There are various events that have happened over time that have forever changed the course of how we live. Whether we knew the difference at the time or it took some reflection to realize, some events are much more influential than others. Gambling history has seen some big winners, whether that is playing games or gambling to take control of other countries. Here are five that have shaped the way we live our lives today.
Christopher Columbus Reaching the Americas (1492)
The voyage of Christopher Columbus is thought to have started European settlement. Colonialism and imperialism refer to the time when great European powers such as Great Britain, France, Rome, Spain, Greece, Portugal, the Netherlands, and others seized parts of Asia, America, and Africa’s continents and established colonies everywhere. The colonies initially existed for the purpose of trade. However, over time, the authorities grew more powerful and began exploiting the colonies.
There’s no denying that colonialism had a significant influence on the rest of the world. The rulers monopolized the colonies’ natural resources, exploiting them for their own gain. In most cases, locals were persecuted or driven out, losing their heritage as a result. Many wars were fought between the European powers over control of colonies, or between the natives and their rulers. It is debatable whether the changes in administration, society, language, and education in the colonies were due to forceful imposition by the ruling powers, or simply a result of exposure to new ideas and cultures.
William Shakespeare is Born (1564)
William Shakespeare has had a significant impact on the English language, with more than 1,000 words used today, derived from his works. His speeches are still frequently heard in everyday conversation. It’s not just his word that was significant – he was the finest entertainer of his time, penning for ordinary people in an age when the theatre was the preferred form of entertainment. Even though Elizabeth I was queen for a large part of his life, Shakespeare wrote most of the history.
The French Revolution (1789 – 94)
The French Revolution profoundly impacted world history and its significance cannot be overstated. The industrial revolution not only influenced our modern world and laid the foundation for capitalism to conquer feudalism, but it also sparked revolutions around the world. Not only France or Europe but the entire planet was affected by the dramatic political and social upheavals of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. A total shift in social structures occurred in every country as a result of the event that ended feudalism.
Due to the drained French treasury (exacerbated by funding and supplying the American Revolution), the French monarchy was increasingly resented. The storming of the Bastille, hangings of the guillotine, and Robespierre’s massive presence are iconic images of the revolution. In the early years of the Revolution, Revolutionary France had to fight for its life against all of Europe in wars that introduced the concept of the republic to the world. The Napoleonic Code and the concept of total war were introduced by the coup, which led to Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup and the wars that followed.
Considering its defining role in changing the course of history for generations to come as well as the global historical and socio-economic changes it caused, the French Revolution is easily regarded as the most monumental historical event of the modern era.
The Assassination of Franz Ferdinand (1914)
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in June 1914 triggered World War I (1914-1918), the most important conflict in the 20th century. All the great powers in the world of that time had declared war on each other by August of that year, with Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, Germany declaring war on France and Russia, and Britain declaring war on Germany.
Conventional warfare was first fought with chemical weapons and tanks during the Great War. Russia, Germany, the Ottomans, and Austria had their empires shattered and over 9 million people were killed. During the Great War, which was known at the time as World War I. A tenuous peace was forged between Germany and Britain. A few decades later, when the world faced WWII, no one could have imagined anything worse.
The Invention of the World Wide Web (1989)
The Internet is one of the most significant inventions in history, and it has had a tremendous impact on society. It’s difficult to think of any prior innovations that have had as big an influence on our existence as the Internet has. In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee proposed a new information management system at CERN with the goal of linking people all over the world and sharing knowledge in a way that had never been done before. Look at it today!