Adding to that,
I think that the most important epochial transition in Western History would be the 'twin' revolutions:
1. The American Revolution
2. The French Revolution
Why is this? What did it lead to? What were the effects?
First, and foremost, these two politico-milita phenomenons forever changed the atmosphere and environment of Western political and cultural ideologues. The severance of the American colonies from the Mother Country, The British Empire, challenged the very notion of absolute control of the mother country to the colony; thereby challenging the notion that the mother country was prime and that the sole role of the colony was to support and supplement the mother country; not vice versa. We observe the abuses of political and human rights of many Americans by British over-taxation, quartering, taxation without representation, occupation of ships, forced husbrandry, limitation of expansion in the west, etc. (there is a continuum of grievances). The fact that America declared independence from Britain, challenged the supremity of the the British Monarchy (King George the III) and His Majesty's Parliament. Britain sent out its military to put down the American revolution (insurrectionists, as we were called), but were defeated by the strategic allinace between America and France. General Lord Cornwallis offering his sword to surrender in 1781 in the Battle of Yorktown forever changed the climate of the West.
As you see, France was still an absolute monarchy, under the rule of King Louis XVI, and after the American Revolution, the very idealism of constitutional rights, universal human rights, as well as the classical concepts of The Great Enlightenment were stressed. Louis XVI's inability to tackle the political dynamics of the day was the prerequisite for the storming of the Bastille and the eruption of the French Revolution.
The french revolution is by far the most important political dynamic that occurred the West. Its similar to the American counterpart, but far more extreme and on another level.
America merely established a republic and removal of monarchical government, but retained the provincial level of governance and built upon that aspect. The 'states' merely took over of the Colony-Province. Governors remained in power, the landed aristocracy retained their land, power, and slaves. And with that, influence in Washington. (until 1861, of course
)
France was different. France completely and utterly extinguished the Monarchy. The execution of The king, the queen, and the landed noble aristocracy (barons, baroness, marquies, count, countesses etc).
Then during the reign of Napoleon, though he declared himself Emperor of the French, he still retained and exported the revolutionary ideals. He defeated the Spanish Empire and forcibly abdicated the Spanish King (of the Bourbon Dynasty) for his brother, Joseph. And made Spain adopt revolutionary ideals that decentralized and weakened the governmental system of Spain.
This political manifesto in Spain was the DIRECT cause of the weakening of Mother-Country to colony, thereby leading to the revolution of Spain's Latin American colonies. The reason for this is becaue the colonies remained loyal to King Fernando VII, and protested the usurper, Joseph (who was the brother of Napoleon).
France's invasion of Austria-Hungary was complete. Austrian-Hungarian forces were unable to defeat the French in the battlefield, as a result, the Austrians became a client state of the French, and the the absolute monarchy in Austria was weakened, leading to further developments of republicanism and democratic ideals in that country later on.
The same for the Prussian Empire, the same for Russia etc etc.
Basically, the French Revolution represents a new chapter in Western/European climate. The end of the centuries-old Absolute Monarchy and the rise of the the Republic/ Constitutionalism, and later on: Marxism/Communism.
Best,
Lorenzo
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