Important Historical Events and Figures – General Knowledge Notes

1. French Revolution (1789–1799)

• Overview: A period of radical social and political upheaval in France.
• Key Causes: Economic hardship, social inequality, and ideas of the Enlightenment.
• Major Events:
  • Storming of the Bastille (1789) – Symbol of the revolution.
  • Reign of Terror (1793–1794) – Mass executions of “enemies of the revolution.”
• Important Figures:
  • Maximilien Robespierre – Leader during the Reign of Terror.
  • Napoleon Bonaparte – Rose to power after the revolution, later becoming Emperor.

2. American Civil War (1861–1865)

• Overview: Fought between the Northern states (Union) and Southern states (Confederacy) over slavery and states’ rights.
• Key Events:
  • Battle of Gettysburg (1863) – Turning point of the war.
  • Emancipation Proclamation (1863) – Abraham Lincoln declared all slaves in the Confederacy to be free.
• Important Figures:
  • Abraham Lincoln – President of the United States, led the Union.
  • Robert E. Lee – Confederate general.
  • Ulysses S. Grant – Union general, later became President.

3. Industrial Revolution (1760–1840)

• Overview: A period of major industrialization and innovation in Europe and the USA, transforming economies from agrarian to industrial.
• Key Developments:
  • The invention of the steam engine by James Watt (1765) revolutionized transportation and manufacturing.
  • Mass production techniques emerged, especially in textiles and iron.
• Important Figures:
  • James Watt – Improved the steam engine.
  • Henry Ford – Introduced the assembly line in the automobile industry.

4. World War I (1914–1918)

• Overview: A global war centered in Europe, sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
• Key Events:
  • Battle of the Somme (1916) – One of the largest battles of the war.
  • Treaty of Versailles (1919) – Ended the war, imposed reparations on Germany.
• Important Figures:
  • Woodrow Wilson – President of the USA, proposed the League of Nations.
  • Kaiser Wilhelm II – Emperor of Germany, abdicated in 1918.

5. World War II (1939–1945)

• Overview: A global war caused by the aggressive expansion of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan.
• Key Events:
  • Invasion of Poland (1939) – Triggered the war.
  • D-Day Invasion (1944) – The Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France.
  • Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945) – Led to Japan’s surrender.
• Important Figures:
  • Adolf Hitler – Leader of Nazi Germany.
  • Winston Churchill – Prime Minister of Britain during the war.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt – US President for most of the war.
  • Joseph Stalin – Leader of the Soviet Union.

6. Cold War (1947–1991)

• Overview: A period of geopolitical tension between the USA and the Soviet Union after World War II.
• Key Events:
  • Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) – The closest the world came to nuclear war.
  • Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
  • The dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991) – Marked the end of the Cold War.
• Important Figures:
  • John F. Kennedy – US President during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
  • Nikita Khrushchev – Soviet leader during the same period.
  • Mikhail Gorbachev – The last leader of the Soviet Union, known for reforms like Perestroika and Glasnost.

7. The Renaissance (14th–17th Century)

• Overview: A cultural movement that marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity, originating in Italy and spreading across Europe.
• Key Contributions: Advancements in art, science, and exploration.
• Important Figures:
  • Leonardo da Vinci – Renowned painter, scientist, and inventor.
  • Michelangelo – Famous sculptor and painter (Sistine Chapel).
  • Niccolò Machiavelli – Political philosopher, author of “The Prince.”

8. The Age of Exploration (15th–17th Century)

• Overview: European nations explored and colonized large parts of the world.
• Key Events:
  • Christopher Columbus (1492) – “Discovered” the Americas.
  • Ferdinand Magellan (1519–1522) – First circumnavigation of the Earth.
• Important Figures:
  • Vasco da Gama – First to reach India by sea.
  • Hernán Cortés – Conquered the Aztec Empire.

9. Indian Independence Movement (1857–1947)

• Overview: A series of activities and struggles to end British rule in India, culminating in independence in 1947.
• Key Events:
  • Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922) – Led by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • Quit India Movement (1942) – Demanding an end to British rule.
• Important Figures:
  • Mahatma Gandhi – Leader of the Indian independence movement.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru – First Prime Minister of independent India.
  • Subhas Chandra Bose – Leader of the Indian National Army (INA).

10. Scientific Revolution (16th–18th Century)

• Overview: A period of major advances in science, mathematics, and astronomy, transforming views of the universe.
• Key Discoveries:
  • Heliocentric theory (Copernicus) – The Sun is the center of the solar system.
  • Laws of motion and gravity (Isaac Newton).
• Important Figures:
  • Galileo Galilei – Advanced telescopic astronomy and supported heliocentrism.
  • Isaac Newton – Developed the theory of gravity and the laws of motion.

These notes provide a basic overview of the most important historical events and figures, their significance, and their lasting impact on world history.