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Period: Apr 25, 1420 to Apr 25, 1460
Henry the Navigator
Portuguese royal prince, most famous for the voyages of discovery that he organized and financed, which eventually led to the rounding of Africa and the establishment of sea routes to the Indies. Under his direction, a new and lighter ship was developed, the caravel, which would allow sea captains to sail further and faster. -
Period: Apr 25, 1492 to
Columbian Exchange
A widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, slaves, diseases, and ideas between the Eastern and Western hemispheres. -
Period: Apr 25, 1492 to Apr 25, 1503
Christopher Columbus
Explorer, colonizer, and navigator from northwestern Italy whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean led to general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. Between 1492 and 1503, Columbus completed four round-trip voyages between Spain and the Americas. -
Period: Apr 25, 1492 to
Creation of Colonies in New World
Europe started to colonize the new world from 1492-1898, starting with Colombus's voyage. They colonized in North America creating the 13 colonies from 1607-1732 and in South America from 1492-1898. -
Period: Apr 25, 1497 to Apr 25, 1498
da Gama
A Portuguese explorer, opened the sea route to India by way of the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East. -
Period: Apr 21, 1501 to
Safavid Empire
Most significant ruling dynasties of Iran, established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as official religion of their empire (marking one of the most important turning points in Muslim history). Their legacy: revival of Persia as an economic stronghold between East and West, establishment of an efficient state and bureaucracy based on “checks and balances”, architectural innovations. -
Period: Apr 25, 1514 to Apr 25, 1521
Cortes
A Spanish conquistador, led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of Spain. -
Period: Apr 25, 1514 to Apr 25, 1522
Magellan
A Portuguese explorer, served King Charles I of Spain in search of a westward route to the Spice Islands, first expedition to sail from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean, sailed around the tip of South America, found the westward passage and it was named the Strait of Magellan in his name -
Period: Apr 21, 1517 to
Protestant Reformation
The European Christian reform movement that established Protestantism, led by Martin Luther and John Calvin, who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Catholic Church, which led to the creation of Protestant churches. -
Period: Apr 25, 1524 to Apr 25, 1533
Pizarro
A Spanish conquistador, traveled through much of the Pacific coast of America along Peru, conquered Inca civilization while stealing immense amounts of gold, silver, and other treasures, founded Lima. -
Period: Apr 19, 1526 to
Mughal Empire
Imperial power in South Asia that ruled a large portion of the Indian subcontinent, marked by a highly centralized administration, greatest expansion during reign of Akbar the Great: religious liberalism, inclusion of natives in affairs of empire, political alliance/marriage with the Rajputs. -
Period: Apr 21, 1526 to Apr 21, 1530
Babur
The founder and emperor of Mughal Empire, Ruled Fergana and Turkestan and increased the size of his kingdom through warfare. -
Period: Apr 21, 1543 to
Scientific Revolution
Laid foundation of modern science, period when new ideas in physics, astronomy, biology, human anatomy, chemistry, and other sciences led to a rejection of doctrines that had prevailed previously in history. -
Period: Apr 19, 1552 to
Matteo Ricci
Italian Jesuit priest, one of the founding figures of the Jesuit China Mission. Introduced Christianity to China. -
Period: Apr 21, 1564 to
Galileo
Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution, achievements: improvements to the telescope, consequent astronomical observations, support for Copernicanism. -
Period: to
Tokugawa Shogunate
Feudal regime of Japan ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, based on strict class hierarchy, abolished during the Meiji Restoration. -
Period: to
Thirty Years War
One of the most destructive conflicts in European history, largely fought as religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire. Results: rise of the Bourbon dynasty, rise of the Swedish Empire, decentralization of the Holy Roman Empire, Franco-Spanish War until 1659, decline in power and influence of the Catholic Church . -
Period: to
Qing Dynasty
also known as Manchu Dynasty, last ruling dynasty of China, highly integrated with Chinese culture. Reached its height in the 18th century with territory and population increase. Later, its military power weakened and faced massive rebellions and defeat in wars. Declined after mid-19th century, overthrown following the Xinhai Revolution. -
Period: to
Triangle Trade
A shipment of goods from Great Britain would consist of beads, cloth, hardware, rum, salt, or weapons. The shipment would go to Africa, where the goods would be traded for people who were enslaved. A ship leaving Africa for America would contain hundreds of enslaved people, tightly packed in horrific conditions for the journey to their new home. Once in America, the ship would unload the slaves and take on the molasses and rum and take it to Great Britain to complete the triangle. -
Period: to
Peter the Great
Ruled the Russian Empire, carried out a policy of modernization and expansion that transformed the Tsardom of Russia into the Russian Empire, a major European power. -
Period: to
Enlightenment
Age of Reason, era in Western philosophy, intellectual, scientific and cultural life, in which reason was advocated as the primary source for legitimacy and authority. -
Period: to
French and Indian War
War between Great Britain and France in North America, end with Treaty of Paris and France cedes Canada to Great Britain and transfers Louisiana to Spain, while Spain cedes Florida to Great Britain. -
Period: to
Catherine the Great
Empress and Autocrat of Russia. Under her reign, Russia expanded, improved its administration, and continued to modernize along Western European lines and Russia became recognized as one of the great powers of Europe. Successful in foreign policy. -
Period: to
Louis XVI
King of France, married Marie Antoinette, was king when the French Revolution began, sentenced to death at the guillotine on the charges of treason. -
Period: to
Marie Antoinette
Queen of France, married to King Louis XVI, convicted of treason and executed by guillotine. -
Period: to
American Revolution
Began as was between Great Britain and the thirteen British colonies in North America and ended in a global war between several European great powers. Began because Americans rejected the oligarchies common in Europe at the time and instead wanted republicanism based on the Enlightenment understanding of liberalism. Results: creation of a democratically-elected representative government -
Storming of the Bastille
There were rumors that royal troops were going to occupy the capital, so 800 Parisians assembled outside the Bastille, Commander of the Bastille opened fire on the crowd, the crowd broke through the defenses, killed the commander, and released a handful of prisoners. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
A fundamental document of the French Revolution, defines the individual and collective rights of all the estates of the realm as universal. Established rights of French citizens. -
Period: to
French Revolution
Period of radical social and political upheaval in French and European history, Resulted in abolition and replacement of the French monarchy with radical democratic republic. Radical social change to forms based on Enlightenment principles of citizenship and inalienable rights. -
Period: to
Haitian Revolution
Period of conflict in the French colony of Saint-Domingue, resulted in the elimination of slavery there and the founding of the Haitian republic. -
Period: to
Napolean
Emperor of French: 1804-1815
King of Italy: 1805-1814
A military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. Most remembered leading the Napoleonic Wars, during which he established hegemony over much of Europe and sought to spread revolutionary ideals. -
Period: to
Congress of Vienna
Conference of ambassadors of European states, objective was to settle the issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, and the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Resulted in the redrawing of the continent's political map and the Napoleon's Duchy of Warsaw. -
Battle of Waterloo
In this battle, the French Empire under Michael Ney and Napoleon Bonaparte were defeated by the Seventh Coalition and a Prussian Army, commanded by Gebhard Von Blucher. The forces were also defeated by an Anglo-Allied Army commanded by the Duke of Wellington. This battle put an end to the tyrant rule of Napoleon as the emperor of France. It also marked the end of the hundred days of Napoleon from exile return.
