Renaissance

Puritan commonwealth ends, monarchy restored with Charles II

1660 BCE

The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

John Milton begins Paradise Lost

1658 BCE

Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton.The poem concerns the Biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton's purpose, stated in Book I, is to "justify the ways of God to men".

Newspapers first published in London

1621 BCE

In 1621 the newspaper "Corante" is published in London.

The Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock

1620 BCE

Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620.

King James Bible is published

1611 BCE

The King James Version (KJV), also known as the Authorized Version (AV) or the King James Bible (KJB), is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611.[a] The books of the King James Version include the 39 books of the Old Testament, an intertestamental section containing 14 books of the Apocrypha, and the 27 books of the New Testament.

Shakespeare's sonnets are published

1609 BCE

Shakespeare's Sonnets is the title of a collection of 154 sonnets by William Shakespeare, which covers themes such as the passage of time, love, beauty and mortality.

First permanent English settlement in North America is established at Jamestown, Virginia

1607 BCE

The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.

Shakespeare writes King Lear and Macbeth

Period: 1605 BCE to 1606 BCE

Globe Theatre

1599 BCE

The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men.

William Shakespeare (Bard of Avon) is born

1564 BCE

William Shakespearewas an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language.He is often called England's national poet, and the "Bard of Avon".

Elizabeth I becomes queen of England

1558 BCE

With the Supremacy Act, Henry VIII proclaims himself head of the Church of England

1543 BCE

King Henry VIII, who was responsible for the English Catholic church breaking away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope excommunicated Henry in 1533 over his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

Thomas More's Utopia is published

1516 BCE

Richard III is killed in battle

Nov 9, 1485

Columbus reaches the Americas

Nov 9, 1492

Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa

Nov 9, 1503