Here you’ll find 37 Historical events that start with A, organized from “Abdication of Edward VIII” to “The Anarchy”. They include political crises, wars, movements, and landmark treaties, useful for study, teaching, and quick reference.
Historical events that start with A are notable occurrences, conflicts, or movements named with the letter A. For example, the 1936 “Abdication of Edward VIII” became a major constitutional crisis in Britain.
Below you’ll find the table with Year, Location, and Significance.
Year: The event year or date range helps you place each item in chronological context for timelines and comparative study.
Location: The city, region, or country shows where the event occurred so you can map geographic patterns and focus research.
Significance: A brief 15–25 word summary explains why the event matters and highlights consequences useful for essays and review.
Historical events that start with A
| Event | Year/Date | Location | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abdication of Edward VIII | 11 December 1936 | United Kingdom | A British king gave up the throne to marry a divorcée, causing a constitutional crisis. |
| Abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte | 6 April 1814 | Paris, France | The emperor of France was forced to renounce his throne, ending his reign. |
| Abdication of Tsar Nicholas II | 15 March 1917 | Pskov, Russian Empire | The last Russian Tsar’s abdication ended centuries of Romanov rule and ignited revolution. |
| Abolition of the British Slave Trade | 25 March 1807 | British Empire | The British Parliament outlawed the slave trade throughout its vast empire. |
| Abolition of the Caliphate | 3 March 1924 | Ankara, Turkey | The last remnant of the Islamic caliphate system was formally dismantled. |
| Abraham Accords | 15 September 2020 | Washington, D.C., USA | The UAE and Bahrain normalized relations with Israel, reshaping Middle Eastern politics. |
| Act of Union 1707 | 1 May 1707 | Great Britain | The kingdoms of England and Scotland officially merged to form Great Britain. |
| Act of Union 1800 | 1 January 1801 | United Kingdom | The kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged into the United Kingdom. |
| Age of Discovery | c. 1,400–1,700 | Global | European explorers connected the world, launching an era of globalization and colonialism. |
| Age of Enlightenment | c. 1,685–1,815 | Europe | A philosophical movement championed reason, individualism, and human rights over tradition. |
| Age of Pericles | 461–429 BC | Athens, Greece | The golden age of Athens saw tremendous achievements in democracy, art, and philosophy. |
| Algerian War of Independence | 1954–1962 | Algeria | A brutal decolonization war that ended French rule in Algeria. |
| American Civil War | 1861–1865 | United States | A war between the Union and Confederacy that preserved the nation and abolished slavery. |
| American Revolution | 1775–1783 | North America | Thirteen colonies won independence from Great Britain, creating the United States of America. |
| An Lushan Rebellion | 755–763 | China | A devastating rebellion that severely weakened China’s powerful Tang dynasty. |
| The Anarchy | 1138–1153 | England | A civil war over succession to the English throne plunged the kingdom into chaos. |
| Anglo-Zulu War | 11 January – 4 July 1879 | Zululand (South Africa) | A short, bloody conflict where the British Empire conquered the independent Zulu Kingdom. |
| Annexation of Hawaii | 7 July 1898 | Hawaii | The United States annexed the independent kingdom of Hawaii, making it a U.S. territory. |
| Anschluss | 12 March 1938 | Austria | Nazi Germany annexed Austria in a key step toward the Second World War. |
| Antarctic Treaty | 1 December 1959 | Washington, D.C., USA | Nations agreed to preserve Antarctica for peaceful scientific research. |
| Apartheid | 1948–1994 | South Africa | A system of institutionalized racial segregation that governed South Africa for decades. |
| Apollo 11 Moon Landing | 20 July 1969 | The Moon | Humanity first set foot on another celestial body, a landmark of the Space Race. |
| Arab Spring | 2010–2012 | Middle East & North Africa | A series of massive anti-government protests and uprisings swept across the Arab world. |
| Arab-Israeli War of 1948 | 15 May 1948 – 10 March 1949 | Palestine/Israel | The war that established the State of Israel and displaced over 700,000 Palestinians. |
| Armenian Genocide | 1915–1917 | Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) | The systematic mass murder and deportation of 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by Ottoman authorities. |
| Armistice of 11 November 1918 | 11 November 1918 | Compiègne, France | The agreement that ended the fighting on the Western Front of World War I. |
| Assassination of Abraham Lincoln | 15 April 1865 | Washington, D.C., USA | The first assassination of a U.S. president, plunging the nation into mourning. |
| Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand | 28 June 1914 | Sarajevo, Austria-Hungary | The murder of the Austro-Hungarian heir that directly triggered the start of World War I. |
| Assassination of Julius Caesar | 15 March 44 BC | Rome, Roman Republic | A group of senators murdered the dictator Julius Caesar, hoping to restore the Republic. |
| Atlantic Slave Trade | c. 1,526–1,867 | Atlantic Ocean | The forced transportation of over 12 million Africans to the Americas as slaves. |
| Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki | 6 & 9 August 1945 | Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan | The United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, effectively ending World War II. |
| Augustan Settlement | 27 BC | Rome, Roman Republic | Octavian established the Roman Empire, ending the Republic with a veneer of restoration. |
| Australian Gold Rushes | 1851–c. 1,900 | Australia | The discovery of gold transformed Australia from a penal colony into a prosperous nation. |
| Austrian War of Succession | 1740–1748 | Europe | A major European conflict ignited by Maria Theresa’s succession to the Habsburg thrones. |
| Austro-Prussian War | 14 June – 23 August 1866 | Central Europe | A swift war that established Prussia as the dominant German state, excluding Austria. |
| Avignon Papacy | 1309–1376 | Avignon, Kingdom of Arles | The relocation of the papacy from Rome to Avignon increased French influence over the church. |
| Axial Age | c. 800–200 BC | Eurasia | A pivotal era where new philosophical and religious traditions transformed human thought. |
Descriptions
Abdication of Edward VIII
King Edward VIII chose to abdicate rather than rule without the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson as his queen. This unprecedented move reshaped the modern British monarchy and passed the crown to his brother, George VI.
Abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte
After a disastrous invasion of Russia and defeat by a coalition of European powers, Napoleon was forced to abdicate. Though he briefly returned to power, this event marked the decisive end of his empire and the Napoleonic Wars.
Abdication of Tsar Nicholas II
Facing military defeats in WWI and mounting pressure from the February Revolution, Nicholas II stepped down. This act ended the Russian monarchy and paved the way for the Bolsheviks to seize power later that year.
Abolition of the British Slave Trade
The Slave Trade Act of 1807 made the buying and selling of human beings illegal on British ships. This was a major victory for the abolitionist movement and a crucial step toward the eventual abolition of slavery itself in 1833.
Abolition of the Caliphate
The Turkish Grand National Assembly, under President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, abolished the office of the Caliph. This secularizing reform ended a 1,300-year-old institution that had once politically united the global Muslim community.
Abraham Accords
Brokered by the United States, these agreements marked the first time Arab nations had recognized Israel in over 25 years. They signaled a major diplomatic realignment in the region, driven by shared concerns about Iran.
Act of Union 1707
Facing political and economic pressures, the parliaments of England and Scotland passed acts to create a single, unified kingdom. This act established the foundation of the modern United Kingdom.
Act of Union 1800
Following an Irish rebellion, the British government pushed for a union to increase control. The act dissolved the Irish Parliament and created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a union that lasted until 1922.
Age of Discovery
Driven by new technologies and a desire for trade routes, explorers like Columbus and Vasco da Gama mapped the globe. This led to vast European colonial empires, the Columbian Exchange, and profound changes for societies worldwide.
Age of Enlightenment
Thinkers like Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged absolute monarchy and religious dogma. Their ideas fueled the American and French Revolutions and became the bedrock of modern Western political thought.
Age of Pericles
Under the leadership of the statesman Pericles, Athens built the Parthenon and became the cultural and political powerhouse of ancient Greece. Thinkers like Socrates laid the groundwork for Western philosophy during this era.
Algerian War of Independence
The National Liberation Front (FLN) fought a bitter guerrilla war against French colonial forces. The conflict was marked by extreme violence on both sides and led to Algeria’s independence and the collapse of the French Fourth Republic.
American Civil War
Eleven Southern states seceded to protect the institution of slavery, sparking the deadliest conflict in U.S. history. The Union’s victory ended slavery, affirmed federal authority, and began the long struggle for civil rights.
American Revolution
A colonial revolt against British taxes and lack of representation led to war. With French assistance, the colonists secured victory, establishing a republic founded on ideals of liberty that inspired revolutions globally.
An Lushan Rebellion
General An Lushan declared himself emperor, initiating a massive civil war that resulted in millions of deaths and a catastrophic loss of central authority for the Tang government, from which it never fully recovered.
The Anarchy
A dispute between Empress Matilda and her cousin Stephen of Blois for the crown led to nearly two decades of brutal conflict and a breakdown of law and order. The war ended with a treaty that established the Plantagenet dynasty.
Anglo-Zulu War
Despite an early, shocking Zulu victory at the Battle of Isandlwana, the superior firepower of the British military ultimately crushed the Zulu nation. The war ended the last major independent African kingdom in the region.
Annexation of Hawaii
Five years after American-backed business interests overthrew Queen Liliʻuokalani, the U.S. formally annexed the strategic Pacific islands. The move was driven by commercial interests and military strategy, leading to statehood in 1959.
Anschluss
Adolf Hitler’s Germany peacefully invaded and incorporated his home country of Austria, meeting little resistance. This act violated the Treaty of Versailles and demonstrated the failure of appeasement by Western powers.
Antarctic Treaty
Amidst Cold War tensions, twelve countries signed a landmark treaty declaring Antarctica a scientific preserve, banning military activity, and setting aside territorial claims. It remains a model of international cooperation.
Apartheid
Enacted by the white-minority National Party, apartheid brutally enforced racial discrimination against the non-white majority. The system was dismantled after decades of internal resistance, led by figures like Nelson Mandela, and international pressure.
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon, a monumental achievement for science and a decisive Cold War victory for the United States over the Soviet Union in the race to space.
Arab Spring
Beginning in Tunisia, the movement spread rapidly, toppling dictators in Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. While initially hopeful, the aftermath included civil wars, instability, and a mix of democratic gains and authoritarian backlash.
Arab-Israeli War of 1948
Immediately following Israel’s declaration of independence, a coalition of Arab states invaded. Israel’s victory secured its existence but created a lasting refugee crisis and set the stage for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Armenian Genocide
During World War I, the Ottoman government orchestrated the forced removal and killing of its Armenian population. The event is widely considered one of the first modern genocides, though its recognition is still politically contentious.
Armistice of 11 November 1918
Signed in a railway carriage, the armistice between the Allies and Germany silenced the guns of the Great War. It marked a victory for the Allies but did not formally end the war, which concluded with the Treaty of Versailles.
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Just days after the Civil War’s end, President Abraham Lincoln was shot by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. His death profoundly impacted the course of Reconstruction and cemented his legacy as a national martyr.
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke and his wife. The event set off a chain reaction of alliances and ultimatums, leading Austria-Hungary to declare war on Serbia and engulfing Europe in conflict.
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Fearing Caesar’s growing power and monarchical ambitions, senators led by Brutus and Cassius stabbed him to death in the Senate. Instead of saving the Republic, the act plunged Rome into civil war, paving the way for the Roman Empire.
Atlantic Slave Trade
For over three centuries, European traders engaged in the brutal triangular trade, enslaving millions of Africans to work on colonial plantations. This horrific system fueled colonial economies and caused immense demographic and social devastation in Africa.
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
To force a Japanese surrender, the U.S. unleashed the world’s first nuclear weapons, causing unprecedented destruction and over 200,000 casualties. The bombings ushered in the nuclear age and remain a subject of intense ethical debate.
Augustan Settlement
After defeating his rivals in a civil war, Octavian (later Augustus) was granted extraordinary powers by the Senate. He cleverly maintained the forms of the Republic while holding absolute authority, beginning the 200-year Pax Romana.
Australian Gold Rushes
Gold strikes in New South Wales and Victoria sparked a massive wave of immigration from around the world. The rushes fueled economic growth, spurred social change, and played a key role in shaping Australia’s national identity.
Austrian War of Succession
Frederick the Great of Prussia challenged Maria Theresa’s right to rule, leading to a complex, widespread war involving most of Europe’s great powers. The war confirmed Prussia’s status as a major power and secured Maria Theresa’s reign.
Austro-Prussian War
In just seven weeks, Prussia’s modernized army decisively defeated Austria. The victory allowed Prussia to unify the northern German states and paved the way for the complete unification of Germany a few years later.
Avignon Papacy
For nearly 70 years, seven successive popes resided in Avignon under the influence of the French crown. This period, often called the “Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy,” damaged the prestige of the office and led to the Western Schism.
Axial Age
Coined by philosopher Karl Jaspers, this period saw the emergence of figures like Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, and the Hebrew prophets. Their revolutionary ideas on ethics, religion, and existence have shaped world civilizations ever since.