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Apr 23, 1564
Birth
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford, England to John & Mary Shakespeare. He was the oldest child in his family, with 3 younger brothers & 2 younger sisters. -
Apr 26, 1564
Baptism
Shakespeare was baptized 3 days after his birth like all babies in this time period. He was baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. -
Sep 1, 1569
Begins school
He began school at the King’s New School, a grammar school in Stratford. He learned ancient history, grammar, Latin, and Greek mythology. He did not attend university because of financial debt. -
Marriage
Shakespeare married 26-yr-old Anne Hathaway at age 18, and they lived in his hometown of Stratford, England. -
First child (Susanna) is born
Susanna was baptized on May 26, 1583. Anne was already months pregnant with Susanna when she and William were married, which was common in this time period. -
Twins (Judith & Hamnet) are born
The twins were baptized on February 2, 1585. Hamnet died in 1596, at age 11 from a terminal illness. -
Period: to
"The Lost Years"
During these years the historical record of Shakespeare is incomplete and unreliable, no one is quite sure of what he did for this period of time.