The French Revolution (1789)
The French Revolution began in May 1789 when a constitutional monarchy replaced the Ancien Régime. In 1792, the monarchy was abolished in favor of the First French Republic, which led to the execution of Louis XVI in 1793. A period of political unrest culminated in the appointment of Napoleon as First Consul in 1799, which is when the revolution is thought have ended.
Birth of William Shakespeare (1564)
This English playwright is largely regarded as the greatest English language writer in the world. He produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613, such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth. Shakespeare was not revered in his lifetime, but he received tremendous praise, nonetheless.