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Period: Sep 23, 1096 to Sep 23, 1291
Crusades are fought
The Crusades were between the armies of the Europe, mostly the Holy Roman Empire, and the Arabs that had control of Jerusalem. In the first Crusade this was the Seljuk Turks. -
Sep 1, 1300
Renaissance begins
New area of art and literature became known as the renaissance. French word for rebirth. -
Sep 5, 1337
100 Year War Beigns
Protracted conflict between France and England. The war stopped for a long period during the Black Death of the Bubonic plague. -
Jan 1, 1347
Black Death Begins in Europe
Spread by a bacillus called Yersina pestis. Many people believed this was God's "punisment." -
Period: Oct 23, 1368 to
Ming Dynasty
Art flourished during the Ming Dynasty. This included literature, painting, music, poetry, and porcelain. The Forbidden City took 15 years and over 1 million workers to complete. -
Period: Jan 8, 1405 to May 23, 1433
Voyages of Zheng He
He made seven voyages to Southeast Asia, India, and Africa to explore and trade. It is believed that he died during the seventh and final treasure mission. -
Feb 1, 1431
Joan of Arc burned at the stake
Around the age of 12 Joan of Arc began hearing voices and experiencing visions, which she interpreted as signs from God. Joan of Arc had a famously volatile temper. -
May 12, 1453
Ottomans conquer Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, an empire which had lasted for over 1,100 years, and was a massive blow for Christendom. After the conquest Mehmed made Constantinople the Ottoman Empire's new capital. -
Dec 23, 1455
Johannes Gutenberg-printing press
Allowed the 95 theses to spread throughout Europe with ease.
Luther translated the bible to German using this new technology. -
Feb 28, 1492
Jews, gypsies & moors expelled from Spain.
A edict is issued by the nation's Catholic rulers declaring that all Jews who refuse to convert to Christianity will be expelled from the country. Most Spanish Jews chose exile rather than their religion and culture. -
Nov 14, 1492
1st voyage of Columbus
Columbus wanted fame and fortune. Set sail from Spain in three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. -
Feb 25, 1499
Da Gama lands in India
Da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and anchored at Malindi on the east coast of Africa. With the help of an Indian merchant he met there, he then set off across the Indian Ocean. -
Period: Oct 1, 1500 to
Slave trade across Atlantic
Slaves were introduced to new diseases and suffered from malnutrition long before they reached the new world. Approximately 11,863,000 Africans were shipped across the Atlantic, with a death rate during the Middle Passage reducing this number by 10-20 percent. -
Period: Apr 12, 1501 to
Safavid Empire
It covered all of Iran, and parts of Turkey and Georgia. All other religions, and forms of Islam were suppressed -
Jan 1, 1502
Naming of the new world
The word America comes from a lesser-known navigator and explorer, Amerigo Vespucci. Vespucci, however, realized that America was not contiguous with Asia. -
Period: Jan 9, 1503 to Aug 10, 1507
Da Vinci paints the "Mona Lisa"
The identity of the woman in the painting is still a mystery. Some believe that it is the female form of Da Vinci himself. -
Mar 15, 1508
Michelangelo begins painting Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo wanted nothing to do with the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling. Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel in a standing position. -
Jan 6, 1517
Martin Luther posts 95 Theses
Luther was committed to the idea that salvation could be reached through faith and by divine grace only. Luther was not the only one to question indulgences. Many throughout Europe had complained and were complaining about them. -
Feb 16, 1519
Magellan starts his 'around the world" trip
With a fleet of five ships to discover a western sea route to the Spice Islands. Seeking riches and personal glory. -
Jan 24, 1526
Mughal Empire begins
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur, a Central Asian ruler. Founded the Mughal Empire after his victories at the Battle of Panipat and the Battle of Khanwa. -
Mar 1, 1534
Henry VII founds Anglican Church
Wished to obtain a divorce that the pope would not grant. Through the Act of Supremacy, the king made himself the "supreme head" of the Church of England in place of the Pope. -
Jan 6, 1537
Pizarro invades the Inca empire
Captured the empire by by capturing and killing their leader, Atahualapa. Pizarro was after gold. -
Jan 9, 1543
Copernicus publishes helocentric theory
Heliocentric means that the sun is at the center. He first published the heliocentric system in his book: De revolutionibus orbium coelestium. -
Period: Dec 10, 1545 to Sep 28, 1563
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the most important movement of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church's first significant reply to the growing Protestants Reformation. Redefined Church doctrine to state that faith alone was needed to achieve salvation. -
Period: Sep 4, 1556 to
Philip II rules Spain
Philip II married four times. His reign as Spain's king began the Golden Age, a period of great cultural growth in literature, music and the visual arts. -
Feb 11, 1558
Elizabeth I becomes Queen of England
Elizabeth helped create a Church of England that, although Protestant, allowed some of the old Catholic traditions to continue. She went on 25 regional visits during her reign, often riding on horseback rather than traveling in a carriage. -
Period: to
Age of Enlightenment
The Enlightenment produced numerous books, essays, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. The American and French Revolutions were directly inspired by Enlightenment ideals and respectively marked the peak of its influence and the beginning of its decline. -
Jamestown, colony in Virgina founded
First successful permanent English settlement in what would become the United States. The settlers at Jamestown experienced an extremely high mortality rate, the lack of food actually leading some of the settlers to resort to cannibalism. -
Louis XIV becomes King of France
Louis XIV holds the record of being the ruler for the longest period of time of any of the major European monarchies. He ruled France for 72 years, 3 months and 18 days. -
Qing Dynasty in China begins
Was the last great dynastic empire to rule the region. During the dynasty’s rule, the first machine gun was invented. -
Period: to
Oliver Cromwell rules England
Helped organize armed forces after the outbreak of civil war. Served as deputy commander of the “New Model Army” that decimated the main Royalist force at the 1645 Battle of Naseby. -
Thomas Hobbes writes Leviathan
Hobbes Leviathan is divided into four parts: 1) of man, 2) of commonwealth, 3) of a Christian commonwealth, and 4) of the Kingdom of Darkness. Purpose is to explain best possible way for this government to function. -
Peter I (the Great) becomes Czar
Peter the Great’s childhood toughened his outlook on life and people. He centralised government, modernised the army, and created a navy. -
Period: to
Catherine the Great rules Russia
Catherine was devoted to the arts, and sponsored many cultural projects. In St. Petersburg, she had a theater built for opera and ballet performances and even wrote a few librettos herself. -
U.S Constitution is ratified
The U.S. Constitution has 4,400 words. It is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government in the world. -
French Revolution begins
The storming of Bastille Prison is commonly seen as the first significant action of the revolution. This began as a result of King Louis, who had been feeling pressure from reformist groups, reorganizing the French Ministry. -
Reign of Terror begins
After the death of Louis XVI, the Reign of Terror began. The Terror was designed to fight the enemies of the revolution, to prevent counter-revolution from gaining ground. -
Napoleon becomes Emperor
One of the greatest military strategists in history, rapidly rose in the ranks of the French Revolutionary Army. In 1802, he established the Napoleonic Code, a new system of French law. -
Napoleon defeated @ Waterloo
This was the final defeat of French military leader and emperor Napoleon. He died at age 51, most likely from stomach cancer. -
Tokugawa Shogunate ends
Tokugawa, would be the final era of traditional Japanese government, culture and society before the Meiji Restoration. Tokugawa government fell because of heavy political pressure.
