1569★★★★★
Union of Lublin creates the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania unite into a single federal state with a shared monarch and parliament.
TreatyPolitics· Poland, Lithuania
Timeline
4 events16th century
18th century
- 1772 – 1795★★★★★
Partitions of Poland
Russia, Prussia and Austria carve up the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in three partitions, erasing it from the map of Europe by 1795.
PoliticsTreaty· Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Austria
20th century
- August 31, 1980★★★★★
Gdańsk Agreement and the rise of Solidarity
After strikes at the Gdańsk shipyard, Poland's government accepts the right to form independent trade unions, opening the way for Lech Wałęsa's Solidarity movement.
PoliticsRevolution· Poland
21st century
- May 1, 2004★★★★★
European Union admits ten new members
In its largest enlargement, the EU admits ten countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states.
Politics· Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia