Top 10 Political Events in History

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There are many different events that have helped shape the history of the world. Making a list of the top political events in history is very difficult to do and subject to personal opinion. This is because the recorded history of humankind is over 5,400 years old. It dates back to around 3400 BCE. At this time, Sumerian cuneiform script and Egyptian hieroglyphs were invented. They are the first two full-fledged writing systems. This list that Les Listes has compiled attempts to touch on a few of top political events in history that helped shape the world. Make sure to check out below for our list of the top 10 political events in history.

#10: The American Revolution

The American Revolution took place in colonial America between 1765 and 1783. It may be one of the most important political events in history. The Revolutionary War was between the 13 colonies in North America and British crown. The British government had been raising taxes on the colonials for many years. They did this through the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773. Colonists met this taxation with extreme protests. They did not have equal representation in the British Parliament. As such, they believed that they were not being treated as equals by the British.

Due this unfair treatment, the colonists revolted starting the American Revolution. With it, introduced the idea that every man should be treated equally and fairly. These ideas, revolutionary at the time, helped shape America and set the foundations for a democratic republic, one which is still used as an example by many countries around the world even today.

#9: The Reformation

The Reformation of 1517 to 1648 was one of the most important political events in history. Prior to this the rule of the Catholic Church over Europe was absolute. No one, not even a king or emperor, could question the orders that came down from the Catholic Church. As such the church was an extremely powerful political figure. The Reformation, started by Martin Luther, a Catholic priest, began simply as a way to try and reform the Catholic Church and bring it back to more biblical roots. However, it questioned some of the practices and traditions that the church followed, putting into question its authority.

What resulted was the breaking up of the Church into Protestant and Catholic branches. This caused Europe to be broken up into two political vying factions. However, this is not solely a European event. Many people and political events came from the shock waves of the Reformation. This includes free thinkers of the Renaissance such as John Calvin. It also includes historical events such as the founding of the 13 colonies in America.

#8: Rise of Communism in Russia

The rise of communism in Russia is one of the defining moments in modern history. It helped start a big divide in the political philosophies that dominated the world (communism vs. capitalism). It also simultaneously helped end the imperial rule of an elite class that had dominated Europe up to this time. Russian communism was the first time on a political scale that a country had taken the teaching of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the Communist Manifesto of 1848 into practice.^[1]School Work Helper – The Rise of Communism in Russia Communism is the final step in socialism. In this step, the working class would rise up and take over from the capitalistic bourgeoisie.

#7: World War II

World War II (1939 to 1945) is the first war that truly affected the whole world. WWII involved more than 30 countries and resulted in more than 50 million military and civilian deaths. Some estimates put the death count at closer to 85 million. People can still see the WWII’s destructive consequences today. In addition, the results of the war led to many political events that still affect the socio-political climate of the world today. Some important events that resulted from World War II include the creation of the United Nations, the creation of a homeland for the persecuted Jews (Israel), and the beginning of the Cold War.

#6: World War I

At the finish of World War I or the Great War (1914 to 1918), the world thought it had seen the end of the biggest fighting and bloodshed that would ever happen. However, WWII that can only a few decades later proved them wrong. As such, many tend to overlook the importance of World War I to world history. In fact, according to George Kennan, an American political historian, WWI was “the great seminal catastrophe” in modern history as all the major world political events that proceeded started as a result of World War I.^[2]Foreign Affairs – The War That Didn’t End All Wars For example, due to the inconclusive nature of the Great War’s end and the humiliation that it caused the German people, it allowed the perfect storm to cause the election of Hitler, the creation of Jewish concentration camps, and the fall of many European countries.

#5: French Revolution

The French Revolution (1789 to late 1790s) is one of the most important turning points in European history. It began with the French Monarchy bringing France to the brink of bankruptcy due to its extravagant spending. This caused sky high inflation. The working people did not like that the elites of the country, in order to try and fix the problem, were just increasing taxes on them (while not increasing it on themselves) and not providing public services (such as protection from rioting) along with it.

This led to the monarchy installing a financial reform package that included taxing the nobility and elites. However, in order to try and appease them as well, they enacted the Estates-General, a body of 3 houses (clergy, nobility, and middle class). They voted on the laws and taxes that would be made. However, the lowest Estate (the middle class) represented 98% of the people of France, but could still be outvoted by the upper two houses. This inequality, eventually led to the French Revolution, where the citizens of France completely tore down and built up a new type of government destroying a once proud monarchy and feudal system that had lasted for centuries.

#4: The Forced Opening of Japan to the West

Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan had an isolationist policy that severely limited trade with foreign nations as well as contact with foreigners for over 220 years (1633-39 to 1853). The shogunate originally enacted this policy as a direct response to the perceived threat of colonial and religious influences brought by the Spanish and Portuguese missionaries. However, between 1853 and 1854, the United States, under the command of Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry, opened up the country.^[3]Encyclopedia Virginia – John H. Aulick (ca. 1791–1873)

The reasoning behind was twofold. Economically, the US wanted to open up new coaling stations for their ships in the Asian theater. Ideologically, the US believed it was their Manifest Destiny to bring modern Western Civilization and religion to the seemingly backwards Japanese culture. What resulted was the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration, which in the period of less than half a century saw the dramatic rise of Japanese military power in the region as well as astronomic economic growth.

#3: Magna Carta

The authors of the Magna Carta wrote it in 1215. Little did they know that they had just wrote one of the most important political articles ever written. It was the first document to say in writing that all citizens was subject to the law. This includes the King as well. This document had 63 clauses that deals mostly with the specific grievances against King John at the time. However, it established fundamental principles, that other famous political articles such as the United States Bill of Rights use today.

One of the most important clauses that has been passed down as a cornerstone of law ever since is, “No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.” ^[4]British Library – Magna Carta: an introduction

#2: Julius Caesar comes to power

Julius Caesar was perhaps the most influential persons of all time in political history. His meteoric rise to power and overthrow of the Roman Republic put around 45 million people under his control.^[5]hHistorpedia – Caesar’s Rise to Power in Rome (Fall 2012) This was around 15 to 25 percent of the world’s population at the time. Through his help at expanding the Empire politically, militaristically, and culturally, for over 2,000 years after he died, he has continued to help spread Roman influence throughout the world. People today can see this in things such as Romance languages (French, Spanish, and Italian) and beautiful art and architecture (the Coliseum and the Pantheon).

#1: Charlemagne becomes king of the Franks and the “Father of Europe”

The rise of Charlemagne to King of the Franks in 771 AD is one of the most important historical political events in Medieval Europe. He was so important to this period of history that he has the nickname “Father of Europe”. Prior to his rise and after the fall of the Roman Empire; many small kingdoms had divided most of Europe due to their constant fighting with each other. He had two main ambitions. He wanted to unite all Germanic peoples and spread Christianity. As such, he establish the feudal system that came to dominate Medieval Europe. In addition, he established Christianity as the dominant religion of Europe.^[6]New Historian – Charlemagne Becomes King of the Franks