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Jan 1, 1337
Hundred Years War
This war between France and England over the French throne lasted from 1337 to 1453. Both sides of the war brought many allies, and close to 2,000,000 people died. Finally, it came to an end when it was sure no more help would come from England and Bordeaux surrendered leaving Calais as last English possesion in France. -
Oct 1, 1347
Bubonic Plague in Europe
The bubonic plague first arrived in Europe in October, 1347 when 12 Genoese trading ships docked at the harbor in Messina. The people on these ships were either dead or extremely ill and had black boils all over their body. the ships were immediatly sent away, but it was too late and over the next five years, the plague would kill 20 million people, one-third of Europes population. -
Jan 1, 1350
Start of Renaissance in Italy
The renaissance was the time period between the medieval era and the modern world. It was full of cultural advancements and many ideas were formed. The renaissance was the time when people started to pursue more diverse things such as arts and science. It is known as the period of "rebirth". -
Jan 1, 1368
Chinese Chase Out Mongol Rulers
A peasants son, Hongwu, led the rebel army that drove out the Mongol rulers. That same year, he would become the very first Ming emporer. He would continue to rule and begin reforms to restore agricultural lands, and use Confucian moral standards to bring stability to China. When trouble arose, he became ruthless leader and hid death in 1398 led to an enormous struggle for power. -
Jan 1, 1400
Nations Begin Looking For Trade Route to Asia
Since Asia was mostly isolated, the only ways to receive Asian goods were through other nations, and by then the price was greatly increased. People were interested in finding a direct trade route to Asia, so that they were able to trade for the valuable goods for a decreased price. This want for a trade route would become a popular reason for exploation across nations. -
Jan 1, 1415
Henry Conquered Muslim City in North Africa
With Henry conquering this Muslim city, he had his first look at the power and fortune that lay beyond Europes borders. After inading the city, they found many stores filled with items they had never seen before. Some were pepper, cloves and other spices along with a large sum of gold and silver. Henry realized that with exploration would come great wealth. -
Jan 1, 1440
Gutenberg Devolops Printing Press
The worlds first movable type printing technology was devoloped in China, but in 1440, Johannes Gutenberg improved upon the process. The printing press allowed books to be copyed at a much faster rate than before. The movable type printing press allowed knowledge about geography, medicinal practices, and other things to spread quicky throught Europe. Also, being literate became a much more practical option due to the decrease in the cost of literature. -
Jan 1, 1453
Mehmed II Launched Attack On Constantinople
Mehmed II came to power in 1451, and already began making plans to reduce Constantinople. Mehmed wanted to attack Constantinople because they controlled a waterway which allowed them to choke off trafic in multiple locations owned by the Ottomans. After Constantinople had fallen under the military conquest led by Mehmed II, it was considered the most dramaric feat in all of Ottoman history. -
Jan 1, 1492
Colubus Finds Caribbean
Christofer Columbus convinced Spain to pay for his trip in which he hoped to find a route to Asia. Instead, in 1492, Columbus and his men reached an island in the Caribbean. This voyage would eventually lead to European colonization in the Americas, and would forever change the world. Columbus thought that he had reached the East Indies. -
Jan 1, 1494
Babur Inherits Throne
Babur's family had a history of rule, descending from Timur on his father's side and Genghis Khan on his mother's side. Babur began his rule at only 11 years old, with cousins and relatives plotting to replace him. But by 1497, he had conquered the silk road oasis city of Samarkand, although it was recaptured when Babur turned to defend his base. Babur eventully founded, and became the first ruler of the Mughal empire. -
Jan 1, 1498
Vasco da Gama Finds India
Vasco Da Gama was a portuguese explorer who led the expidition that pushed further east into the southwestern coast of India. His crew was amazed by their findings and filled their ship with exotic spices. Their looted cargo was worth 60 times the cost of the voyage, but the most important part of their trip was the fact that they had given Portugal a direct sea route to India. -
Jan 1, 1500
Portuguese Searched For American Land
In 1500, portuguese explorer Pedro Alvarez Cabral reached shores of modern day brazil, claiming the land for his country. Around a year after, other explorers searched for land across the Americas. A german mapmaker named the continent "America" after Amerigo Vespucci, an explorer who traveled along the eastern side of South America. -
Jan 1, 1509
Henry Vlll Becomes King
Besides Henry's six marriges, he is known mostly for his part in the seperation of the church of England. When he was worried about having a male heir to the throne, he loooked at his nearly 40 year old wife and realized he needed to marry someone younger. The pope denied his divorse, but he did eventually marry the pregnant Anne Boleyn in secret. The pope fond out, excommunicated Henry, and the English reformation began. -
Jan 1, 1517
Luther Posts 95 Theses
In 1517, a german priest named Martin Luther wrote the "95 theses" which were revolutionary ideas that would eventually be known as the start of the protestant reformation. In the 95 theses, Luther expresses his concern for the corruption of the church. Although Luther did not expect and did not want these ideas to make him famous, they did. He grew many followers and his ideas, reinforced by followers, challenged the church to change their ways. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernando Cortes lands On Shores Of Mexico
Cortes followed by other other spanish explorers called conquistadors, pushed inland and claimed new lands for Spain. They heard rumors of land filled with gold and silver, and colonized lands all the way through modern day Mexico, South America, and United States. The Spanish were the first European settlers in the Americas. -
Jan 1, 1520
Suleyman Comes to Power
Under his rule, the Ottoman empire reached its peak of expansion. He was truly a great ruler and understood what it took to rule successfuly. He instituted legislative changes relating to education, taxation, criminal law, and society, giving him the title of "lawgiver". He was also an outstanding military leader, leading the Ottoman empire and dominating most regions. Suleyman is considered the most famous Ottoman of all time, ruling the empire with wisdom and undeniable power. -
Jan 1, 1540
Pope Creates "Society of Jesus"
In 1540, the pope created a group where the followers were called Jesuits . In this group, they focused on three activies. First off, they founded superb schools throughout Europe. Next, they wanted to convert non christians, so they sent missionaries out around the world. Lastly, they felt strongly that it was their reponsibility to stop the spread of protestantism. -
Dec 1, 1542
Spanish Goverment Turn Toward African Labor
In 1542, the spanish government abolished the ecomienda system, despite its need for labor in the colonies. A priest later suggested Africans, saying "the labor of one African is more valuable than that of four Indians". This priest later took back his statement and changed his view, however, others promoted the idea. -
Jan 1, 1558
Elizabethan Age
The Elizabethan Age is associated with Queen Elizabeth's reign and was the heigth of the English Renaissance. During this, England flourished and saw the flowering of the arts, and poetry. Elizabeth's reign saw the rise of the concept of "nationalism" and as the result of this, England saw significant growth in cultural devolopment. -
Jan 1, 1571
Shah Abbas Takes Throne
Shah Abbas was the most important Safavid ruler of Persia. He came to power in one of the most troubled times for Iran, but within 11 years, he took back land thst their enemies had controlled. Under his rule, the Safavid empire flourished and expanded rapidly. He was concerned about holding his position in the empire, so when he felt that has sons posed a serious threat, he had them all either killed or blinded. -
Aug 24, 1572
Huge Clash Between Catholics and Huguenots
The huguenot church was growing rapidly in France during the late 1560s. They were becoming popular, but 90% of France was still roman catholic and the catholic church was determined to stay in control. There were many clashes between the two, but the worst came in 1572, after years of fighting. On August 24, the church organized a deadly strike against the Huguenots while they were celebrating a marriage. Thousands were slaughtered, causing a series of civil wars to break out in France. -
Ieyasu Unites Japan
Ieyasu completed the unification of Japan in 1600, after defeating his rivals in battle. His victory earned him loyalty and respect, and 3 years later he would become the sole ruler in Japan. During rule, he moved the captial to what would become Tokyo and orded Daimyo to spend every other year in captial to prevent a rebellion. -
English Establish Colony In Jamestown
Colonists reached the coast of Virginia in 1607, and claimed the land as theirs. They named the settlement Jamestown, in honor of their ruler, King James. The towns start was terrible. Settlers were much more interested in finding gold and silver than growing crops, and for the first few years, 7 out of every 10 colonists died either of hunger, disease, or battles with Natives. -
Mumtaz Mahal Dies
Mumtaz Mahal was the wife of Shah Jahan, who was the ruler of the Mughal Empire. Jahan constantly spoke of how beautiful his wife was, and when she died giving birth to their fouteenth child, he rquested that "her final resting place be as beatiful as she was". In 1632, construction of the taj mahal began. The taj mahal is a complex, masterpeice of art, with construction lasting from 1632 through 1653. -
Japan Institutes "Closed Country" Policy
Strong Leaders in Japan valued European Trade, but did not like the introduvtion of European ideas. They soon realized that it was possibe to exclude both missionaries and merchants. The "closed ountry" policy was instituted shortly after and would end all communicaion with Europe, except for one trade port that was left open and only welcomed the Dutch and Chinese. -
Aurangzeb Begins Rule
Auranzeb was the third son the Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. In 1657, Shah Jahan became seriously ill leaving the throne available. Auranzeb acted quickly. Using his tactical and strategic military skills, he caused the death of his older brother, who was his only real competition in taking the throne. He then confined his healthy father in his own palace. Aurangzeb was the last of the great Mughal emperors and under his rule, the empire reached its fullest extent. -
First Manchu Becomes Emporer Of China
The first Manchu, Kangxi, ruled for about 60 years. He was well liked, and reduced expenses and taxes. He also was a patron of the arts, and gained suport of intellectuals by offering them positions in government. Under the rule of his son, China would reach its largest population and prosperity. -
First Of Many Large Slave Revolts
Slave revolts were common in the Americas, but not many were planned. In 1739, a group of slaves in South Carolina led an uprising known as the Stono rebellion. After this, slaves were not as afraid to act out, and rebellions were common all the way through the early 1800s. Some slaves did not act out of order though, because they lived much easier lives than others. -
French and Indian War
English colonists seeked more land to colonize, and so they pushed further west until they reached France's North American holdings. In 1754, a small dispute transformed into a battle between forces, later known as the French and Indian War. The dispute become part of a larger battle, known as the seven years' war. -
Atlantic Slave Trade Ends
The Atlantic Slave Trade, the buying and selling of Africans for work in the Americas, was a massive enterprise. Between 1500 and 1600, 300 thousand Africans were transported to Americas. That number increased to 1.3 million in the next century, and in 1870 when it ended, 9.5 million Africans had been imported to the Americas.
