Subject: Turning Points of History
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Feb 24 09
What do you assess to be major turning points in history? There are the obvious events, of course, like the signing of Magna Carta, the American Revolution, the French revolution, the establishment of the State of Israel, and so on, but what about other, less well-known events? I submit the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec on September 13, 1759 which saw Canada become a British colony, or the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485 which brought Henry Tudor to the throne, ending 331 years of Plantagenet rule in England.
Posted by: Cymruambyth
Date: Feb 24 09
What do you assess to be major turning points in history? There are the obvious events, of course, like the signing of Magna Carta, the American Revolution, the French revolution, the establishment of the State of Israel, and so on, but what about other, less well-known events? I submit the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in Quebec on September 13, 1759 which saw Canada become a British colony, or the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485 which brought Henry Tudor to the throne, ending 331 years of Plantagenet rule in England.
116 replies. On page 2 of 6 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6
quickquizfun
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The turning point of the American Revolution: Everyone knows it to be the Battle of Saratoga. Thank goodness they finally agreed to whole-heartedly support us with their fleet, and supplies. Reply #21. Mar 02 09, 8:56 PM |
tnrees
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The hot air baloon led to the hydrogen baloon which was used for military observation & escaping from Paris during the seige among other things(and modern recreational baloons). Reply #22. Mar 03 09, 6:39 AM |
Humanist 
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Themistocles was a pivotal figure in Western Civilization. When silver was discovered in Athens, he convinced the citizens to build a fleet. When the Persians invaded under Xerxes I, he suggested delaying them at Thermopylae (History Channel). This bought time for the evacuation of Athens which he also advocated. When the Spartans and others demured at fighting the Persians at Salamis, Themistocles threatened to relocate the Athenians to Sicily and sent false information to the Persians which prompted their immediate attack. Themistocles commanded the fleet that defeated the Persians, the decisive battle which led to their withdrawal from Greece. Athens was rebuilt as the glorious city of The Golden Age. The rest, as they say, is History! Reply #23. Mar 03 09, 2:38 PM |
| Humanist
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Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was a casualty of "friendly fire" (and complications from pneumonia) near the conclusion of the Battle of Chancellorsville, perhaps his greatest tactical success as a commander of Confederate forces. Two months later, he would be sorely missed at the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as for the remainder of the Civil War. His loss greatly affected the morale of the soldiers and that of the general public. Had Jackson been by his side, Lee's campaign in Pennsylvania would have achieved its aims. The North was that close to abandoning its war effort. A divided America would not have developed into the country that twice helped stem the onslaught of German aggression. Reply #24. Mar 06 09, 8:36 PM |
paco18
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Good on humanist. With the same ramifications, I would also add Maryland (a slave State) siding and remaining with the Union. With Virginia, a Confederate state, directly south of Washington D.C. and Maryland surrounding it the Unions center of government would have be totally surrounded and at the mercy of the South. the war may have ended on that note had Maryland gone the other way. Reply #25. Mar 07 09, 12:45 PM |
| moonlander11
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Don't forget June 6,1944...D-Day. The beginning of the end of the Third Reich. Reply #26. Mar 11 09, 11:08 AM |
C30
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Further to "War between the States"........the finding of Lee's orders, how would Antietam have gone without this prior knowledge? Had Lee won, what about Proclamation of Emancipation, would Lincoln have delivered it without a military victory (or something like one) to back it up. Without that, might the Confederacy have achieved European political recognition? A small event........but with far reaching consequences. Reply #27. Mar 11 09, 11:35 AM |
Mark_Simonson
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I think the civil rights movement was a turning point in history because if it never happened, then African-Americans may never have gotten the chance to run, or be elected, U.S. President, or hold any political office. Reply #28. Apr 13 09, 4:25 PM |
Arpeggionist
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Yes, but how many lives would have been changed by that? I still think that the biggest turning point in history was Frank Borman's description of the Moon from up close in 1968, thus discouraging the exploration of the Moon as a whole and the exploration of space and other planets beyond it. If he had said how exciting it was being up there rather than how desolate the Moon looked, we probably could have been on Mars today. Reply #29. Apr 14 09, 7:06 AM |
hippo22
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the rising of rock and roll Reply #30. Apr 26 09, 11:06 AM |
reb-
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battle of stalingrad and then kursk in 43,broke the back of the whermacht. ww-11 waterloo napolionic war gettysburg (3rd day)broke the back of my beloved country (c.s.a) war of northern aggression midway ww-11 corral sea ww-11 Reply #31. Apr 26 09, 10:48 PM |
| tnrees
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Failure of the Dardanelles landing - ww1. Apart from freeing up the British troops in the middle East & the russians in the Caucasus the ability to supply Russia through the Black sea might have stopped the Russian Revolution. Also a total speculation - might the British have decided to stop slogging away a Somme style attacks on the western front & try to take outt Bulgaria the Austo Hungary which sound softer targets. Reply #32. Apr 27 09, 6:18 AM |
REDVIKING57
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The Battle of Trafalgar - 1805.Nelson and Collingwood's destruction of the French and Spanish fleets prevented Napoleon's invasion of Britain and set the tone for the rest of the 19th. Century.After the Napoleonic Wars,the British Empire rose,which fuelled the Industrial Revolution. Reply #33. May 11 09, 7:54 AM |
countrygirl68
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What about 12th October 1492...the "discovery" of America by Columbus (it's funny to notice that Amerigo Vespucci named the "new continent) due to this the mediteranee sea lost its importance and Spain and Portugal followed by England and France gained power among other nation. The question is did Columbus really discover America...in reality Vickings discovered and they founded some colonies but they were short lived. I think the discovery of America was ONE of the turning point apart from power shift in Europe new type of food were imported potatoes and tomatoes to name a few Reply #34. May 12 09, 11:18 AM |
| Arpeggionist
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Vasco da Gama's voyages around Africa did more than Columbus' discovery of America for the the state of European trade. (Da Gama also discovered Brazil and led an age of discovery in South America which rivaled that in North America.) Certainly the Dutch and English ventures into North America had more to do with the US becoming the country it is today than Columbus' three forays across the Atlantic. Reply #35. May 12 09, 3:54 PM |
stuthehistoryguy
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1492. Finally, Westerners have acheived something that the Greeks and Romans, quite literally, never dreamed about. 1944, Fort Hood, Texas. A young African-American soldier boards a bus. The driver tells him to move to the back of the bus. The soldier, a UCLA-educated officer, refuses in no uncertain terms. The driver radios the MPs, the officer is arrested and eventually court martialed. He wins. You may call this a minor incident. Some of you may have never heard of it. But do you really think an Obama presidency would even be thinkable without the life's work of that soldier: Lieutenant Jackie Robinson? Reply #36. May 12 09, 4:19 PM |
| countrygirl68
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For sure De Gama achieved more than Columbus but would he have taken his journey if Columbus didn't discover the new land and spread the news....I mean vickings were in america long before him but none knew about Reply #37. May 13 09, 2:32 AM |
| tnrees
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How about Henry the Navigators sponsoring of voyages of exploration - I think most exploratory sea voyages sprang from that - at second hand at least. Reply #38. May 13 09, 5:40 AM |
| quickquizfun
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The turning point of the American Revolution was the Battle of Saratoga. Why? Reply #39. May 29 09, 11:39 PM |
trojan11
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'Cos the Americans realised that the Brits were dummies who just wanted to go home? Reply #40. May 30 09, 1:58 PM |
116 replies. On page 2 of 6 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6
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