern family. modernized Prussian army. Partitioned Poland w/ Austria & Russia. “first servant of the state.” unified code of law for Prussia. Religious toleration even encouraging Jews & Huguenots to immigrate. Strengthened privileges of Junkers who retained power over their serfs

1750s-1800

Enlightenment  - themes like more representative government, rights for the people, etc. Other important Philosophers of 18th c. Enlightenment: Locke (natural rights), Voltaire (toleration & constitutional monarchy); Rousseau (social contract & republican government); Montesquieu (separation of powers/branches of government) Wollstonecraft (rights of women)

1776

Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations - Capitalism replaced Mercantilism as dominant economic system. Classical economist like David Ricardo & Thomas Malthus.

1756-1763

Seven Years’ War (French & Indian War) - fought in America & Europe between France & England for global dominance. Treaty of Paris ends war with British victory (leadership of PM William Pitt). Both France & England in debt → higher taxes → American & then French Revolutions

1789

French Revolution Begins - high taxes, social inequality & weak monarch → revolution. Estates General deadlock → tennis court oath to write a new constitution.  July - Storming of the Bastille. Feudal rights & titles abolished. Women march to Versailles & take royals to Paris. - Constitutional Monarchy. “moderate” inspired by Enlightenment

1793

Louis XVI executed - French Republic est. “Reign of Terror” under Robespierre & Committee of Public Safety. (“radical phase”) Catholicism abolished & “Cult of Reason”/new calendar created. Directory est. after overthrow of Robespierre. (final phase more conservative)

1799-1815

Napoleon’s Reign - took power in coup d'etat. First consul → Emperor. Concordat with the Papacy & creation of Napoleonic Code (meritocracy, freedom of religion, property rights, but limited rights of women). Military success at Austerlitz, but defeated in Russia & Continental System failed. Exiled & defeated finally at Waterloo.

1815

Congress of Vienna - begins era of Conservatism. Led by Klemens von Metternich. Goals: establish a “Concert of Europe,” balance of power & restore legitimate monarchs deposed by Napoleon to their thrones.  Balance of power lasted until German Unification and began time of peace (aside from Crimean War)

1769

James Watt patents Steam Engine - begins Industrial Revolution - mechanized production in factories and improvements in transportation (railroads & steamboats. Luddites will oppose the replacement of people with machines.

1800s

Romanticism - focus on nature & emotion vs. logic & industrial progress. Poetry (Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, etc.) Art (Friedrich, Delacroix, etc.) Music (Beethoven, Wagner, etc.)

1815

Congress of Vienna - begins era of Conservatism. Led by Klemens von Metternich. Goals: establish a “Concert of Europe,” balance of power & restore legitimate monarchs deposed by Napoleon to their thrones.  Balance of power lasted until German Unification (1871) and began time of peace (aside from Crimean War (1853-6)

1832

Great Reform Bill - increases English eligible voters by lowering property requirements. Liberal Bill. Later liberal acts included Chartist Movement (1838) - first major working class movement in England. Repeal of the Corn Laws (1846) → England makes reforms and avoids revolutions unlike more conservative states

1834

Zollverein established - free trade union in Germany. This Economic unification will lay foundations for later political unification.

1848

Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto - struggle between proletariat & bourgeoisie. Urges worldwide revolution  & creation of a classless society run by workers (“dictatorship of the proletariat”)

1853-1856

Crimean War - started with conflict over Turkish-controlled Jerusalem. Other European powers saw Russia as a threat to the balance of power. Sevastopol - largest battle; “Charge of the Light Brigade” poem by Lord Tennyson. Ottoman Empire = “sick man of Europe.” Florence Nightingale - nursing. Considered first modern war

1857

Sepoy Rebellion - Indian soldiers rebel after hearing cartridges were greased with pork and beef fat. British Raj (direct rule) est. after rebellion. India was the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire

1870

Italian Unification - Carbonari - early nationalists. Young Italy led by Mazzini argued for a republic. Cavour uses realpolitik to unify Italy starting with modernizing Piedmont’s army → war with Austria. Garibaldi & Red Shirts work from the South. Unify Italy under King Victor Emmanuel II. Venice & Papal States added last. Divisions N & S continue

1871

German Unification - debates over kleindeutsch (small) & grossdeutsche (large Germany – includes Austria). Bismarck unites Germany through “blood & iron”--war with Denmark, Austrian & France. Franco-Prussian War ended with Napoleon III’s surrender. France ceded Alsace-Lorraine.  King William I proclaimed German emperor

1884

Berlin Conference - Scramble for Africa led by Bismarck. No African representation. Britain & France get the most territory. Belgium controls Congo  with Leopold II ruling brutally. Only Ethiopia & Liberia independent