This list includes 50 Historical events that start with R, from “Railway Mania” to “Rwandan Revolution”. They span global revolutions, economic episodes, and cultural turning points you can use for study, teaching, and quick reference.
Historical events that start with R are notable incidents, movements, and turning points whose common English names begin with the letter R. Many emphasize revolutions and reforms, such as the “Rwandan Revolution”, or economic booms like “Railway Mania”.
Below you’ll find the table with Year, Location and Significance.
Year: Shows the exact year or range, so you place each event in chronological context quickly.
Location: Gives a concise city, region, or country, helping you identify the event’s geographic focus.
Significance: Summarizes the event’s impact in about 15–25 words, so you understand its historical importance.
Historical events that start with R
| Event | Year/Date | Location | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renaissance | 1300–1600 | Europe | Cultural movement |
| Reformation | 1517–1648 | Europe | Religious reform |
| Russian Revolution | 1917 | Russia | Revolution |
| Revolutions of 1848 | 1848 | Europe | Revolutions |
| Russo-Japanese War | 1904–1905 | East Asia | War |
| Rwandan Genocide | 1994 | Rwanda | Genocide |
| Reconquista | 718–1492 | Iberian Peninsula | Reconquest |
| Rape of Nanking | 1937–1938 | Nanjing, China | Massacre |
| Reichstag Fire | 1933 | Berlin, Germany | Political crisis |
| Russian Civil War | 1917–1923 | Russia | Civil war |
| Red Scare (First) | 1919–1920 | United States | Political panic |
| Red Scare (Second) | 1947–1957 | United States | Political repression |
| Red Summer | 1919 | United States | Racial violence |
| Red Terror (Russia) | 1918–1922 | Russia | Political repression |
| Red Terror (Ethiopia) | 1977–1978 | Ethiopia | Political repression |
| Rape of the Sabine Women | 8th century BCE (legend) | Rome | Legendary event |
| Roman conquest of Britain | 43–84 | Britain | Conquest |
| Reconcentration | 1896–1898 | Cuba | Forced relocation |
| Revolt of the Comuneros | 1520–1521 | Castile, Spain | Uprising |
| Red River Rebellion | 1869–1870 | Red River, Canada | Uprising |
| Red River Campaign | 1864 | Louisiana, USA | Military campaign |
| Runaway Scrape | 1836 | Texas, USA | Civilian exodus |
| Regulator Movement | 1765–1771 | North Carolina, USA | Rebellion |
| Riel Rebellion | 1885 | Saskatchewan/Manitoba, Canada | Uprising |
| Risorgimento | 1815–1871 | Italy | Unification |
| Reform Act 1832 | 1832 | United Kingdom | Political reform |
| Red River Flood | 1997 | North Dakota/Manitoba | Natural disaster |
| Rodney King Riots | 1992 | Los Angeles, USA | Civil unrest |
| Ruhr Uprising | 1920 | Ruhr, Germany | Uprising |
| Reign of Terror | 1793–1794 | France | Political repression |
| Rape of Lucretia | 6th century BCE (legend) | Rome | Legendary event |
| Rwandan Revolution | 1959–1961 | Rwanda | Revolution |
| Reconstruction | 1865–1877 | United States | Reconstruction |
| Revolution of 1800 | 1800 | United States | Political realignment |
| Russian Revolution of 1905 | 1905 | Russia | Revolution |
| Railway Mania | 1840s | United Kingdom | Economic bubble |
| Royal Proclamation of 1763 | 1763 | British North America | Decree |
| Resignation of Richard Nixon | 1974 | United States | Political resignation |
| Roe v. Wade | 1973 | United States | Supreme Court decision |
| Repeal of the Corn Laws | 1846 | United Kingdom | Economic reform |
| Roman Republic (establishment) | 509 BCE | Rome | Political revolution |
| Roman Republic (1849) | 1849 | Rome, Italy | Republic proclamation |
| Rosenstrasse Protest | March 1943 | Berlin, Germany | Protest |
| Remilitarization of the Rhineland | 1936 | Rhineland, Germany | Military action |
| Red Flag Riots | 1918–1919 | Australia | Riots |
| Rhodesian Bush War | 1964–1979 | Rhodesia/Zimbabwe | Guerrilla war |
| Rumble in the Jungle | 1974-10-30 | Kinshasa, Zaire | Sporting event |
| Rhodes Must Fall | 2015 | University of Cape Town, South Africa | Protest |
| Revolt of 1173–1174 | 1173–1174 | England | Rebellion |
| Regicide of Charles I | 1649 | England | Execution |
Descriptions
Renaissance
A transformative period of art, science, and ideas that reshaped European culture and laid foundations of the modern era.
Reformation
A broad religious upheaval beginning with Luther’s critiques, fracturing Catholic unity and creating Protestant churches across Europe.
Russian Revolution
The overthrow of imperial rule, leading to Bolshevik power and the eventual creation of the Soviet Union.
Revolutions of 1848
Widespread liberal and nationalist uprisings across Europe demanding political reform and national self-determination, though largely suppressed.
Russo-Japanese War
A modern conflict where Japan defeated a European power, shifting regional balance and signaling Japan’s emergence as a major power.
Rwandan Genocide
Rapid mass killing of about 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutu, devastating Rwanda and prompting international debate over intervention failure.
Reconquista
Christian kingdoms gradually reclaimed Iberian territories from Muslim rule, culminating in Granada’s fall and reshaping Spanish and Portuguese identities.
Rape of Nanking
Japanese forces committed widespread murder, rape, and looting in Nanjing, leaving deep scars on Sino-Japanese relations.
Reichstag Fire
A pivotal arson attack used by Nazis to suppress opposition and consolidate dictatorial powers in Germany.
Russian Civil War
Multi-sided conflict after revolution that determined Bolshevik control, causing millions of deaths and major political transformation.
Red Scare (First)
Post–World War I fear of radicalism led to repression, deportations, and curbed civil liberties in America.
Red Scare (Second)
Anti-communist crusade led to blacklists, trials, and political pressure that reshaped Cold War American life.
Red Summer
A series of deadly race riots and lynchings across American cities, highlighting racial tensions after World War I.
Red Terror (Russia)
Bolshevik campaign of arrests, executions, and intimidation aimed at eliminating real and perceived counterrevolutionaries during civil war.
Red Terror (Ethiopia)
Brutal campaign by the Derg regime that killed and imprisoned thousands perceived as opposition during Ethiopia’s civil conflict.
Rape of the Sabine Women
Foundational Roman myth where early Romans abducted Sabine women to secure wives, symbolizing Rome’s violent origins.
Roman conquest of Britain
Roman invasion and occupation integrated Britain into the Roman world, bringing cities, roads, and provincial administration.
Reconcentration
Spanish colonial policy forced rural Cubans into camps, causing famine and international outrage during the Cuban wars of independence.
Revolt of the Comuneros
Major Castilian uprising against royal authority, reflecting tensions over taxation, governance, and emerging political identities.
Red River Rebellion
Métis resistance led by Louis Riel against Canadian authority, influencing Manitoba’s entry into Confederation and politics.
Red River Campaign
Union offensive in the Civil War’s Western Theater aiming to secure cotton and territory but ultimately failing.
Runaway Scrape
Mass civilian flight from advancing Mexican forces during the Texas Revolution, marking hardship and displacement.
Regulator Movement
Colonial protest against corrupt local officials and taxes, reflecting early American resistance to perceived injustice.
Riel Rebellion
Métis and Indigenous uprising led by Louis Riel over land rights and political recognition in western Canada.
Risorgimento
Political and cultural movement that unified Italian states into a single kingdom, reshaping European geopolitics.
Reform Act 1832
Major British electoral reform that expanded the franchise and restructured representation, reducing some rotten boroughs’ influence.
Red River Flood
Severe flooding along the Red River caused massive evacuations, property damage, and long-term regional recovery efforts.
Rodney King Riots
Days of violent protests and looting after acquittal of officers involved in police beating, exposing racial tensions.
Ruhr Uprising
Left-wing workers’ revolt against the Weimar government; suppressed violently, reflecting postwar unrest in Germany and instability.
Reign of Terror
Radical revolutionary campaign of executions and political purges that targeted perceived enemies of the French Revolution.
Rape of Lucretia
Legend about Lucretia’s assault that spurred the overthrow of the Roman monarchy and establishment of the Republic.
Rwandan Revolution
Hutu-led upheaval that overturned Tutsi dominance, leading to independence and long-term ethnic tensions in the country.
Reconstruction
Post–Civil War era of rebuilding, contested politics, and struggle for rights for newly freed African Americans.
Revolution of 1800
Peaceful transfer of power after the contested election, reinforcing the U.S. constitutional order and presidential precedent.
Russian Revolution of 1905
Mass protests and strikes forced limited reforms, revealing deep social tensions that presaged later revolutions.
Railway Mania
Speculative boom in railway investment that created fortunes and financial bubbles, reshaping British industry and infrastructure.
Royal Proclamation of 1763
British royal decree organizing North American territories after Seven Years’ War, shaping Indigenous relations and settlement limits.
Resignation of Richard Nixon
First U.S. presidential resignation amid Watergate scandal, demonstrating limits of political power and accountability in modern democracy.
Roe v. Wade
Landmark decision legalizing abortion nationwide, sparking ongoing legal, political, and cultural debates in America ever since.
Repeal of the Corn Laws
Abolition of protectionist grain tariffs that transformed British trade policy and aided industrial growth significantly.
Roman Republic (establishment)
Traditional date for overthrow of Roman monarchy and establishment of the Roman Republic, shaping Western political history.
Roman Republic (1849)
Short-lived revolutionary republic in Rome during the 1848–1849 revolutions, symbolizing Italian republican aspirations and nationalist momentum.
Rosenstrasse Protest
Civilian demonstration by non-Jewish wives and relatives that successfully pressured Nazis to release arrested Jewish men.
Remilitarization of the Rhineland
Germany’s reoccupation of the Rhineland defied Versailles Treaty, emboldening Nazi expansion and altering European security.
Red Flag Riots
Violent clashes over socialist symbols and wartime politics, reflecting social tensions and anti-radical sentiment in Australia.
Rhodesian Bush War
Protracted conflict between white-minority government and nationalist forces that led to Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
Rumble in the Jungle
Historic boxing match where Ali defeated Foreman, transcending sports and resonating with global politics and culture.
Rhodes Must Fall
Student-led movement demanding decolonization of campus symbols, sparking debates on race, memory, and academia globally.
Revolt of 1173–1174
Rebellion by Henry II’s sons and nobles against royal authority, causing military campaigns and political strain.
Regicide of Charles I
Execution of the English king after trial, a radical act that challenged monarchical sovereignty and reshaped British politics.