What historical events in France and in the world were happening during our ancestors’ lives? Which major discovery made their lives easier? Did they participate in world events? Did they move to a different village, country or continent because of a war, an epidemic, or religious persecution?
Here are just a few of the Historical events that happened during our ancestors’ lives to help us understand better the individuals we are researching.
*** Note: each block with an arrow is expandable and provides a summary of the event.
15th century (1401-1500) (xve siècle)
October 21, 1422 – Charles VII, King of France (Roi de France)
Born in 1403. Last surviving son of Charles VI and Isabeau of Bavaria. His reign saw the end of the Hundred Years’ War. His reign is inseparable from the epic tale of Joan of Arc who, after lifting the siege of Orléans, led him to be crowned in Reims on July 17, 1429. He died in 1461.
February 25, 1429 – First meeting between Joan of Arc and Charles VII (Première rencontre entre Jeanne d’Arc et Charles VII)
A young French peasant girl, Joan of Arc, claimed divine guidance and played a pivotal role in the latter stages of the Hundred Years’ War. She successfully led French forces to victory at Orléans, a turning point in the conflict, and helped secure the coronation of Charles VII. Her actions significantly boosted French morale. Later captured by the Burgundians, sold to the English, and tried for heresy by an English-backed ecclesiastical court, she was tragically burned at the stake in 1431. Despite her short military career, her legacy as a national heroine and Saint has endured.
1451 – Gutenberg Invents the Printing Press (Gutenberg invente l’imprimerie)
Johannes Gutenberg’s development of the movable-type printing press revolutionized the spread of information. This invention made books far more accessible and affordable, leading to increased literacy, the faster dissemination of new ideas (including those of the Renaissance and later the Reformation), and a profound impact on education and communication.
May 29, 1453 – Fall of Constantinople (Chute de Constantinople)
The capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Turks led by Sultan Mehmed II. This event marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, a direct continuation of the Roman Empire, and solidified the Ottoman Empire’s dominance in Southeastern Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It also significantly disrupted traditional trade routes between Europe and Asia, spurring further exploration.
October 9, 1453 – End of the Hundred Years’ War (Fin de la Guerre de Cent Ans)
Long-running conflict between England and France triggered on May 24, 1337, by a claim to the French throne made by Edward III of England. This war began in the 14th century and actually lasted 116 years, 4 months and 15 days. It finally concluded with a decisive French victory. This greatly impacted the political landscape of both nations and contributed to the rise of more centralized monarchies.
October 11, 1492 – Christopher Columbus “discovers” America (Christophe Colomb “découvre” l’Amérique)
Departing in August from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, with three ships, sailing under the Spanish crown, Christopher Columbus reached the Atlantic islands of the Bahamas in October. Believing he had sailed all the way to India, he called the inhabitants “Indians”. This marked the beginning of the Age of Exploration, leading to profound global consequences, and ultimately European colonization of the continents.
1494 – Beginning of the Italian Wars (1494-1559) (Début des Guerres d’Italie)
While extending slightly before the 16th century, these wars saw successive French monarchs (Charles VIII, Louis XII, Francis I, Henry II) invade various Italian city-states, primarily vying for control of Naples and Milan, against a shifting array of alliances involving Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and various Italian powers. While ultimately failing to secure lasting territorial gains in Italy, these wars exposed France to the Italian Renaissance, leading to a significant cultural infusion and artistic flourishing within France, particularly under Francis I.
16th century (1501-1600) (xvie siècle)
August 1539 – French becomes the official administrative language – Mandatory recording of baptisms and burials (parish records) (le français devient la langue administrative officielle – début officiel de l’état civil en France)
King Francis I of France signed the Villers-Cotterêts Ordinance (Ordonnance de Villers-Cotterêts). This document:
1) made French the exclusive official language of administration and law, replacing Latin.
2) required priests to registrer births and keep a register of baptisms and burials. This is the beginning of civil status in france.
May 1543 – Copernicus publishes De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (Copernic publie “Des révolutions des sphères célestes”)
Nicolaus Copernicus formulated the heliocentric model (model of the universe that placed the Sun at its center, rather than Earth). Copernicus died shortly after publication.
March 1, 1562 – Beginning of the French Wars of Religion (Début des Guerres de Religion en France)
Series of civil wars between French Catholics and Protestants (called Huguenots) from 1562 to 1598. Between two and four million people died from violence, famine or disease directly caused by the conflict, and it severely damaged the power of the French monarchy.
One of its most notorious episodes was the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572. The fighting ended with a compromise in 1598, when Henry of Navarre, who had converted to Catholicism in 1593, was proclaimed King Henry IV of France and issued the Edict of Nantes, which granted substantial rights and freedoms to the Huguenots. However, Catholics continued to disapprove of Protestants and of Henry, and his assassination in 1610 triggered a fresh round of Huguenot rebellions in the 1620s.
August 24, 1572 – St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (Massacre de la Saint-Barthélemy)
Thousands of Protestants (Huguenots) are killed by Catholics in Paris and across France during intense religious tensions.
1579 – Mandatory recording of marriages by priests (parish records) (enregistrement obligatoire des mariages par les curés)
King Henri III of France signed the Blois Ordinance (Ordonnance de Blois). Among other things, this document requires priests to also record marriages.
October 1582 – Start of the Gregorian calendar (Début du calendrier grégorien)
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years slightly differently.
April 30, 1598 – Edict of Nantes (Édit de Nantes)
Issued by King Henry IV of France, the Edict of Nantes granted substantial rights to Huguenots (Protestants) in predominantly Catholic France. This act brought an end to the French Wars of Religion, providing a period of religious tolerance and stability, though it would later be revoked.
17th century (1601-1700) (xviie siècle)
August 21, 1609 – Galileo demonstrates his telescope (Galilée perfectionne la lunette astronomique)
In Venice, Galileo presents to officials his improved telescope. This opened a new era in astronomy and scientific discovery.
May 14, 1610 – Louis XIII “the Just” (r. 1610–1643) (Règne de Louis XIII « le Juste »)
Son of Henry IV and Marie de’ Medici. He is 8 years old when his father is assassinated in 1610, so his mother, Marie de’ Medici, served as regent until 1614.
1617–1642: Power dominated by Cardinal Richelieu, chief minister.
- Involves France in the Thirty Years’ War (from 1635) to oppose Habsburg power.
- Richelieu centralizes royal authority, weakens nobles, and suppresses Protestant fortresses.
Louis XIII introduces the chocolate in France!! You’ve got to love that King!
May 23, 1618 – Start of the Thirty Years’ War (Début de la Guerre de Trente Ans)
This brutal European conflict begins in the Holy Roman Empire over religion and power. It’s a series of armed conflicts which tore Europe apart from May 23, 1618 to October 24, 1648. There were multiple causes but its trigger was the revolt of Protestant Czech subjects of the House of Habsburg, the repression which followed, and the desire of the Habsburgs to increase their hegemony and that of the Catholic religion in the Holy Roman Empire.
November 21, 1620 – Pilgrims’ Movement to America (Arrival of the Mayflower in Cape Cod) (Pèlerins vers l’Amérique – Arrivée du Mayflower en Amérique du Nord)
The pilgrims came to America in search of religious freedom. At the time, England required its citizens to belong to the Church of England. People wanted to practice their religious beliefs freely, and so many fled to the Netherlands, where laws were more flexible. After several years there, fearing the loss of their native language and cultural heritage, they decided to set out for the New World and build a new life. With the help of the Virginia Company’s financing, the pilgrims boarded the Mayflower in 1620 and sailed to the Americas.
Not all the passengers on the Mayflower were seeking a separation from the Church of England. Some were merely sympathetic to the cause and seeking a new life. Others were skilled workers, such as craftsmen or soldiers, who served vital roles in the success of both the voyage and the new settlement.
May 14, 1643 – Louis XIV, Louis The Great, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715) (Louis XIV, “le Grand”, le “Roi-Soleil”)
- Son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria (daughter of King Philip III of Spain).
- His reign of 72 years was one of the longest in European history and the longest in French history.
- Became king at age 4, on May 14, 1643, upon the death of his father, Louis XIII. Due to his young age, his mother, Anne of Austria, ruled as regent with the help of Cardinal Mazarin, until Louis assumed full power in 1661, at the age of 22.
- Supported artists, architects, writers, and musicians, making France a cultural leader in Europe.
- Constructed the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris and transformed the hunting lodge of his father into today’s Palace of Versailles.
October 24, 1648 – End of the Thirty Years’ War (Fin de la guerre de Trente Ans)
It caused 4 to 7 million deaths (military and civilians) on all sides throughout Europe, leading to numerous migrations, the impoverishment of the population and the nobility, and widespread destruction. The Peace of Westphalia ceded Alsace to France.
October 18, 1685 – Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (Révocation de l’Édit de Nantes)
Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes (1598) with the Edict of Fontainebleau, outlawing Protestantism in France. Protestant churches were destroyed; Huguenot schools were closed; pastors were expelled. Huguenots were forced to convert to Catholicism or face severe punishment — imprisonment, galley slavery, confiscation of property.
Although emigration was illegal, over 200,000 Huguenots fled France in secret, often leaving behind wealth, land, and family. They resettled primarily in Protestant-friendly countries, where they were welcomed for their skills, education, and craftsmanship. Countries they went to: Dutch Republic (Netherlands), England, Switzerland, German states, South Africa, North America, Piedmont/Savoy, Sweden.
18th century (1701-1800) (xviiie siècle)
July 7, 1701 – War of the Spanish Succession (Guerre de Succession d’Espagne)
A major European conflict for the succession to the Spanish throne.
January 5, 1709 – Start of the “Great Frost” (Début du “Grand hiver”)
An intense cold snap from January 6 to 22, then at the beginning and the end of February, leading to famine and high mortality. It was the coldest European winter in over 500 years. In England, the thaw caused widespread flooding.
September 7, 1714 – End of the War of the Spanish Succession (Fin de la Guerre de Succession d’Espagne)
Second Treaty of Utrecht – End of the War of the Spanish Succession. Spain ceded the Spanish Netherlands, the Kingdom of Naples, the Duchy of Milan, and Sardinia to the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria; the kingdom of Sicily to the duchy of Savoy; Gibraltar and Minorca to Great Britain; and recognized Portuguese sovereignty over the Amazon River in South America. France recognized British sovereignty over Rupert’s Land, Newfoundland and Acadia.
December 16, 1740 – Start of the War of the Austrian Succession (Début de la Guerre de Succession d’Autriche)
A European conflict born from the contestation, by states which had subscribed to it, of the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 by which the Emperor Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire bequeathed to his daughter Maria Theresa of Austria the hereditary States of the House of Habsburg. It opposed two coalitions: Prussia, Bavaria and France on one side; Austria, Great Britain, the United Provinces, and Russia on the other.
October 18, 1748 – Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (Traité d’Aix-la-Chapelle)
End of the War of the Austrian Succession.
May 17, 1756 – Start of the Seven Years’ War (Début de la guerre de Sept Ans)
A major conflict in the history of Europe, the first which could be described as a “world war” because it involved the great European powers grouped into two alliance systems, and taking place in theaters of operations located on several continents, particularly in Europe, North America (where it was called the French and Indian War) and India.
February 10, 1763 – Treaty of Paris (of 1763) (Traité de Paris de 1763)
Signed in Paris, it ended the Seven Years’ War which pitted France and her allies against England, Spain and Portugal. The British Empire took a dominant position in North America with the annexation of New France while the transfer of Louisiana to Spain confirmed the expulsion of France from the continent. The new situation laid the foundations of the American and then French revolutions.
March 22, 1765 – Beginning of the American Revolution (Début de la Révolution américaine)
Colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American Revolutionary War.
April 19, 1775 – Beginning of the American Revolutionary War (Début de la Guerre d’indépendance des États-Unis)
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which American Patriot forces organized as the Continental Army and commanded by George Washington defeated the British Army.
July 4, 1776 – Birth of the United States (Naissance des États-Unis)
The United States was born on July 4, 1776, with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. This declaration formally severed the political connections between the thirteen American colonies and Great Britain.
February 6, 1778 – Treaty of Alliance: France entered the American Revolutionary War (Traité d’alliance: la France rejoint la Guerre d’indépendance des États-Unis)
Prior to this formal alliance, France had been covertly providing the Americans with military supplies and financial assistance. The key factor that led to France’s formal entry into the war was the decisive American victory at the Battles of Saratoga in the fall of 1777. This victory convinced the French that the Americans were capable of resisting the British and made a formal alliance worthwhile.
The Treaty of Alliance, signed in Paris in February 1778, formalized the alliance, and French troops and naval forces soon began arriving in America to support the Continental Army. France’s support was crucial, providing the Continental Army with supplies, weapons, troops, and naval support. Their involvement shifted the balance of power, forcing Great Britain to fight a global war.
September 3, 1783 – Treaty of Paris (of 1783) (Traité de Paris de 1783)
Signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States. It officially ended the War of American Independence and recognized the Thirteen Colonies, which had been part of colonial British America, to be free, sovereign and independent states.
September 3, 1783 – Treaty of Versailles (of 1783) (Traité de Versailles de 1783)
This treaty is composed of three treaties of peace and friendship signed by Great Britain in the Palace of Versailles the same day as the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty of Versailles was signed by representatives of King George III of Great Britain, King Louis XVI of France and King Charles III of Spain.
- Treaty with France: ends the Franco-English War
- Treaty with Spain: ends the Anglo-Spanish War
- Treaty with the United Provinces: ends the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (it will only be signed in 1784).
May 5, 1789 – Beginning of the French Revolution (Début de la Révolution française)
The French Revolution started on May 5, 1789, and ended on November 9, 1799. It was a period of political and societal change in France and its colonies, as well as in Europe. It began with the Estates General of May 5, 1789 —representing the clergy, nobility and commons—and ended with the Coup of 18 Brumaire of Napoleon Bonaparte on 9 November 1799. The French Revolution put an end to the “Ancien Régime” (“Old Regime”, which was the absolute monarchy) replaced with the constitutional monarchy (1789-1792), then by the First Republic.
(Here is my post about my ancestor who died during the French Revolution. His name was Charles Louis Joseph de L’Escuyer d’Hagnicourt).
July 14, 1789 – Storming of the Bastille (Prise de la Bastille)
The Storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris, France, on July 14, 1789. At the time, the Bastille represented royal authority in the center of Paris. This day is considered the first major intervention of the Parisian people in the course of the Revolution and in French political life. Its fall was the flashpoint of the French Revolution.
August 26, 1789 – Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (Déclaration des droits de l’homme et du citoyen)
Fundamental human and civil rights document from the French Revolution which presents a set of individual and common natural rights, as well as the conditions for their implementation.
July 12, 1790 – Civil constitution of the clergy (Constitution civile du clergé)
This decree adopted at the beginning of the French Revolution ended Catholicism as France’s official religion and reorganized the French clergy under secular control and subject to elections. It was condemned by Pope Pius VI and created a schism between the constitutional clergy (jurors, who swore allegiance to the state) and refractory clergy (non-jurors, who refused the oath). It was repealed by the Concordat of 1801.
September 13, 1791 – Louis XVI, King of the French (constitutional monarchy) (Louis XVI, Roi des Français (monarchie constitutionelle))
Having taken an oath to the Constitution, the monarch lost his title of King of France and became King of the French.
April 20, 1792 – Start of the Coalition Wars (Début des guerres de Coalition)
Seven wars fought by different military alliances (mainly Great Britain, the Austrian Empire, the Russian Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia) against France, encompassing the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), with the Peace of Amiens between (1802-1803).
September 21, 1792 – National Convention (First Republic) – Beginning of the “civil registration”) (Convention Nationale – Première République – Tenue des registres retirée de l’Église)
On September 20, 1792, the recording of baptisms, marriages and deaths previously done by priests were taken away from the Church and given to city officials. They became “civil registration”.
Successor to the Legislative Assembly, the Convention founded the First Republic; 77 Presidents will lead it until 1848.
January 21, 1793 – Louis XVI is guillotined (Louis XVI est guillotiné)
Imprisoned since August 10, 1792, the King was guillotined at 10:22AM, in the Place de la Révolution in Paris (the former Place Louis XV, which afterwards became Place de la Concorde in 1795).
October 6, 1793 – Start of the French Republican calendar (Début du Calendrier républicain, 15 vendémiaire an II)
Created and implemented during the French Revolution and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805, and for 18 days by the Paris Commune in 1871.
(For your research of your ancestors who lived during that time, you will find the date conversions on my Glossary page here).
November 9, 1799 – Consulate (Consulat – Coup d’État du 18 brumaire an VIII)
Replacing the overthrown Directorate, there were three Consuls: Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, Cambacérès as Second Consul, and Lebrun as Third Consul.
19th century (1801-1900) (xixe siècle)
May 18, 1804 – Napoleon, Emperor of the French (Napoléon Ier, Empereur des Français)
Born in 1769, he reigned after dissolving the Consulate and proclaiming the Empire, crowning himself. Author of the Napoleonic Wars which swept Europe with the “Grande Armée”, he died in exile in 1821.
April 6, 1814 – Louis XVIII, King of France (Louis XVIII, Roi de France)
Born in 1755, brother of Louis XVI, he reigned after the fall of Napoleon. He died in 1824.
March 20, 1815 – Napoleon, Emperor of the French (Napoléon Ier, Empereur des Français)
Having escaped exile on the Island of Elba, Napoleon regained power and reconstituted his army as he headed north in the period called the “Hundred Days”.
July 8, 1815 – Louis XVIII, King of France (Louis XVIII, Roi de France)
Louis XVIII regained power (the Bourbon Restoration) following Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, ending the Napoleonic wars.
September 16, 1824 – Charles X, King of France (Charles X, Roi de France)
Born in 1757, he reigned following the death of his brother, Louis XVIII. He died in 1836.
June 30, 1827 – First railway line of France and continental Europe (Première ligne de chemin de fer de France et d’Europe continentale)
Located in France, powered by teams of horses, it linked the mines and industries of Saint-Étienne to the port of Andrézieux in the Loire. Rapid developments in the United Kingdom brought Robert Stephenson and Co. steam-powered locomotives to new railroads throughout Europe.
December 31, 1828 – First gaslights for night illumination (Premiers becs de gaz dans les rues)
Installed on Rue de la Paix in Paris, gaslights replaced the oil-based public lighting used until then.
July 27, 1830 – Revolt of the “Three Glorious” (Révolution de Juillet: les “Trois Glorieuses”)
A Parisian revolt, it lasted 3 days, from July 27 to July 29. It led to the fall of the government. Consequence: abdication of Charles X, ascension of Louis Philippe to the French throne and establishment of the constitutional July Monarchy.
August 9, 1830 – Louis-Philippe I, King of the French (Louis-Philippe Ier, Roi des Français)
Born in 1773, he reigned after seizing power following the Revolution of 1830 (the July Monarchy). He died in 1850.
November 21, 1831 – Revolt of the Canutes (Révolte des canuts)
Begun in Lyon due to the invention of the Jacquard loom for textile factories, 40,000 Canuts (workers) revolted until December 3. A second wave of revolt took place from April 9 to 15, 1834. There were a total of 490 deaths.
March 26, 1832 – Cholera epidemic (Épidémie de choléra)
First case recorded in Paris. The epidemic lasted until September 1832, with 100,000 deaths recorded in France, including 18,500 in Paris and 19,000 in Marseille.
August 19, 1839 – Beginnings of photography (Débuts de la photographie)
François Arago, French astronomer and physicist, presents the “Daguerreotype”, the first photographic process created by Nicéphore Niépce and Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre. Thanks to the daguerreotype, images were obtained on silver-plated copper plates after “only” half an hour of exposure. Photography then took off thanks to the publication of details of the daguerreotype process in order to “freely endow it to the whole world”.
The invention of photography isn’t credited to a single person, but rather to several inventors who contributed to its development over time. However, the name most often remembered as “the inventor of photography” is French inventor Nicéphore Niépce. In 1826 or 1827, he produced the first known permanent photograph, titled Point de vue du Gras (View from the Window at Le Gras), thanks to a process he called heliography, using bitumen of Judea on a pewter plate.
February 22, 1848 – February Revolution (Révolution de Février)
This Paris uprising from February 22 to 25 forced Louis-Philippe to abdicate. It left 350 dead and 500 injured.
June 22, 1848 – June Days uprising (Journées de Juin)
Revolt of Parisian workers from June 22 to 26 to protest against the closure of the National Workshops. There were 3,000 to 5,000 dead among the insurgents, 1,000 to 1,800 dead among the National Guard, 1,500 executed, 11,000 imprisoned, and 4,000 deported to French Algeria.
December 20, 1848 – Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, President of the Second Republic (Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, Président de la République française (Deuxième République))
Born in 1808, died in 1873. Following the overthrow of Louis-Philippe, he was elected by universal male suffrage. He is known as “Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte when President of the Second Republic, and “Napoleon III” when emperor of the French.
December 2, 1852 – Napoleon III, Emperor of the French (Napoléon III, Empereur des Français)
Born in 1808, died in 1873. He transformed himself from elected President to Emperor in a self-coup d’état. He is known as “Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte when President of the Second Republic, and “Napoleon III” when emperor of the French.
February 19, 1858 – General security law (Loi de sûreté générale du Second Empire)
Known as the “Suspects’ Law”, any attempt at opposition was punishable by prison and authorized the arrest and deportation without trial of an individual convicted of political offenses since 1848, among other measures. It was repealed in 1870 and gave rise to the “Reparation Law” to compensate the victims of this first law, in 1881.
March 24, 1860 – Nice and Savoy attached to France (Nice et la Savoie rattachées à la France)
The States of Savoy, or Sardinian States, ceased to exist and were integrated into France following the Treaty of Turin, negociated between Napoleon III and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. This treaty formalized a preliminary agreement reached at the Pombières meeting. Subsequent plebiscites in these two regions confirmed the desire of their inhabitants to join France.
May 1871 – Destruction of the Archives of Paris (Destruction des archives de Paris)
In May 1871, during the Commune de Paris (March 18, 1871-May 28, 1871), “communards” set multiple buildings on fire, including the Palais des Tuileries, le Palais-Royal, le Palais de Justice, and l’Hôtel de ville. Unfortunately, the Palais de Justice, and l’Hôtel de ville were the buildings keeping copies of all civil records. As a result, many civil registration records were destroyed. Out of the 8 million of records lost, only 1/3 were reconstituted.
(If your ancestors lived in Paris during that time, you will find the link to the reconstituted archives on my page “Destruction of the Archives of Paris“).
June 17, 1885 – The Statue of Liberty (gift from France), arrived in New York (Arrivée de la Statue de la Liberté (cadeau de la France) à New York)
France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States to commemorate the enduring friendship between the two nations, particularly their alliance during the American Revolution, and to celebrate the centennial of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor on June 17, 1885. It was transported from France in 350 individual pieces, packed in 214 crates, aboard the French frigate Isère. The pedestal was not yet complete, so the statue remained disassembled on what was then Bedloe’s Island (now Liberty Island) until the pedestal was finished.
Engineer: Gustave Eiffel (who built the Eiffel Tower in Paris)
1887-1889 – Construction of the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel, la “Dame de Fer”)
Constructed by Gustave Eiffel as the centrepiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, and to crown the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.
April 6, 1896 – First modern Olympic Games (Premiers Jeux Olympiques)
Imagined by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, 14 nations participated in Athens until April 15. There were 241 athletes competing in 9 different sports.
(My father, Daniel Revenu, was a 4-time Olympian in Fencing (foil). I dedicated my post “1924: France 100 years ago” to him).
20th century (1901-2000) (xxe siècle)
August 3, 1914 – Beginning of WWI in France (Début de la Première Guerre mondiale en France)
While the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, is often cited as the spark that set off World War I, and Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, the war didn’t immediately involve all major powers.
For France, World War I officially began on August 3, 1914, when Germany declared war on France. This was a direct consequence of the alliance system in Europe, as France was allied with Russia, and Germany had already declared war on Russia on August 1st. France had begun to mobilize its troops on August 2.
(Here is my post about my Great-grandfather, “Marcel Radet, WWI Veteran“)
(If you have French ancestors who participated in WWI, you will see the mention “Campagne contre l’Allemagne” (Campaign against Germany) on their “fiche militaire”. Here is my page “Military Archives (Registres matricules)” to help you locate your ancestor’s military information).
March 4, 1918 – Great Influenza (Spanish Flu) epidemic (Épidémie de Grippe Espagnole)
It began in France and the United States and lasted until July 1921, infecting hundreds of millions worldwide and causing between 20 and 100 million deaths.
November 11, 1918 – Armistice of 11 November 1918 (Armistice du 11 novembre 1918)
The Great War (later called World War I) left 1,398,000 dead on the French side and 18.6 million worldwide. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France. Following the Treaty of Versailles the following year, the Hapsburg and Ottoman Empires were dissolved. The century of American superpower began. Harsh reparations imposed on Germany eventually led to the Second World War.
February 8, 1919 – First international commercial flight (Premier vol commercial international)
Following a commercial flying boat service established in Florida in 1914, the world’s first international commercial flight took place between the Aérodrome de Toussus-le-Noble (Yvelines, west of Paris) and London. It carried 12 passengers who paid 15 francs each. It took more than 2 1/2 hours at a speed of about 70mph. Two days later, flights between Paris and Brussels began.
October 29, 1929 – Wall Street’s crash of 1929 “Black Tuesday” (Krach de 1929 “Jeudi noir” de Wall Street)
The stock market crash in New York led to the Great Depression which affected millions of families worldwide for years.
September 3, 1939 – Beginning of WWII in France (Début de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale en France)
World War II officially began for France on September 3, 1939, when France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. This declaration came two days after Germany’s invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. While the declaration of war marked the beginning of France’s involvement, the period immediately following was known as the “Phoney War” or “drôle de guerre,” with little direct fighting on the Western Front until the German invasion of France in May 1940.
(I wrote two articles about “My Family During World War II“)
June 6, 1944 – D-Day: Normandy Landings (Débarquement de Normandie)
Approximately 156,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. This massive invasion force included troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. The landing marked the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.
D-day commemorations happen every year in Normandy, France, with many officials from different countries.
August 19-25, 1944: Liberation of Paris (Libération de Paris)
French and Allied troops free the capital, a key moment in World War II. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armistice of 22 June 1940, after which the Wehrmacht occupied northern and western France.
May 8, 1945 – Victory in Europe day (8 mai 1945: Capitulation allemande en Europe)
World War II ended in Europe with the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, leaving widespread destruction in Normandy and in German cities. World War II ended “for the world” on September 2, 1945 with the formal surrender of Japan which officially ended the war in Asia.
World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.
March 25, 1957 – Birth of the European Economic Community (EEC) (Naissance de la Communauté Économique Européenne (CEE))
Six countries were involved: West Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Other countries joined the union later. The EEC then became the European Community on November 1, 1993.
October 17, 1973 – First oil shock (Premier choc pétrolier)
Global oil price crisis which resulted in a sharp devaluation of the dollar and triggered a generalized economic crisis.
April 26, 1986 – Chernobyl nuclear disaster (Catastrophe nucléaire de Tchernobyl)
A major nuclear accident, it contaminated an area of 4,800 km² which became unlivable and required the evacuation of 200,000 people. The accident caused up to 4,000 deaths and the radioactive cloud covered part of Europe.
November 9, 1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall (Chute du mur de Berlin)
This event symbolically marks the end of the Cold War, leading to the reunification of Germany the following year and triggering the transition to democracy in the former Eastern Bloc countries (several gained independence and joined the EU and NATO).
November 1, 1993 – Treaty of Maastricht / European Union (EU) (Traité de Maastricht / Union européenne – UE)
Supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe.
21st century (2001-2100) (xxie siècle)
September 11, 2001 – 9/11 – September 11 attacks (Attentats du 11 septembre 2001)
Perpetrated by suicidal radical Islamists led by Osama Bin Laden who caused the death of 2,977 people in New York, in Pennsylvania, and in Washington DC. The events of this day triggered US military responses in Afghanistan and Iraq and led to increased security and electronic surveillance in the United States.
January 1, 2002 – Introduction of the Euro (Entrée de l’euro)
France was one of the founding members of the Eurozone, adopting the new currency. The name euro was officially adopted on 16 December 1995 in Madrid. The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, replacing the former European Currency Unit (ECU). Physical euro coins and banknotes entered into circulation on 1 January 2002, making it the day-to-day operating currency of its original members, and by March 2002 it had completely replaced the former currencies.
January 9, 2007 – First-generation iPhone announcement (Premier iPhone)
The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at Macworld 2007, and launched later that year.
March 11, 2011 – Magnitude 9.1 earthquake in Japan (Séisme de magnitude 9.1 au Japon)
This earthquake was followed by a tsunami and a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, with global resonance. Over 15,000 people lost their lives.
December 12, 2015 – Paris Agreement on Climate Change (Accord de Paris sur le climat)
196 parties adopted a landmark international treaty aimed at limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
June 23, 2016 – Brexit Referendum (Référendum sur l’appartenance du Royaume-Uni à l’Union européenne)
The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, a decision that led to years of complex negotiations and significant political and economic upheaval.
April 15, 2019 – Notre-Dame Cathedral Fire (Incendie de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris)
A major fire engulfed the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, causing extensive damage, including the collapse of its spire and much of the roof. The incident prompted a massive outpouring of national and international support for its reconstruction. The Cathedral re-opened on December 7, 2024.
The construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral started in 1163.
March 11, 2020 – COVID-19 pandemic (Pandémie de Covid-19)
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, and assessed the outbreak as having become a pandemic on 11 March.
Sources to prepare this timeline page: Merci à Geneanet, FamilySearch, Wikipedia.
My French Lineage 