Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Babylonian Empire established the Ilkum system of conscription in the year 1791. This system required eligible men to serve in the royal army during times of war while providing labor for state projects during peace. Records show that people found ways to avoid service, such as hiring substitutes or selling their land commitments.
Sultan Mahmud II abolished the Janissary Corps in 1826 during the Auspicious Incident. This event involved executing over 6,000 of the Janissaries and marked the end of a system that lasted for nearly 1,000 years from the 9th century to the early 19th century. The Janissary Corps began in the 14th century under Sultan Murad I.
The modern concept of conscription emerged during the French Revolution when Deputy Jean-Baptiste Jourdan introduced the Law of the 5th of September 1798. This law declared that every Frenchman was a soldier and owed himself to the defense of the nation. More than 2.6 million men were inducted into the French military between 1800 and 1813.
Norway became the first NATO member to draft women on the same formal terms as men in 2015. Sweden followed suit in 2017, and Denmark has extended conscription to women from 2027. This shift has been driven by a desire to promote gender equality and to ensure that all citizens are prepared to defend their nation.
Finland requires those who refuse to perform both military and civilian service to face a penalty of 173 days in prison. Sweden allows conscientious objectors to choose a service in the weapons-free civil defense. The history of conscientious objection is marked by legal battles and social movements with groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses playing a key role.