I have come from one of many futures and I have to tell you FTL is dangerous!
Spoiler Warning!
2039: A massive nuclear exchange between the powers which dominate the Earth (identified as the United States of Eurafrica and the Northern Condominium) destroy most major cities (the Thirteen Day War).[1]
2129: After 90 years of chaos Earth is united under the United Government of Earth based in the capital of Brisbane.[2]
2166: What will be a massive research installation on Io is begun.[3]
2253: A slower-than-light vessel is launched for Alpha Centauri but never returns.[4]
2360: The first faster-than-light drive is developed, but turns out to have deleterious effects on females.[5]
2391: The problems with FTL are solved.
2402: A habitable world is discovered near Canopus.
2404: As the first colony ship is launched for Canopus, Earth's government establishes a Navigation Safety Department of the Ministry of Space, which later was renamed into the Department of Public Peace.
2428: The Department of Public Peace was reorganized to the Space Defense Corps.
2484: The Space Defense Corps reorganized itself as the Space Force.
2682: Disgruntled colonies unite to complain about high taxes, interference in local administration, and their lack of proportionate representation in the Humanity Congress which is weighted to ensure that Earth will always have the deciding vote. Earth responds by trying to make Sirius into a scapegoat, accusing them of spreading subversion as part of a plot to take over (The Sirius Threat).
2685: Earth's denunciation of Sirius makes it into the natural leader of the dissident colonies. They establish the "Sirius Congress" and begin to gather military power.
2689: Earth attacks Sirius VI (aka Rondolina) to suppress the dissidents. Earth's forces become increasingly undisciplined, culminating in a massacre of the city of Laglane (Earth–Sirius War)
2703: The lack of discipline among Earth's forces leads to a devastating defeat at the hands of the much smaller rebel "Black Fleet" (Black Flag Force).
2704: The Black Fleet blockades the inner Solar System for two months and then attacks the starving population, killing most of them.
2706: The leader of the revolution, Carle Palmgren, dies of a heart attack. The rebels fragment into numerous factions that fight for control.
2801 (1 U.C.): The Galactic Federation is formed, centered on Theoria, the 2nd planet of Aldebaran, and a new calendar era is adopted, "Universal Calendar" beginning in this year.
2906 (106 U.C.): In order to deal with the ongoing threat of space pirates descended from elements of the Sirius/Earth war who never reintegrated into civilisation, the Galactic Federation authorises the creation of a large military to combat them.
3088 (288 U.C.): A military genius named Rudolph von Goldenbaum leads the Galactic Federation Armada in wiping out the resurgent pirates, becoming an idolised hero similar to Pompey or Caesar.
3096 (296 U.C.): Rudolph von Goldenbaum, having rocketed up the ranks to Admiral by the age of 28, retires to run for a seat in Parliament, forming the National Reform Alliance. The public is eager for a strong-willed leader to take over since the U.S.G. has become decadent and disorderly.
3110 (310 U.C.): President-for-life Goldenbaum declares himself Emperor of the Galactic Empire and a new calendar, the Reich Calendar.
3120 (320 U.C., 9 R.C.) Emperor Rudolph declares the Inferior Genes Exclusion Act which mandates sterilisation of the handicapped and execution of the mentally ill and terminates all social assistance of the poor. He begins selecting "superior genetic specimens", all of whom are white and have Germanic names to form an aristocracy with titles handed out by Rudolph.
3141 (341 U.C., 42 R.C.) Emperor Rudolph is succeeded by his grandson Sigismund, and widespread democratic rebellions break out, only to be suppressed. A lot of people lose their citizenship and become serfs for being family members or associates of executed rebels.
3263 (463 U.C., 164 R.C.) Arle Heinessen, reduced to serf status for being a member of a rebel's family, masterminds the escape of 400,000 serfs from a labour camp on Altair VII.
3327 (527 U.C., 218 R.C.) The refugees, travelling more than 10,000 light years to flee the Empire, arrive at a habitable world and decide to start the Free Planets Alliance from there, reviving the Universal Calendar.
3440 (640 U.C., 331 R.C.) The Empire discovers the Free Planets Alliance and war between them begins.