The Second Millenium

[Vince53]

Finally! We reach the year 1800!

Pius VII, known as “The Servant of God” and “The Rapacious Eagle,” begins his 23 year reign as Pope. He was opposed by the Habsburgs and after months of debate was chosen as a compromise candidate. The new Pope quicly made peace with France, regaining freedom of religion for all French citizens. But France later seized the Papal States and arrested him. After being released, he revived the Inquisition. He spent 11 years fighting Napoleon. When the US stopped the Barbary pirates from seizing Christian sailors in the Mediterranean, Pius declared that the US had done more Christian good than most Christian nations in a long time.


Volta, the Italian physicist, had invented the first chemical battery last year. This year, he describes his battery to the Royal Society of London, proving that electricity can be generated by non-living things.


Napoleon invades Italy (again) defeating an Austrian army there.


The Irish Parliament is abolished, as Ireland is united with Great Britain.


The government of the US moves to Washington D.C. The US and France end their undeclared war in the Caribbean.

 

[Vince53]

1801 is a big year for science.

Ceres, the largest asteroid in the solar system, is discovered. There is an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and Ceres alone comprises 1/3 of the mass of the entire belt. Because it is large enough for its gravity to pull it into a rounded shape, it has been re-designated as a dwarf planet. It is .015% as large as Earth.

England and Wales now have 8.9 million people, 17% of whom live in cities.

Thomas Jefferson becomes the third US President. He achieves a lot, and to this day is the only US President who broke every single campaign promise.

Toussaint Louverture, "The Black Napoleon," was a former slave who had led a successful slave revolt in Haiti, After years of establishing a successful government and economic system, he enters the capital this year, completing his revolution.

France loses two battles in Egypt, and victorious British troops enter Cairo. A little later, France loses a naval battle to Britain.

Tripoli, which had been demanding payment from merchant ships in the Mediterranean, declares war on the United States.

Jacquard's Loom, the first computerized machine, is invented. Weighted needles are lowered onto a punched card. The needles that are not blocked continue to pull their levers, setting the loom to perform specific tasks.

With the assassination of his incompetent father, Alexander I begins his 24 year reign over Russia. He rigorously opposed equality of the peasants, annexed major Moslem areas from Arab neighbors, constantly switched sides in European wars, led Russia in its massive victory over Napoleon's invasion, and gained some territory in Poland and Finland, and led the way in turning Russia into a backwards, isolated giant.

Ultra-violet light is discovered.

 

[Vince53]

It's 1802, and...


The world population reaches 1 billion.


West Point, the American military academy, opens.


Napoleon makes a temporary peace with Britain and allows most French exiles to return. He then re-establishes slavery in French colonies. And then he re-invades Switzerland.



French emissaries arrive in Haiti for a meeting with Toussaint Louverture. But in violation of their agreement, the French arrest him, send him as a prisoner to France, and seize Haiti.


Decades of civil war in Vietnam end when Gia Long, a member of the royal family, conquers and unites the entire nation. With French help, he builds up the military, even forcing neighboring Cambodia into being a vassal state.

 

[Vince53]

Back in 1803...

American negotiators return from France with big news: Napoleon sold the US the Louisiana Territory. The US more than doubles in size, expanding to central North America. All or part of 13 new states will be formed from the purchased territory. New Orleans, a major port at the mouth of the Mississippi River (which flows into the Gulf of Mexico, is part of the purchase.


Astounded by claims that about 3000 stones fell out of the sky in northern France, French scientists do a serious study of recovered fragments. Thus, the science of "Meteoritics" is invented, as scientists conclude that the stones came from outer space.



Britain declares war on France--again.


Malati, a Coptic Christian who is general manager of a department of government clerks in Egypt, is beheaded by Moslems after Napoleon withdraws his troops. The Coptic Church declares him to be a martyr and saint.


England opens the world's first public railway. Rolling along on steel tracks, the train is pulled by horses. Using tracks allows the train to carry a heavier load with the same number of horses.


French occupiers of Haiti suffer so many defeats from the Haitian Army that they are only able to hold two small areas.


A victorious British army occupies east-central India.

 

[Vince53]

And now it is 1804.

Haiti opens the new year by gaining independence, becoming the world's first Black republic. And then the government orders a massacre of the 4,000 White people remaining, many of whom had helped the Blacks.

Aaron Burr, the former third vice-President of the US, kills Alexander Hamilton in a duel. It will never be certain what happened, but it appears that Hamilton wanted to get killed in order to destroy Burr’s career. Burr appeared to be plotting to seize the US for himself.


Hamilton's supporters claimed that he deliberately fired into the air, and that Burr then shot him. But with the high speed of a duel, Burr would have been shooting as fast as he could. Burr's followers deny that it happened. But Burr became so well-hated as a result that his political career was destroyed, possibly saving the early US from a civil war.


It will take them 13 years to win, but Serbia revolts against its Turkish overlords.


New Jersey abolishes slavery, which now only exists in the southern US.


England opens the first steam-powered locomotive rail line.


Determined to make low-cost Bibles available in Welsh, the British and Foreign Bible Society is formed. They send out Bible salesmen throughout Europe, establishing Bible Christianity in various areas. Its non-denominational nature causes several splits, and various other successful Bible societies emerge as a result.


The Napoleonic Code is established so successfully that it influences the rest of the world. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs should go to the most qualified.



The Lewis and Clark Expedition is sent out by the US to explore its new Louisiana Territory. They get along well with the Indians and provide the US with valuable maps of its uncharted territory.

 

[Vince53]

Welcome to 1805!

Does anyone remember that Tripoli had declared war on the United States? US Marines, leading Greek mercenaries and Arab recruits pound defenders of the port city of Derne, "on the shores of Tripoli," raising the American flag on foreign soil for the first time. A week later, Tripoli surrenders.

No, it is not true that the US Navy deserted the Marines--the Navy's three ships had to stop firing because the Marines had advanced faster than expected.


Napoleon is declared King of Italy, and then captures the entire Austrian army stationed there.


Britain decisively defeats a combined French-Spanish fleet off the coast of Spain, capturing 21 ships without losing a single vessel.

As Russia and the Holy Roman Empire advance from the east, Napoleon defeats them, chases them, and wins his greatest victory when he defeats them again. A shattered Holy Roman Empire makes peace, acknowledges the loss of all lands seized by Napoleon, pays indemnities to France, and sends the Russians home.


With the British-led coalition against France floundering, Sweden declares war on France.

 

[Vince53]

It's finally 1806!

For the third, and last time, the Roman Empire collapses.

Remember the Holy Roman Empire? Recognized by the Catholic Church as the western Roman Empire, its ruler was recognized by the Church as the Roman Emperor. Founded in 962, it had ruled Germany, Italy, France, Poland, and much of eastern Europe at its height. Always consisting of lesser kingdoms that won varying degrees of independence, the Empire gradually became a tool to be used when needed and ignored otherwise. It sometimes successfully united Europe for self-defense, and it promoted the growth of international trade and scientific knowledge.

Having been badly beaten by Napoleon last year, the Empire simply collapses, and on August 6, the Emperor quietly dissolves the Empire. Some international trade organizations and agreements made by the Empire still exist.

 

[Vince53]

1807 is an interesting year, because...

The Church of Scotland sends Robert Morrison as the first Protestant missionary to China. 27 years later, he will have baptized ten converts, translated the Bible into Chinese, and founded a medical mission that would influence the entire nation.


Robert Fulton invents the first successful steamboat.


Britain bans the slave trade.


A defeated Russia cedes territory to Napoleon in return for peace.


France easily invades and conquers Portugal. The royal family flees to Brazil, establishing the institutions that will eventually turn Brazil from a colony to an independent state. Meanwhile, wealthy aristocrats had taken over half of Portugal’s wealth with them to Brazil. Unable to finance his occupation army, Napoleon had to withdraw troops to fight Spain, and a year later, the Portuguese overthrew their French conquerors.

 

[Vince53]

We return to 1807.

We mentioned yesterday that Russia surrendered in its war with France. Prussia had also given up, and France got half of Prussia. To celebrate, France and Russia declare war on Britain. And then Napoleon invades his Spanish ally.

Trying desperately to stay out of the Napoleonic wars, the US had objected when the British Navy had stopped American merchant ships to search for deserters, but had done nothing. Short of men, the British simply seized as many American sailors as they needed, and then released the merchant ships unharmed.

Four British sailors had deserted their ships and joined the US Navy (where they were better fed, better paid, and better treated). The fifty gun HMS Leopard encountered the 38 gun USN Chesapeake and asked permission to search for the deserters. When the Chesapeake refused, the Leopard opened fire without warning. Caught by surprise, the Chesapeake fired one shot for the honor of the fleet and surrendered. After taking four crewmen (one of whom was a deserter) the Leopard helped the crippled Chesapeake reach an American port.

In a bizarre action that is still controversial, former vice-president Aaron Burr leads his own army to New Orleans, contacting the American commander (an old friend) to inform him of the army's arrival. The US Army quickly captures Burr's force without firing a shot. Pleading his right under the fifth amendment of the US Constitution not to incriminate himself, Burr refuses to explain his actions. The US Supreme Court rules that Burr did not commit treason, and to this day, we can only guess what he intended. The most common theory is that he hoped to form an alliance with Spain and seize the south central United States--maybe.

 

[Vince53]

An angry US enters 1808.

The US bans the African slave trade—no new slaves may be imported into the US.


The "War Hawks" begin gaining control of the US Congress. The US didn't need Canada's territory, but they felt the need to remove the British presence there. Gaining Canada (which only controlled the eastern part of the present nation) would cut Britain off from central North America. The Americans assumed that the Canadians would welcome a US "liberation," not grasping that fact that kind treatment had made the Canadians loyal to Britain. And with Britain tied up with the Napoleonic Wars, this could be a good time to seize Canada.


The US bans the African slave trade—no new slaves may be imported into the US.


Not again! The tyrannical Captain Bligh had been made governor of New South Wales in Australia. British Army officers mutiny and remove him from office.


Meanwhile, an American seal-hunting ship rediscovers Pitcairn Island, where the Bounty mutineers had settled. Only one original mutineer is still alive. The islanders still speak a unique language that is a blend of English and Polynesian, and Britain later claims the island.


When Finland refuses to declare war on Britain, Russia invades, quickly seizing some major cities. Despite winning one naval battle, Sweden loses every land battle and Russia annexes the entire nation.


Cuba had already practiced slavery, but over the next 57 years, half a million African slaves will be imported.

 

[Kalevalatar]

When Sweden refuses to declare war on Britain, Russia invades Finland, quickly seizing some major cities. Despite winning one naval battle, Sweden loses every land battle and Russia annexes the whole of Finland, which becomes the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland.

Fixed and tweaked it a bit.

 

[Vince53]

Thank you, Kalevalatar. And I'd like to remind folks that everybody is welcome to post on this thread. And now, on to 1809!


Russia seizes Finland from Sweden. Russia treats the Finns well, making Finland a Grand Duchy with a lot of internal self-government. But it doesn’t work, and in 1917, Finland becomes independent.


Bolivia becomes the first Spanish American colony to declare itself independent. It takes them sixteen years, but they win.

Turkey and Britain make peace, signing a military and trade alliance.

Meanwhile, Napoleon is keeping busy. Spain, Portugal and France all suffer heavy casualties as Spain and Portugal struggle to throw off their French conquerors. Britain sends an army to Portugal, and within a few months, they drive out the French. Having Austria declare war on France and invade Bavaria helps, even though Napoleon defeats them both. So Napoleon annexes the Papal States and declares that the Pope is no longer a secular ruler. So the Pope excommunicates Napoleon. So Napoleon arrests the Pope.

Might as well...With Spanish troops tied up fighting Napoleon, Ecuador declares itself independent.

When the opera house in London burned down, the new one had to raise prices. So for 64 days, the common people riot Little damage is done, the commoners take it mostly as a joke, and the prices are lowered.

 

[Vince53]

Thank you, Kalevalatar. And I'd like to remind folks that everybody is welcome to post on this thread. And now, on to 1809!


Russia seizes Finland from Sweden. Russia treats the Finns well, making Finland a Grand Duchy with a lot of internal self-government. But it doesn’t work, and in 1917, Finland becomes independent.


Bolivia becomes the first Spanish American colony to declare itself independent. It takes them sixteen years, but they win.

Turkey and Britain make peace, signing a military and trade alliance.

Meanwhile, Napoleon is keeping busy. Spain, Portugal and France all suffer heavy casualties as Spain and Portugal struggle to throw off their French conquerors. Britain sends an army to Portugal, and within a few months, they drive out the French. Having Austria declare war on France and invade Bavaria helps, even though Napoleon defeats them both. So Napoleon annexes the Papal States and declares that the Pope is no longer a secular ruler. So the Pope excommunicates Napoleon. So Napoleon arrests the Pope.

Might as well...With Spanish troops tied up fighting Napoleon, Ecuador declares itself independent.

When the opera house in London burned down, the new one had to raise prices. So for 64 days, the common people riot Little damage is done, the commoners take it mostly as a joke, and the prices are lowered.

 

[Vince53]

1810 is a very, very bad year for Spain.


The legendary South American hero, Simon Bolivar, seizes Venezuela. Fifteen years later, all of South America is free. But to the dismay of Bolivar, they fight among themselves and break up into independent nations that still exist.

Henry Duncan, a born-again Scottish minister, founds the world's first savings bank (often called a "credit union"). It allowed poor people to make small deposits and receive interest. With almost no government oversight, it was scrupulously honest.

All of Hawaii is unified into a single kingdom.

Argentina overthrows its Spanish government and declares itself independent.

Columbia declares itself independent.

Finally! The French Navy beats the British Navy! (This is an unusual event). When a small British fleet blockades Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean about1700 miles east of southern Africa) France sinks or captures the entire fleet.

The Sixteenth of September--Miguel Hidalgo, a great humanitarian, sorry priest, and sorrier general, announces from the pulpit that Mexico is free. His own forces are defeated after a series of victories, and he faces the firing squad bravely. But sixteen years later, Spain runs out of bullets before Mexico runs out of courage, and Mexico is free. Hidalgo's teachings on the equality of the peasants and the poor becomes a foundation for Mexican liberty.

Chile forms its own government, but does not declare independence--yet.

A small section of land on the Gulf of Mexico overthrows its Spanish garrison and declares itself independent of Spain. Since the US claimed the land as part of the Louisiana Purchase, an American army quickly moves in and seizes the land, all of which is part of the US today.

France forces Sweden to declare war on Britain, but the two nations simply ignore the war.

 

[Kalevalatar]

France forces Sweden to declare war on Britain, but the two nations simply ignore the war.

Also, in 1810, Napoleon's War Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who was married to the sister of Napoleon's sister-in-law, was -- wholly incidentally, of course -- elected the heir-presumtive to the Swedish (and Norwegian) throne as Karl Johan or Charles XIV John of Sweden. 205 years later, the French-born House of Bernadotte, whose first known paternal ancestor was a shepherd and with a long line of weavers and artisans, still rules in Stockholm.

 

[Vince53]

1811 has occurred.


A heavily-armed British warship stops a lightly armed US Navy ammunition ship and seizes an officer, claiming that he is a deserter (He was born and raised in the US). An angry US orders its navy to patrol the coast to try to spot the British warship. Mistaking the much smaller HMS Little Belt for the culprit, a heavily-armed American frigate, the USN President, gives chase. As the two captains negotiate, someone fires, and to this day, we don’t know who.

After shattering the Little Belt, the President withdraws and sends over men to help. Refusing aid, the Little Belt limps to a Canadian port. Encouraged by their victory over the Royal Navy, the War Hawks in Congress become even more confident.

After Britain had driven out Napoleon, Egypt fell into a three-way civil war between the Mamluks (who had ruled Egypt), the Turks (who had assisted Britain and now had a lot of troops in Egypt), and Albanian mercenaries hired by the Turks (Albania was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire). This year, the Albanians win, and they massacre the surviving Mamluk rulers. Nine years later, the last areas held by Mamluk supporters are defeated.

The Great Comet remains visible for 206 nights without a telescope. With a tail that made it 50% bigger than the Sun, it is expected to return in the year 4876. Seriously.

Paraguay declares itself independent, while a pro-independence army in Uruguay wins its first battle. Venezuela declares itself independent.

The US defeats an Indian confederacy in the north-central United States. There is strong evidence that Britain had encouraged the Indians, and there is growing sentiment in the US that Britain needs to be driven out of North America if the US is to be safe.

A major earthquake in the southeast US actually reverses the flow of the Mississippi River for a while.

France has a bad year. They lose every battle they fight against Britain, Spain, and Portugal on both land and sea.

 

[Vince53]

1811 has occurred.


A heavily-armed British warship stops a lightly armed US Navy ammunition ship and seizes an officer, claiming that he is a deserter (He was born and raised in the US). An angry US orders its navy to patrol the coast to try to spot the British warship. Mistaking the much smaller HMS Little Belt for the culprit, a heavily-armed American frigate, the USN President, gives chase. As the two captains negotiate, someone fires, and to this day, we don’t know who.

After shattering the Little Belt, the President withdraws and sends over men to help. Refusing aid, the Little Belt limps to a Canadian port. Encouraged by their victory over the Royal Navy, the War Hawks in Congress become even more confident.

After Britain had driven out Napoleon, Egypt fell into a three-way civil war between the Mamluks (who had ruled Egypt), the Turks (who had assisted Britain and now had a lot of troops in Egypt), and Albanian mercenaries hired by the Turks (Albania was part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire). This year, the Albanians win, and they massacre the surviving Mamluk rulers. Nine years later, the last areas held by Mamluk supporters are defeated.

The Great Comet remains visible for 206 nights without a telescope. With a tail that made it 50% bigger than the Sun, it is expected to return in the year 4876. Seriously.

Paraguay declares itself independent, while a pro-independence army in Uruguay wins its first battle. Venezuela declares itself independent.

The US defeats an Indian confederacy in the north-central United States. There is strong evidence that Britain had encouraged the Indians, and there is growing sentiment in the US that Britain needs to be driven out of North America if the US is to be safe.

A major earthquake in the southeast US actually reverses the flow of the Mississippi River for a while.

France has a bad year. They lose every battle they fight against Britain, Spain, and Portugal on both land and sea.

 

[Vince53]

1812

Angered because Britain would not compensate him for having been imprisoned in Russia, an assassin kills the Prime Minister.


Taking advantage of Britain’s war with Napoleon, the US declares war on Britain. The US and Canada regard “The War of 1812” as an actual war, while most European history books teach that it was only part of the Napoleonic wars.

The US wanted Britain to stop seizing American sailors for the Royal Navy, stop forbidding the US to trade with France, and stop organizing Indians against US expansion. The US also hoped to seize Canada, making it an equal part of the US and eliminating a major European power to the north. The Canadians didn’t want to be annexed, and they joined Britain in successfully expelling American invasions. After two and a half years of war, both sides simply agree to stop fighting.


In a rapid six-month war, France invades Russia, captures Moscow, and is then driven out.

Organized by Britain, American Indians win some minor battles against the US, while Britain captures Detroit (on the Great Lakes).

As the USN Constitution closes with the HMS Guerriere off the coast of Canada, an American sailor sticks his head out to inspect the damage from a cannon shot. Seeing that the Constitution's wooden side had only been dented, he shouts "Ho Boys! Her sides are made of iron!" "Old Ironsides" goes on to became a naval legend, and today is a floating museum. "And many an eye has danced to see, that banner in the sky."

Meanwhile, Britain controlled most of the Great Lakes with two small warships. American sailors sneak on board, capturing one and sinking the other.

Back in Europe, British, Portuguese, and Spanish forces continue to defeat French troops in Spain, while Napoleon conducts his disastrous retreat from Moscow.

Old Ironsides defeats the HMS Java in the Caribbean. The Java is too badly-damaged to bring to port, so the Americans take her control wheel (Their own had been shot apart during the battle) before sinking her.

 

[Vince53]

Welcome to 1813, a year of naval legends.


The heavily-armed warships, USN Chesapeake and HMS Shannon slug it out in a battle that both nations still brag about. Not wanting the crew to know their captain is dying, the Americans cover him with an American flag and rush him below, but Lawrence keeps yelling his dying command "Don't give up the ship!"

And the United States Navy never does give up the ship. Boarding the crippled American vessel, the British fight their way to the mainmast and lower the American flag, and still the Americans fight on. Below decks, the fighting continues until about 226 men from both sides are killed or wounded. When it’s over, the British officers prevent their crew from massacring the captured Americans.

The victorious Shannon tows the Chesapeake to Canada, where she is converted to a British warship. The British captain is made a nobleman for winning one of only two fair fights ever lost by the US Navy. On the two hundredth anniversary, Canada strikes a coin commemorating the British victory.

And “Don’t give up the ship!” becomes the motto of the United States Navy.

With a lot of justification, the United States Coast Guard brags to this day about how the “Vigilant” chased down and captured the British privateer “Dart.” Both sides relied heavily on privateers (licensed pirates) who paid all their own expenses and were allowed to keep whatever they captured. You don't hear much about it, but the tiny US Coast Guard tears up smugglers and privateers throughout the war.

The Royal Philharmonic Society is founded.

Prussia re-declares war on France. Napoleon starts off with a few victories, but major defeats by a combined British-Portuguese-Spanish army threaten western France. Austria then declares war on France. Russia rejoins the war, winning major victories against both France and Persia, seizing large territories from Persia when the Persians give up. Sweden enters the war against France. And Netherlands regains its independence while everybody is too busy fighting to do anything about it.

The US burns Toronto, Canada, but cannot hold it. Loyal Canadians help Britain repel a series of American invasions. Both Britain and the US are fighting it out in Canada and the northern US, with neither side able to win a conclusive victory. But the British do burn Buffalo, New York.

"We have met the enemy, and they are ours" is the message sent by a victorious US Navy when it captures six British ships on the Great Lakes. Having lost control of the Great Lakes, Britain cannot launch a major invasion of the north central US; this frees up American troops to fight elsewhere. High-ranking British officials begin to realize that a British victory is now impossible, while American officials grimly realize that they cannot seize Canada.

 

[Vince53]

1814 is a year of major battles.


The United States Army mounts a courageous defense of Washington DC, while a British army mounts a courageous offensive. Britain wins, burning the US capital, including the White House (which survives because it is made of stone).



The victorious British march on to nearby Baltimore, attacking by land and sea. But American ground troops stop the British army, so Britain launches a ferocious naval attack. The American commander assures Baltimore that he will not surrender, and flies a gigantic American flag over his fort so that Baltimore can be sure that he hasn't given up. The Royal Navy attacks with cannon, rockets, and carcasses (large bags of explosives launched by catapults from a ship). “And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there.” The defeated British Navy sails away, as the Star-Spangled Banner waves triumphantly over the city.

With the US seizing British merchant ships all over the world, Britain cannot afford to fight on, and the two sides agree to restore all captured territory and end the war.

But, not knowing that the war is over, British troops have landed near New Orleans, which controls the mouth of the Mississippi River. Having recently defeated the Creek Indians in Alabama, Andrew Jackson assembles a group of soldiers and volunteers to defend the city.