-
Feb 3, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias and the Cape of Good Hope
Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese explorer who had found that Africa ended and that there was a way around it. When he first visited the Cape of Good Hope it had terrible conditions but Portugal did not want any explorer to be discouraged, so it got named the Cape of good hope. This was significant because it led other explorers like Vasco de Gama to discover the route to the Spice Islands. -
Period: Jan 27, 1490 to May 6, 1527
High Renaissance
The High renaissance was a period of time where the five greatest artists reigned. These artists included Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Donatello. Many of the most famous renaissance paintings were painted during this period like the Last Judgement, and sculptures like David. This was significant because it helped advance the paintings and honed in on humanism throughout these paintings. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus & the Americas
Christopher Columbus was a Spanish explorer trying to find a quicker route to Asia to acquire spices but ended up finding the Americas. When Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas for Europe he believed he reached India but was stuck on the outer islands, and on his fourth expedition there he had explored all the Caribbeans. This was significant because it showed the Europeans that there was more land out there and led to the colonization of Central America. -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was a treaty that created the Line of demarcation, which was set by the pope. This line stated that all land found on the west of it belonged to the Spanish and on the west was the Portuguese. This caused sailors like Ferdinand Magellan to try and prove that all land was on one side of the line, leading to more being discovered. -
May 20, 1498
First Person to Sail to India and Back
Vasco de Gama was the first person to sail fully around Africa and successfully make it to Asia for spices. While there he packed seven boats with spices, but on his way back lost half and ended up still making 50 million in profit. This caused the need for quicker routes to Asia, like traveling west, and the race for control over the spice ports. -
Apr 22, 1500
Pedro Cabral and the Discovery of Brazil
Brazil was discovered by a Portuguese explorer named Pedro Cabral. Pedro Cabral found Brazil because he was trying to find a quicker and easier route to the Spice Islands due to the tides being against ships going along the coast of Africa. This was significant because it caused Spain to have to find another route to India -
Jul 23, 1508
Start of Painting the Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. In his paintings, they depicted idealism and divine beauty because of the perfect human figures. This is significant because it helped further the renaissance paintings and ideas of humanism and idealism. -
Oct 22, 1512
Frescoes in the Sistine Chapel
Masaccio was one of the first renaissance artists to paint with frescoes. Frescoes are paintings done on fresh wet plaster with water-based paints. This was important because it led to more realistic styles and the technical and investigation of movement. This is also significant because many of the most renaissance paintings were painted using this technique. -
Oct 31, 1517
Martin Luther and the Creation of the 95 These
The ninety-five theses was created by Martin Luther to criticize the selling of indulgences. This essay was posted on the Church door on the holiest day which helped spread the 95 These quickly. This was also spread by the printing press so it reached further than other protestant writings at the time. This was significant because it started the spread of protestant ideas across Germany and other countries. -
Period: Oct 31, 1517 to Sep 25, 1555
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation started when Martin Luther wrote and posted the Ninety-Five theses. This was when Protestantism was spreading rapidly throughout Europe and so was the divide between Catholic and Protestant groups. This was important because it led to a more permanent break from the Catholic church in Germany and eventually led to the Catholic Reform due to major corruption. -
Period: Aug 23, 1518 to
Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic Slave Trade was a part of the triangular trade. This traded enslaved people from Africa for manufactured goods and got natural resources in return. In only the 1500s 270,000 Africans were enslaved. This was significant because it led to over six million enslaved Africans by the 1700s, and created the need for more enslaved people. Even after the trade ended slavery continued for more than sixty years. -
Sep 15, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan Circumnavigating the World
Ferdinand Magellan was originally a Portuguese war hero and supporter but after Portugal didn’t give him what he wanted he stole their maps and worked with Spain. This eventually led to him trying to prove that all land was on the west side of the Line of Demarcation, so it was all the Spanish’s land. This is significant because he was the first explorer to try and sail across the globe, and even though he didn’t quite make it some of his voyages did and completed the journey -
Nov 8, 1519
Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs
Hernan Cortes was a Spanish explorer who was sent to Central America to gain riches. Once there he discovered the Aztecs which was a thriving society full of riches. So, he decided to start a rebellion and try to overthrow their leader. This worked after the second try, so the Spanish now had control over their land and society. This lead to most of the Aztec population to suffer due to new diseases, but it also led to increased wealth and land for the Spanish. -
Apr 17, 1521
Diet of Worms
This was when Luther was called to the testimony in front of Charles V which discussed his release of the 95 These. This ended in Martin being ruled as an outlaw and all his works were burned and he had to flee. This was significant because it helped spread the idea of Lutheranism because of his smart trial in the Diet of Worms. -
Jun 21, 1532
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
This was a book written about political power in the western world. This book said that there should be no morals in politics and power should be based on understanding. This is significant because it influenced many later political leaders to follow Nicolo Machiavelli’s way of politics in The Prince. -
Sep 3, 1534
Henry VIII and the Break from the Catholic Church
Henry VII wanted to remarry another wife but another divorce would look bad so he tried to get an annulment. This annulment was not granted by the Pope, so he decided to break England from the Catholic Church so he could get an annulment. This was significant because England became a protestant country, and Anglicanism was created. -
Nov 3, 1534
England's Break from the Catholic Church
Henry VII wanted to remarry another wife but another divorce would look bad so he tried to get an annulment. This annulment was not granted by the Pope, so he decided to break England from the Catholic Church so he could get an annulment. This was significant because England became a protestant country, and Anglicanism was created. -
Apr 6, 1541
Reform of Geneva
The Reform of Geneva is when John Calvin fled to Geneva from France because of his religious views. Once in Geneva, John Calvin creates a theocracy there and starts to spread Calvinism all through this state and farther, even into France. This is important because it led to the spread of Calvinism across France and other European countries. -
Oct 1, 1553
Start of Mary Tudor's Reign
During her reign over England, she executed over 300 Anglican protestants because of her father’s split with the Catholic church. Mary was Catholic and held a grudge against her father and Anglicanism because he divorced her mom to create the Anglican church. This caused people to have fear in all later Catholic leaders due to Mary’s actions. -
Sep 25, 1555
Peace of Augsburg
This formally accepted the division of Christianity in Germany, so the states had the freedom to choose between Catholic or Lutheran. Even though the states could decide the religion the people inside of the state couldn’t choose. This is important because it was one of the first steps towards religious tolerance. -
Feb 28, 1559
Elizabethan Compromise
This was a compromise set by Queen Elizabeth that stated both Anglicanism and Catholicism were tolerated in England. This was significant because it was one of the first countries to allow multiple religions even with the fear of heresy. This is also what helped cause the Spanish Armada because of the religious difference. -
Aug 24, 1572
St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre was when all of Paris turned on each other and started killing all believed Huguenots for three days in Paris, where 4,000 people died. This soon spread to the countryside lasting for another three weeks. This led to Henry of Navarre becoming the king and eventually creating the Edict of Nantes. -
Dec 13, 1577
Start of Francis Drake's Voyage Around the Globe
Francis Drake was a privateer for the English and he was sent to pillage Spanish ships and steal their gold and resources. These pillaging journeys soon led Francis Drake to sail around the globe in need of gold and wealth from the Spanish Ships. This is significant because he was the first person to sail completely across the globe. -
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada was a fleet of warships sent to England by the Ruler of Spain, Philip II. These warships were meant to be used as a raft from Dutch to England so that 30,000 soldiers could invade England. This is significant because it stopped some of the fear that religious tolerance caused because God chose England's side instead of letting the Spanish win. -
The Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes was created by Henry IV to give the French Huguenots more rights throughout France. This edict was sympathetic towards Huguenots because Henry IV used to be a Calvinist. This was important because it was the last peace treaty and lasted for 60 years. -
Creation of the Dutch East India Company
This company was how the Dutch inserted and took over many of the spice trades in India. This company was like a sovereign nation that could call war and make its own decisions. The Dutch East India was important because it was one of the first people to not force religion. The Dutch East India Company was also one of the first companies that used shareholders. -
Period: to
Reign of the Stuarts
The rulers of this reign were James I, Charles I, James II, and Charles II. Over the reign of the Stuarts, the tension between them and parliament grew because the monarchs wouldn’t let Parliament levy taxes or call Parliament. This caused the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution at the end of their reign. -
Long Parliament
This was a meeting of parliament that met in 1640 to reaffirm the Petition of Right and create the Root and Branch. The root and branch set that Parliament had to meet every three years and only they could disassemble once assembled. This is important because it finally gave parliament the power they wanted and needed, but Charles the first soon went back on this agreement which soon caused the civil war. -
Period: to
Louis XIV's Reign
Louis XIV was the King of France and ruled for 72 years. Over his rule, he made France into a center for absolutism through the Versailles, tax exemptions, and complete power over government. This was important because it made France a symbol of absolutism and the most powerful European country through his reign. -
Period: to
Commonwealth
This was when Parliament had changed the government to a republic and got rid of the house of lords in Parliament. This also caused the state religion to be Calvinism, since the Roundheads, or Parliament, were Calvinists. This soon caused the Restoration of the monarchy because of Oliver Cromwell’s death and the strict law of Parliament. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution is when Parliament invited William and Mary of Scotland to come and assume reign over England. They were invited because Parliament was scared of another Catholic ruler since their last ruler was Mary Tudor and because they were a protestant nation like England. This is significant because it was the end of the Stuarts' reign and the end of the Parliaments' mistreatment.