This list includes 70 Historical events that start with F, from “Factory Acts (first effective)” to “Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster”. These entries cover political, social, scientific, and cultural moments useful for study, teaching, and quick reference.
Historical events that start with F are notable occurrences whose common English name begins with the letter F. Many shaped law, science, warfare, or culture—for example, the Factory Acts reformed industrial labor practices in nineteenth-century Britain.
Below you’ll find the table with Year, Location, and Significance.
Year: Quick reference showing the event’s date or range so you can place it in timelines and compare historical sequences.
Location: Concise place like city, region, or country so you can map events geographically and identify regional patterns or impacts.
Significance: Brief 15–25 word summary explaining why the event matters, letting you grasp consequences, themes, and research leads quickly.
Historical events that start with F
| Event | Year | Location | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factory Acts (first effective) | 1833 | United Kingdom | Social reform/Law |
| Falkland Islands Crisis | 1770 | Falkland Islands | Diplomatic crisis |
| Falklands War | 1982 | Falkland Islands/South Atlantic | War |
| Fall of the Bastille | 1789 | Paris, France | Uprising/Revolution |
| Fall of the Berlin Wall | 1989 | Berlin, Germany | Political change |
| Fall of Constantinople | 1453 | Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey | Conquest/Siege |
| Fall of Fort Sumter | 1861 | Charleston, USA | Battle |
| Fall of Rome | 476 | Rome, Western Roman Empire (Italy) | Political collapse |
| Fall of Singapore | 1942 | Singapore | Battle/Surrender |
| Fashoda Incident | 1898 | Fashoda, Sudan | Diplomatic crisis |
| February Manifesto | 1899 | Finland (Russian Empire) | Political decree |
| February Revolution | 1917 | Petrograd, Russia | Revolution |
| Federalist Papers published | 1787–1788 | New York, USA | Political publication |
| Fenian Rising | 1867 | Ireland | Uprising/Rebellion |
| Festival of Britain | 1951 | London, UK | National exhibition |
| Fetterman Fight | 1866 | Wyoming, USA | Battle |
| Field of the Cloth of Gold | 1520 | Balinghem, France | Diplomatic summit |
| Fifth Republic (France) established | 1958 | France | Political change |
| Fifteenth Amendment ratified | 1870 | USA | Legal change/Civil rights |
| Filipino-American War | 1899–1902 | Philippines | War |
| Finnish Civil War | 1918 | Finland | Civil war |
| First Anglo-Afghan War | 1839–1842 | Afghanistan | War |
| First Anglo-Boer War | 1880–1881 | South Africa | War |
| First Anglo-Burmese War | 1824–1826 | Burma (Myanmar) | War |
| First Balkan War | 1912–1913 | Balkan Peninsula, Europe | War |
| First Barbary War | 1801–1805 | North Africa (Barbary Coast) | War |
| First Battle of Bull Run | 1861 | Manassas, USA | Battle |
| First Battle of the Marne | 1914 | Marne River, France | Battle |
| First Council of Nicaea | 325 | Nicaea (İznik, Turkey) | Religious council |
| First Crusade | 1096–1099 | Middle East (Levant) | Religious war/Military campaign |
| First Fleet arrives in Australia | 1788 | Sydney, Australia | Colonization/Founding |
| First Flight by Wright Brothers | 1903 | Kitty Hawk, USA | Technological milestone/Invention |
| First Five-Year Plan (Soviet Union) | 1928–1932 | Soviet Union | Economic policy |
| First Industrial Revolution | c. 1760–1840 | Global (originating in UK) | Technological revolution |
| First Intifada | 1987–1993 | Palestine/Israel | Uprising/Conflict |
| First Opium War | 1839–1842 | China | War |
| First Punic War | 264–241 BC | Mediterranean Sea | War |
| First Sino-Japanese War | 1894–1895 | East Asia (Korea, China) | War |
| First World War | 1914–1918 | Global (primarily Europe) | Global war |
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period | 907–979 | China | Political era of disunity |
| Flavian dynasty founded | 69 | Roman Empire (Italy) | Political change |
| Flight to Varennes | 1791 | Varennes, France | Failed escape |
| Florida Purchase | 1819 | USA/Spain | Territorial acquisition |
| Flushing Remonstrance | 1657 | New Netherland (New York, USA) | Political protest |
| Ford’s Model T introduced | 1908 | Detroit, USA | Technological milestone/Invention |
| Formation of the European Union | 1993 | Maastricht, Netherlands | Political/Economic union |
| Formation of the German Confederation | 1815 | Vienna, Austria | Political union |
| Fort Dearborn Massacre | 1812 | Chicago, USA | Massacre/Battle |
| Forty-seven Ronin incident | 1703 | Edo (Tokyo), Japan | Historical incident/Cultural milestone |
| Four Pests Campaign | 1958–1962 | China | Government campaign/Ecological disaster |
| Fourteen Points speech | 1918 | Washington, D.C., USA | Political speech |
| Fourth Crusade | 1202–1204 | Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey | Religious war/Military campaign |
| Foxe’s Book of Martyrs published | 1563 | England | Cultural milestone/Publication |
| Franco-Prussian War | 1870–1871 | France/Prussia (Germany) | War |
| Frankish Empire founded | c. 481 | Western Europe (France/Germany) | Kingdom formation |
| Franklin’s lost expedition | 1845 | Arctic Canada | Exploration/Disaster |
| Frankfurt Parliament | 1848–1849 | Frankfurt, Germany | Political assembly |
| Fraser Canyon Gold Rush | 1858 | British Columbia, Canada | Gold rush |
| Free Officers movement coup | 1952 | Egypt | Coup d’état/Revolution |
| Freedom Rides | 1961 | Southern USA | Civil rights protest |
| Freedmen’s Bureau established | 1865 | USA | Government agency formation |
| French and Indian War | 1754–1763 | North America | War |
| French conquest of Algeria | 1830–1903 | Algeria | Colonial conquest |
| French intervention in Mexico | 1861–1867 | Mexico | Military intervention |
| French Revolution | 1789–1799 | France | Revolution |
| French Wars of Religion | 1562–1598 | France | Religious war/Civil war |
| Fronde | 1648–1653 | France | Civil war/Uprising |
| Frontier Wars (Australia) | c. 1788–1934 | Australia | Colonial conflict |
| Fujiwara clan dominance | c. 850s–1160 | Japan | Political era |
| Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster | 2011 | Ōkuma, Japan | Nuclear disaster |
Descriptions
Factory Acts (first effective)
Landmark legislation that established the first regulations on child labor in factories, setting a precedent for workers’ rights.
Falkland Islands Crisis
A tense diplomatic standoff between Great Britain and Spain that nearly sparked a war over possession of the islands.
Falklands War
A brief but decisive undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Fall of the Bastille
The storming of a medieval fortress-prison, this iconic event symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution and the fight against tyranny.
Fall of the Berlin Wall
A pivotal moment in history that symbolized the end of the Cold War and led to the reunification of Germany.
Fall of Constantinople
The capture of the Byzantine capital by the Ottoman Empire, marking the end of the Roman Empire and closing the Middle Ages.
Fall of Fort Sumter
The Confederate bombardment and capture of the Union-held Fort Sumter, which marked the official start of the American Civil War.
Fall of Rome
The overthrow of the last Western Roman Emperor, traditionally marking the end of antiquity and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.
Fall of Singapore
The capture of the key British military base by the Japanese, considered one of the greatest military defeats in British history.
Fashoda Incident
A territorial dispute between Great Britain and France in Africa that brought the two colonial powers to the brink of war.
February Manifesto
An imperial decree by Tsar Nicholas II that limited the autonomy of Finland, sparking widespread Finnish resistance.
February Revolution
The first of two 1917 revolutions in Russia, which led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the monarchy.
Federalist Papers published
A series of 85 essays arguing for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, which remain a classic of political theory.
Fenian Rising
A failed nationalist rebellion against British rule in Ireland, which nonetheless fueled the movement for Irish independence.
Festival of Britain
A national exhibition designed to promote a feeling of recovery and progress in Britain after the devastation of World War II.
Fetterman Fight
A crushing defeat for the U.S. Army by Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors during Red Cloud’s War for control of the Powder River Country.
Field of the Cloth of Gold
An incredibly lavish two-week summit between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France intended to solidify their friendship.
Fifth Republic (France) established
The foundation of France’s current system of government, created under the leadership of Charles de Gaulle to provide greater political stability.
Fifteenth Amendment ratified
A landmark constitutional amendment that prohibited the denial of a citizen’s right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.
Filipino-American War
An armed conflict between the United States and Filipino revolutionaries following the Spanish-American War, fought over the issue of Philippine independence.
Finnish Civil War
A brutal conflict between socialist “Reds” and conservative “Whites” for control of Finland shortly after its declaration of independence.
First Anglo-Afghan War
A disastrous military intervention by the British Empire to secure its interests in Afghanistan, ending in a catastrophic retreat.
First Anglo-Boer War
A conflict between the British Empire and the Boer settlers of the Transvaal, resulting in a Boer victory and continued autonomy.
First Anglo-Burmese War
The first of three wars between the British and Burmese empires, which began the process of British colonization of Burma.
First Balkan War
A conflict in which the Balkan League decisively defeated the Ottoman Empire, seizing most of its remaining European territory.
First Barbary War
The first major overseas war fought by the United States, waged against North African pirates to protect American merchant shipping.
First Battle of Bull Run
The first major land battle of the American Civil War, its shocking Confederate victory proved the war would be long and bloody.
First Battle of the Marne
A critical early World War I battle where an Allied victory halted the German advance on Paris, beginning years of trench warfare.
First Council of Nicaea
A pivotal council of Christian bishops that established the Nicene Creed, the first uniform statement of Christian faith.
First Crusade
A major Christian military expedition launched by Pope Urban II to reclaim the Holy Land, resulting in the capture of Jerusalem.
First Fleet arrives in Australia
The arrival of 11 British ships to establish a penal colony, marking the beginning of permanent European settlement in Australia.
First Flight by Wright Brothers
The first successful sustained, controlled, and powered heavier-than-air flight, which ushered in the age of aviation.
First Five-Year Plan (Soviet Union)
Stalin’s ambitious plan for rapid, forced industrialization, which transformed the USSR into a major industrial power at immense human cost.
First Industrial Revolution
A transformative period of innovation in manufacturing, transportation, and technology that reshaped societies from agrarian to industrial.
First Intifada
A sustained Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, significantly impacting the peace process.
First Opium War
A conflict between Britain and China over trade rights, which ended in a Chinese defeat and the ceding of Hong Kong to Britain.
First Punic War
The first of three major wars between Rome and Carthage, fought for control of Sicily and the Western Mediterranean.
First Sino-Japanese War
A conflict between Japan and Qing China over influence in Korea, marking Japan’s emergence as a major world power.
First World War
A devastating global conflict known as “The Great War” that led to the collapse of empires and reshaped the modern world.
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
An era of political fragmentation and warfare in China between the stable Tang and Song dynasties.
Flavian dynasty founded
The establishment of a new imperial dynasty by Vespasian, which restored stability to Rome after a year of brutal civil war.
Flight to Varennes
The failed attempt by King Louis XVI and his family to flee Paris during the French Revolution, which destroyed their credibility with the people.
Florida Purchase
A treaty between the United States and Spain that ceded Florida to the U.S., settling a long-standing border dispute.
Flushing Remonstrance
A historic petition for religious freedom by American colonists, considered a significant precursor to the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.
Ford’s Model T introduced
The first affordable automobile for the masses, which revolutionized American industry and society through assembly line production.
Formation of the European Union
The Maastricht Treaty officially established the European Union, creating a single market and deeper political integration in Europe.
Formation of the German Confederation
A loose association of 39 German-speaking states created by the Congress of Vienna to coordinate their economies and provide mutual defense.
Fort Dearborn Massacre
An ambush of U.S. soldiers and settlers by Potawatomi warriors during the War of 1812, leading to the temporary abandonment of Chicago.
Forty-seven Ronin incident
A famous case of samurai who avenged their master’s death, becoming legendary figures embodying the Japanese code of honor.
Four Pests Campaign
A mass mobilization campaign by Mao Zedong to eradicate rats, flies, mosquitoes, and sparrows, leading to severe ecological imbalance.
Fourteen Points speech
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s principled statement for world peace negotiations to end World War I, influencing the post-war order.
Fourth Crusade
A Western European crusade that, diverted from its goal, instead captured and sacked the Christian city of Constantinople.
Foxe’s Book of Martyrs published
An influential book detailing the persecution of Protestants, which profoundly shaped English national identity and anti-Catholic sentiment.
Franco-Prussian War
A conflict that led to the decisive defeat of France, the collapse of its empire, and the final unification of Germany.
Frankish Empire founded
The unification of Frankish tribes under King Clovis I, which laid the foundation for the modern states of France and Germany.
Franklin’s lost expedition
The mysterious disappearance of a British Royal Navy expedition searching for the Northwest Passage, prompting a decades-long search.
Frankfurt Parliament
The first freely elected parliament for all of Germany, which attempted unsuccessfully to create a unified and liberal German nation-state.
Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
A major gold rush that triggered a massive influx of prospectors and led to the creation of the colony of British Columbia.
Free Officers movement coup
A military coup that overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, establishing the modern Republic of Egypt.
Freedom Rides
A series of bus trips by activists to protest segregation in interstate bus terminals, challenging non-enforcement of federal law.
Freedmen’s Bureau established
A U.S. federal agency created after the Civil War to provide aid, education, and legal assistance to millions of newly freed slaves.
French and Indian War
The North American theater of the global Seven Years’ War, which resulted in a British victory and the end of French power in the region.
French conquest of Algeria
A long and violent period of colonization that established over a century of French rule in Algeria, with lasting consequences.
French intervention in Mexico
An invasion of Mexico by the Second French Empire that established a short-lived pro-French monarchy under Emperor Maximilian I.
French Revolution
A period of radical social and political upheaval that overthrew the monarchy, established a republic, and inspired future revolutions globally.
French Wars of Religion
A prolonged series of civil wars between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots) that tore France apart for over 30 years.
Fronde
A series of civil wars in France that challenged the authority of the monarchy during the childhood of King Louis XIV.
Frontier Wars (Australia)
A long series of violent conflicts between Indigenous Australians and European settlers during the British colonization of the continent.
Fujiwara clan dominance
A period in Heian Japan where the powerful Fujiwara family held de facto rule by serving as regents to the emperor.
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
A major nuclear accident triggered by an earthquake and tsunami, the most severe nuclear incident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.