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Period: 1304 to 1374
Renaissance - Petrarch
Petrarch is oftentimes referred to as the father of Renaissance humanism. He led many quests to persuade others to join his cause and to track down Classical Latin literature. -
1450
Renaissance - The Printing Press
The printing press was finished in 1450 by Johannes Gutenberg. It allowed the mass production of documents and articles and helped lead the renewal of enthusiasm towards education. -
Period: 1451 to 1506
Exploration - Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who had this urge to find a new route to India that didn't involve going around Africa. He convinced the Queen of Spain to fund a trip West to "India", where he discovered the Americas. -
Period: 1452 to 1519
Renaissance - Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most influential and well-known Renaissance artists. Some of his most famous pieces are the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. -
1454
Renaissance - Peace of Lodi
In 1454, the Peace of Lodi peace treaty was signed which ended a nearly 50-year war. This brought about a very peaceful forty or so years for the Italian states. -
1469
Renaissance - Marriage of Isabella and Ferdinand
The marriage of Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragon brought about a mutual alliance between two of the largest states in Spain. -
Period: 1483 to 1546
Reformation - Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a religious man born in Germany. He wasn't satisfied with the inner-workings of Catholicism and the papacy, so he led the Reformation towards Protestantism. -
1492
Exploration - Columbus Discovers the Americas
After convincing Queen Isabella of Spain to fund his voyage, Christopher Columbus headed West, where he discovered the Americas, essentially the first time any Europeans had learned of its existence. -
1498
Exploration - Portugal Reaches India
After striking it rich in Africa, Portugal was able to build large, strong boats and colonization along the African coast. Then, having access to a larger pool of resources, the Portuguese set sail for India and reached it in 1498 after traveling South under Africa. -
Period: 1519 to 1522
Exploration - First Circumnavigation of Earth
Ferdinand Magellan, an avid explorer, set sail on the first attempt for humans to travel all the way around the globe. Although he was killed along the journey, one of his five ships did return safely, and it was considered the first circumnavigation of the planet. -
1521
Reformation - Excommunication of Luther
In 1521, after receiving Luther's letters regarding him and his followers' withdrawal from the Church, the papacy excommunicated him. He was loathed by the papacy because of his critiques of Catholicism's practices. -
1530
Exploration - The Spanish Meet the Incans
The Spanish first came into contact with the Incans in 1530. The Spanish immediately took to conquering these strange new people using their guns, cannons, and horses, which were new to the Incans. -
Period: 1533 to
Reformation - Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth took over the rule of England after her half-sister Mary's death. After assuming the role of Queen, she brought her religiously-divided kingdom together and made it function extremely efficiently. -
1555
Reformation - Peace of Augsburg
This legal agreement that was signed in 1555 stated that the reformative strands of Christianity had equal standing as Catholicism, legally speaking. It also said that German rulers could decide the religion of their states. -
Reformation - Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes was signed in 1598, marking the end of the French Wars of Religion. This agreement stated that Catholicism was the official religion of France, but the Calvinist reformers had equal standing with the Catholics.
