The United States Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

Tags: American Revolution, Independence, Declaration, Enlightenment, Thomas Jefferson

Franco-American alliance signed.

Tags: American Revolution, Diplomacy, International Relations, Warfare, Treaty

The Treaty of Paris formally ends the American Revolutionary War.

Tags: American Revolution, Treaties, Diplomacy, Independence, Warfare, Nationalism

1788: The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

Tags: Political Theory, American Revolution, United States Constitution, Federalism, Political Philosophy, Early Republic, Founding Fathers

The United States Constitution is written in Philadelphia and submitted to the states for ratification.

Tags: Constitution, Founding Fathers, Federalism, Republicanism, Legislative Branch, Executive Branch, American Revolution, Political Philosophy

New Hampshire becomes the 9th state to ratify the United States Constitution, and by the terms of Article VII it takes effect.

Tags: Constitution, Federalism, American Revolution, Political History, Early Republic, Founding Fathers

George Washington is elected the first President of the United States; he serves until 1797.

Tags: American Revolution, Presidency, George Washington, Founding Fathers, Federalism, Early Republic, Political Leadership, Constitution

The Liège Revolution.

Tags: Revolution, Enlightenment, Political Reform, French Revolution, Absolutism

The Brabant Revolution.

Tags: Revolution, Independence, Enlightenment, Political Upheaval, Monarchy, Republic

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen adopted.

Tags: French Revolution, Human Rights, Enlightenment, Natural Rights, Liberty, Equality

The United States of Belgium is proclaimed following the Brabant Revolution.

Tags: Revolution, Independence, Political Upheaval, Confederation, Failed State

The United States Bill of Rights is ratified.

Tags: Bill of Rights, Constitution, Civil Liberties, Human Rights, Political History, American Revolution, Founding Fathers, Legal History, Federalism

Former King Louis XVI of France and his wife Marie Antoinette are guillotined. Louis is executed in January, Marie Antoinette in October.

Tags: French Revolution, Regicide, Monarchy, Republic, Radicalism

Establishment of the French-backed Batavian Republic in present-day Netherlands.

Tags: French Revolution, Republic, Napoleonic Wars, Political Transformation, Nationalism, Enlightenment

Napoleon's invasion and partition of the Republic of Venice ends over 1,000 years of independence for the Serene Republic.

Tags: Napoleon Bonaparte, French Revolution, Republic, Annexation, Political Transition, European History

Coup of 18 Brumaire - Napoleon's coup d'etat brings the end of the French Revolution.

Tags: Coup d'état, French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, Military, Dictatorship, Consulate

Napoleon stages a coup d'état and becomes First Consul of France.

Tags: French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte, Coup d'état, Consulate, Dictatorship

Haiti gains independence from France and becomes the first black republic.

Tags: Independence, Revolution, Colonialism, French Revolution, Toussaint Louverture, Self-determination

Napoleon crowns himself Emperor of the French.

Tags: Napoleon Bonaparte, French Empire, Coronation, French Revolution, Monarchy, European History, Imperialism

Independence of Argentina.

Tags: Independence, Revolution, Colonialism, Spanish Empire, Nationalism

Independence of Chile.

Tags: Independence, Chile, Colonialism, Spanish Empire, Revolution

Mexico gains independence from Spain with the Treaty of Córdoba.

Tags: Independence, Colonialism, Nationalism, Political Change, Revolution

July Revolution in France.

Tags: Revolution, Monarchy, Constitutionalism, Liberalism

The Belgian Revolution in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands led to the creation of Belgium.

Tags: Revolution, Independence, Nationalism, Monarchy, Liberalism, Political Change

Revolutions of 1848 across Europe; crushed by conservatives.

Tags: Revolution, Liberalism, Conservatism, Nationalism, Unification, Monarchy, Social Reform, Working Class

November 30: Andres Bonifacio, founder of the Katipunan, was born.

Tags: Revolution, Nationalism, Independence Movement, Political Activism

July 23: Apolinario Mabini, the Brains of the Revolution, was born.

Tags: Revolution, Nationalism, Political Thought, Colonialism, Independence

The Paris Commune briefly rules the French capital.

Tags: Revolution, Socialism, Communism, Political Ideology, Workers' Rights, Civil War

The Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation is formed.

Tags: Nationalism, Revolution, Ottoman Empire, Insurgency, Political Organization

June 12: Philippine Independence from Spain is declared by Filipino revolutionaries, led by Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo, in Kawit, Cavite.

Tags: Nationalism, Independence Movements, Colonialism, Revolution, Political Change

January 22: The Revolution of 1905 in Russia erupts.

Tags: Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II, Protest, Political Unrest, Autocracy, Social Reform

The Persian Constitutional Revolution begins.

Tags: Constitutionalism, Revolution, Qajar Dynasty, Monarchy, Political Reform, Modernization

Persian Constitutional Revolution ends with the establishment of a parliament.

Tags: Constitutionalism, Parliament, Monarchy, Revolution, Political Reform, Qajar Dynasty

July: Young Turk Revolution in the Ottoman Empire.

Tags: Ottoman Empire, Revolution, Constitutionalism, Modernization, Balkan Wars, Nationalism

July 16: A revolution forces Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, Persian Shah of the Qajar dynasty to abdicate in favor of his son Ahmad Shah Qajar.

Tags: Monarchy, Qajar Dynasty, Revolution, Abdication, Succession, Political Instability

October 5: The 5 October 1910 revolution in Portugal and proclamation of the First Portuguese Republic.

Tags: Republic, Revolution, Monarchy, Political Change, Republicanism, Political Instability

October 10: 1911 Revolution, which overthrew the Qing dynasty of China, begins.

Tags: Revolution, Qing Dynasty, Republic, Political Change

August 25: The Kuomintang, the Chinese nationalist party, is founded.

Tags: Kuomintang, Nationalist Party, Political Parties, Republic of China, Chinese History, Revolution

March 8: Russian Revolution ends the Russian Empire; beginning of Russian Civil War.

Tags: Russian Revolution, Russian Empire, Tsar Nicholas II, Civil War, Bolsheviks, World War I, Political Instability, Revolution

January 22: Ukraine declares independence from Russia.

Tags: Independence, Nationalism, World War I, Russian Empire, Self-determination, Revolution, Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

October 29: German Revolution begins.

Tags: Revolution, World War I, Weimar Republic, Political Upheaval, Socialism, Political Instability

January 21: The First Red Scare in the United States. Irish War of Independence begins.

Tags: Communism, Anti-Communism, War of Independence, Civil Unrest, Nationalism, Revolution

March 2: Communist International established in the Kremlin to coordinate Communist parties worldwide.

Tags: Communism, Soviet Union, Political Ideology, Cold War, Revolution, Moscow, World War I

November 3: The Vargas Era begins in Brazil.

Tags: Getúlio Vargas, Revolution, Dictatorship, Political Transition, Authoritarianism

November 7: The Chinese Soviet Republic is proclaimed by Mao Zedong.

Tags: Communism, Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong, Revolution, Civil War, Political Ideology, Republic

June 24: Siamese Revolution establishes a constitutional monarchy.

Tags: Constitutional Monarchy, Revolution, Political Reform, Thailand, Military Coup, Political Transition, Monarchy

August 17: Independence of Indonesia proclaimed beginning the Indonesian National Revolution.

Tags: Independence, Decolonization, Nationalism, Revolution, World War II, Post-War, Sukarno, Dutch East Indies

October 1: Chinese Communist Revolution: Establishment of the People's Republic of China under CCP Chairman Mao Zedong; The Republic of China relocate...

Tags: Cold War, Communism, Chinese Communist Party, Mao Zedong, Chinese Civil War, Republic of China, Political Revolution, Post-World War II

July 23: Egyptian Revolution under Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrows King Farouk and ends British occupation.

Tags: Revolution, Cold War, Nationalism, Decolonization, British Empire, Monarchy, Political Change

January 1: Cuban Revolution ends.

Tags: Cold War, Revolution, Communism, Dictatorship, Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, Political Change

January 12: Zanzibar Revolution overthrows Afro Shiraz ruling class; Zanzibar merges with Tanganyika to form Tanzania.

Tags: Decolonization, Revolution, Pan-Africanism, Political Instability, Post-colonial Africa

September 1: Muammar Gaddafi overthrows King Idris of Libya in a Coup d'état and establishes the Libyan Arab Republic.

Tags: Coup d'état, Revolution, Dictatorship, Pan-Arabism, Cold War, Muammar Gaddafi, Post-Colonialism, Political Transition

April 25: Carnation Revolution in Portugal begins transition to democracy.

Tags: Revolution, Democracy, Political Transition, Cold War, Authoritarianism, Colonialism, Military Coup

February 11: The Iranian Revolution ends. Shah Reza Pahlavi is overthrown and forced into exile.

Tags: Revolution, Shah, Theocracy, Political Upheaval, Cold War

November 4: The Iran hostage crisis begins.

Tags: Cold War, Revolution, Diplomacy, Hostage Crisis, International Relations, Political Conflict

February 22 – 25: The People Power Revolution leads to the end of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.

Tags: Revolution, Dictatorship, Democracy, Cold War, Political Transition

December 25: Romanian Revolution: Trial and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu in Romania.

Tags: Cold War, Communism, Revolution, Dictatorship, Political Violence, Human Rights, Romania