In 1814 Norway created its new constitution and every year Norwegians celebrate “Constitution Day” on the 17th of May.
This day marks Norway becoming a sovereign state free from the Denmark-Norwegian union ruled by an absolute monarchy for 434 years. During the Napoleonic wars Norway and Denmark allied themselves with France and upon the defeat of Napoleon the Kiel Treaty was signed on the 14th of January 1814. Sweden, who had allied with Great Britain, Russia and Austria, demanded Norway and the treaty dissolved the union between Denmark and Norway and guaranteed the Swedish King his request.
The Norwegian Constituent Assembly created a signed a constitution on this day guaranteeing civil rights and the sovereignty of its people. But Sweden was determined and in July of 1814 they went to war with Norway for control. Although the Swedish army were victorious in war the Norwegian defence was sufficient to ensure peace talks and both sides signed a treaty at the “Moss Convention” on the 14th of August 1814. The treaty allowed Norway to keep the majority of its constitution as well as its own parliament. This marked the new Union of Norway and Sweden which lasted until 1905. The Norwegian Constitution was considered the most democratic of its day and is the second oldest constitution in Europe (after Poland and third oldest in the world after the United States)
In 1756 Great Britain officially declared war on France starting the Seven Years War (1756 – 1763)
At the age of 22 British Colonel George Washington and his men ambushed a French diplomat who was in French territories at Fort Duquesne. The death of 13 French soldiers at the hands of the British initiated the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The French and Indian War was initially fought in the colonies but led to the Seven Years War which was the European arm of the war. On the 10th of February 1763 the Seven Years War and French and Indian War officially ended with the signing of the ‘Paris Treaty’. The treaty was signed by Great Britain, France and Spain officially ending the global conflict. Britain had allied itself with Prussia (a German Kingdom including parts of Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Denmark, Belgium and the Czech Republic) against France and her Allies of Saxony, Austria, Russia and Sweden to protect Hanover (which was ruled by a British Ruling Dynasty) from the French. By funding its Prussian allies against the French, Great Britain was victorious in both its colonel pursuits and in Europe. France was forced to give up many of its territories to the British as part of the Paris Treaty.
