Poland\u2019s History<\/p>\n
966 – Poland is born, and most importantly, recognized by THE church.<\/p>\n
1000 \u2013 Boleslaw the Brave King of Poland crowned by German Emperor Otto III, who also recognizes the Polish state\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n
1225 \u2013 Recently unemployed Teutonic German crusaders brought in to re-establish order against invading Lithuanians, Jacwingians, and Prussians.<\/p>\n
1241-42 \u2013 Mongol expansion into Europe crushed as Poland and Lituania expand eastward.<\/p>\n
13th thru 14th Centuries \u2013 Poland expands further eastward, while giving up Denmark, Bohemia and Volhynia.<\/p>\n
1346 \u2013 During the reign of the Great Kazimierz, a law was passed offering sanctuary to Jews fleeing other European countries, allowing them to settle here.<\/p>\n
1410 \u2013 Poland and Lithuania defeat the Teutonics.<\/p>\n
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1493 \u2013 The Sejm, or parliament in Polish, is created as an assembly of the Polish nobles.<\/p>\n
1569 \u2013 Poland and Lithuania united as one country in the \u2018Union of Lublin.\u2019 The capital and the Sejm move to Warsaw.<\/p>\n
1572 \u2013 King Sigismund II dies without an heir, forcing the creation of the \u2018Republic of Nobles\u2019 with all kings now elected by the nobility.<\/p>\n
1596 \u2013 King Sigismund III moves the royal residence from Krakow to Warsaw.<\/p>\n
17th Century \u2013 Swedes conquer most of Poland briefly, the Cossacks revolt and the Sejm starts allowing the \u2018liberum veto\u2019 or single vote veto over any legislation.<\/p>\n
1683 \u2013 King Jan III Sobieski leads the Polish army into victory over the Turks at the \u2018Relief of Vienna,\u2019 ending the Ottoman Empire\u2019s expansion into Europe.<\/p>\n
18th Century \u2013 this period saw the major decline of Poland as an empire, with the nobility splitting it into pieces, and eventually the Prussians take over. By 1830 the constitution suspended, the Sejm and army are dissolved.<\/p>\n
19th Century \u2013 this period saw a splitting of the two halves of Poland, with the west becoming German, the east, Russian.<\/p>\n
1914 \u2013 Jozef Pilsudski and his Polish Legions fight alongside the Austrians and Germans in World War One. These countries control the country through the war, and as occupiers agree to form a new Polish state after the war.<\/p>\n
1918 \u2013 Jozef Pilsudski is the new leader of the new democratic Poland, with the Ejm limited in power with the President in control of the country. Using the force of arms, the Polish re-conquer a lot of their former territory, which now includes a highly varied ethic mix of Jews, Lithuanian, Belarussian, Ukranian and others.<\/p>\n
1920 \u2013 The Russians are defeated at Warsaw in the Miracle on the Vistula, as the Poles prevent the Russians from retaking their country.<\/p>\n
1939 \u2013 The Germans and Russians invade Poland, dividing it amongst themselves Repression of Jews begins immediately.<\/p>\n
1939\/41 \u2013 Polish Army in Exile fights with the British and Americans, while the Home Army leads a partisan war against the occupiers.<\/p>\n
1943 \u2013 Warsaw Ghetto destroyed after an armed uprising by the Jews.<\/p>\n
1944 \u2013 Home Army starts an uprising in Warsaw on August 1, hoping to establish an independent Polish state in advance of the advancing Red Army. The rebels last two months before they and the city are destroyed by the Germans.<\/p>\n
1945 \u2013 17 January the Red Army occupies the ruins of Warsaw, communists take over the country, and the state of Poland becomes a puppet of the Russians.<\/p>\n
1955 -Warsaw Pact Group created by Moscow in reaction to NATO\u2019s formation.<\/p>\n
1956 \u2013 Liberalization of Poland begins under the leadership of Wladyslaw Gomulka.<\/p>\n
1968 \u2013 Communists begin anti-Semitic campaign, with the few remaining Jews fleeing the country.<\/p>\n
1970 \u2013 Armed crackdown on striking shipyard workers of Gdansk, Edward Gierek becomes President.<\/p>\n
1978 \u2013 The Polish Cardinal of Warsaw becomes Pope John Paul II. He visits Poland in 1979.<\/p>\n
1980 \u2013 Shipyard strikers in Gdansk form the Solidarity independent trade union.<\/p>\n
1981 \u2013 General Jaruzelski seizes power and outlaws the Solidarity union.<\/p>\n
1989 \u2013 The \u2018bloodless revolution\u2019 begins across the Eastern Block. The first non-Communist government of Poland is elected since the war, led by Tadeus Mazowiecki.<\/p>\n
1990 – Solidarity leader Lech Walesa is elected President.<\/p>\n
1991 \u2013 New Sejm formed in free elections.<\/p>\n
2004 \u2013 Poland joins the European Union.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Poland\u2019s History 966 – Poland is born, and most importantly, recognized by THE church. 1000 \u2013 Boleslaw the Brave King of Poland crowned by German Emperor Otto III, who also recognizes the Polish state\u2019s existence. 1225 \u2013 Recently unemployed Teutonic … Continue reading