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William is born in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Very few personal details of his childhood are known.
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Scholars assume he attended the King's New School, as that is where the child of an alderman would conceivably go, but there is little proof. There is evidence, however, that he did not attend university anywhere.
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Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway. Within three years, they have three children, Susana, Hamnet, and Judith.
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Shakespeare moves to London in the late 1580's to pursue a career in the theater.
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Shakespeare's first play, Henry VI Part 1, is performed.
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Rival playwright Robert Greene writes a scathing review of Shakespeare, calling him an “upstart crow” who doesn’t fit in with his betters.
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The Black Death returns to London, killing 5% of the city's inhabitants and shutting down theaters. Shakespeare uses this time to turn to his poetry.
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With theaters reopened, Shakespeare joins the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a company of players supported by Queen Elizabeth I
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Romeo + Juliet is first performed.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream is first performed.
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Shakespeare builds the largest open-air amphitheatre in London: The Globe Theatre.
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Shakespeare writes Hamlet, perhaps inspired by the death of his own father
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King James becomes William's patron, for whom Shakespeare’s company performs 11 times.
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Othello is first performed.
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Macbeth is first performed
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Shakespeare retires from theater and returns to Stratford.
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Shakespeare dies.
