Czech+Republic+History

__Czech Republic History __

Description of the Native People: The majority of the 10.5 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic are ethnically and linguistically Czech (94%). Other ethnic groups include Germans, Roma, Japanese, and Poles. Laws establishing religious freedom were passed shortly after the revolution of 1989, lifting oppressive regulations enacted by the former communist regime. Major denominations and their estimated percentage populations are Roman Catholic (39%) and Protestant (3%). A large percentage of the Czech population claim to be atheists (40%), and 16% describe themselves as uncertain. The Jewish community numbers a few thousand today; a synagogue in Prague memorializes the names of more than 80,000 Czechoslovak Jews who perished in World War II. (Background Note: Czech Republic People)

Czech Republic's Independence: The Czech Republic was the western part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. Formed into a common state after World War I (October 28, 1918), the Czechs, Moravians, and Slovaks remained united for almost 75 years. On January 1, 1993, the two republics split to form two separate states. The Czechs lost their national independence to the Hapsburg Empire in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain and for the next 300 years were ruled by the Austrian Monarchy. With the collapse of the monarchy at the end of World War I, the independent country of Czechoslovakia was formed, encouraged by, among others, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. (Background Note: Czech Republic People)

Significant Days in their History: (Czech Republic History Timeline & Facts)
 * 830 The Great Moravian Empire was established
 * 907 The Moravian Empire collapsed with the Hungarian invasion
 * 962 - Holy Roman Empire established
 * 1085 Vratislav II was granted the royal crown and become the first Czech king starting the Premyslid dynasty
 * 1414 John Huss (Jan Hus) spoke against the corruption of the Catholic Church and conducted his sermons in Czech so it could be understood by ordinary people
 * 1458 The Hussites elected a Czech Protestant, George of Podebrady as the country's new king
 * 1526 - 1790 The Hapsburg Dynasty
 * 1848 the Czechs convened the first Slavic Congress to discuss the possibility of political consolidation of Austrian Slavs, including Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Ruthenians (Ukrainians), Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs
 * 1918 October 28 The fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I, the Czech lands and Slovakia jointly proclaimed the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia
 * 1938 September Germany, Britain, France and Italy sign the Munich Pact, giving Hitler the right to invade and claim Czechoslovakia's border areas
 * 1939 March 15 Czechoslovakia invaded by Hitler's army
 * 1945 May 5, 1945 Prague Uprising and the territories of the Czech Republic liberated
 * 1942 Slovene Covenant established
 * 1945 World War II ends
 * 1945 - 1989 The Communist Era
 * 1980's - The Russian perestroika was introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev marked the last years of communism in Czechoslovakia
 * August 21, 1968, five Warsaw Pact member countries invade Czechoslovakia and Soviet troops continue to occupy the country until 1989
 * 1989 November The Velvet Revolution brought an end to communism [[image:http://www.czech.cz/image/itemid-93061/mw-800/mh-600/q-85/93061.jpg width="439" height="219" caption="The Velvet Revolution" link="@http://www.czech.cz/en/67005-the-velvet-revolution-and-its-consequences"]]
 * 1993 January 1 Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two independent countries, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Glimpse of How the Country is Today: The current Czech Republic comprises three historical lands: Bohemia (Čechy) in the West, Moravia (Morava) in the South-East, and Czech Silesia (Slezsko; the smaller, south-eastern part of historical Silesia, most of which is located within modern Poland) in the North-East. Jointly, these 3 parts can be described as "Czech lands", with Czech language being spoken in all three. When the Czech nation regained its independence in 1918, the new state of Czechoslovakia was constituted to reflect the union of the Czech and Slovak territories that were merged together after the WWI (in addition, a small part of Western Ukraine was included as well). (Czech Republic)

Interesting Fact in the Czech Republic's History:  The Battle of Austerlitz - Slavkovské bojiště is one of the most important events in the history of Europe in the 19th century. The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was Napoleon's greatest victory, where the French Empire effectively destroyed the Third Coalition. On 2 December 1805 (20 November Old Style, 11 Frimaire, XIV, in the French Republican Calendar), a French army, commanded by Emperor Napoleon I, decisively defeated a Russo-Austrian army, commanded by Tsar Alexander I, after nearly nine hours of difficult fighting. The battle took place near Austerlitz (Slavkov u Brna) about 10 km (6 miles) south-east of Brno in Moravia (present day Czech Republic). The battle is often regarded as a tactical masterpiece. (Czech Republic History Timeline & Facts)


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