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1419
Henry the Navigator sends his first expedition
Henry the Navigator was Portuguese. He was among the first to send people to explore as he saw the value of finding the origin of spice and other goods. This sparked the age of global exploration. -
1440
The Printing Press
The invention of the printing press changed the world. It allowed for information to be mass-produced more efficiently. This allowed for distribution of knowledge and ideas across the globe. -
Period: 1478 to
Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was a series of trials to expel heretics from Spain. The Spanish Inquisition was arguably the reason why Spain was able to stay centralized under Catholicism for so long. The centralization of Spain is a factor in their success. -
Aug 3, 1492
Columbus sails to "new world"
Columbus, sponsored by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, sails in reaction to Bartolmeu Dias. He wants to reach Asia by sailing west but instead makes an important discovery of the Americas. -
1498
Vasco de Gama first trip to India
Vasco de Gama lands in Calicut, India. He buys spice for very cheap and brings them back to Europe. He goes three times and generates $20 million in revenue for Portugal. This dramatically increased Portugal's wealth and made them a global power. -
1500
Pedro Cabral discovers Brazil
Sailing for Porgtual, Pedro Cabral accidentally lands upon Brazil. Brazil came to be a very important Portuguese colony. He is the reason that people speak Portuguese in Brazil. -
Oct 31, 1517
Luther's 95 Theses
Luther's 95 Theses began the Protestant Reformation. Protestantism created a divide within many states, which led to numerous wars and conflicts. The 95 Theses eventually led to Lutheranism, which inspired other Protestant religions, such as Calvinism. The Protestant Reformation heavily influenced the political state of the world. -
Period: Sep 20, 1519 to Sep 6, 1522
Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigates the globe
Ferdinand Magellan was the first to circumnavigate the globe. He was from Portugal but abandoned them and sailed for Spain. He attempts to disprove the Line of Demarcation by sailing west of it. This is an important event in Spain and Portugal's competition for global colonization. -
1521
Diet of Worms
The Diet of Worms trial accused Luther of being a heretic. The edict was to expel him from the Holy Roman Empire and stop teaching his practices. This is an important event because it banned Luther's writings and his practices within the empire. -
Nov 16, 1532
Franciso Pizarro conquers Inca Empire
Pizzaro was the Spanish conquistador who conquered the Inca Empire. He took their gold and silver, which largely contributed to the Spanish wealth. His colonization of this portion of South America is the reason why these places speak Spanish and have cultural similarities. -
1534
England separates from Catholic Church
The King of England, Henry VIII, wanted an annulment from his wife but the Pope would not allow it. He then created Anglanicism with the archbishop of Canterberry, Thomas Cranmer. This impacted the Catholic Church because they just lost a large portion of their following and a powerful ally. This also led to religious conflict in England. -
1541
Origin of Calvinism
Calvinism originated in Geneva by John Calvin. John Calvin was a French priest who left France for Geneva. He finds problems with the Catholic church, inspired by Luther, and starts to gain a following. Geneva comes to be the home base for Calvin and his followers. This was an important event in the Protestant Reformation. -
Dec 13, 1545
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was part of the Catholic Reformation. Church leaders came together and attempted to fix corruption in the Church to gain back followers. -
1549
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer was created by Edward VI. It is used for Anglincian practices. This created more structure within the religion and allowed it to spread. -
Period: 1553 to 1558
Reign of Mary I
Mary Tudor, also referred to as Bloody Mary, was one of England's most ruthless rulers. She converted England from Anglicanism back to Catholicism. She kills over 400 Anglican priests and she orders the execution of Thomas Cranmer. -
Sep 25, 1555
Peace of Augsburg
The Peace of Augsburg allowed lords in Germany to choose either Lutheranism or Catholicism as their state's religion. It was the official ending to the religious conflict. -
Jan 16, 1556
Charles V abdicates the throne
When Charles V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, abdicated the throne and split his Empire amongst his successors allowed for independent nations to rise. These nations and their impacts would shape the course of history forever. -
1563
Elizabethan Compromise
The Elizabethan Compromise, installed by Queen Elizabeth I, legalizes the practice of both Anglicanism and Catholicism in England. This settled some of the religious tension within England. -
Aug 23, 1572
Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Bartholomew's Day Massacre was when Catholics were killing Calvinists in France. More than 3,000 citizens died in Paris alone. This was a major event during the era of the struggle of the state religion in France. -
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada was ordered by Philip II against England. The purpose of the Armada was to escort Spanish troops from the Netherlands to England. In the end, the Spanish lost, which sent Europe into a religious crisis. This was the beginning of the downfall of Spain, previously the most powerful state. -
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes created peace and stability in France after the French civil War. It was overseen by Henry IV. It was in place and very successful for many years. -
Henry Hudson founds New Amsterdam
Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch, found New Amsterdam. This city, today known as New York City, is one of the world's most influential places on Earth. Without it being founded by Henry Hudson, the world would be very different today. -
Period: to
30 Year War
The 30-Year War was a major religious conflict within the Holy Roman Empire. It was fought between the Protestants and Catholics beginning in Bohemia. It finally concluded in The Treaty of Westphalia, which ended the reign of the Holy Roman Empire. -
Period: to
Reign of Louis XIV
Louis XIV was the king of France. He is often regarded as one of the most absolute rulers. During his reign, he unified France under Catholicism. He constructed the Palace of Versailles, revoked the Edict of Nantes, and centralized the country. He is also known as the "Sun King". He is one of France's most impactful rulers. At the end of his reign, France experienced a decline in wealth due to all the money he had spent. -
Period: to
Commonweatlh
The commonwealth arose after the beheading of King Charles I. It was a republic run by Oliver Cromwell. It converted England to a Calvinist state. It abolished the monarchy. This period was important to England because they realized how much they prospered under the monarchy, ultimately leading to the restoration of the monarchy after Oliver Cromwell's death. -
Beheading of Charles I
Charles I strongly believed in the Divine Right of the King, ultimately leading to his beheading. After his execution, the monarchy was abolished. This switch of government structure in England greatly impacted the country. -
The Glorious Revoultion
The Glorious Revolution occurred when William and Mary of the Netherlands took England's throne. Parliament made a deal with them because they didn't approve of James II being a Catholic ruler. It is referred to as glorious because it was voluntary and there was no bloodshed.