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Jan 30, 1482
La Primavera by Botticelli
This painting represents people from Roman mythology including Venus, the Three Graces, and Mercury in a dance. It is an extention to Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. http://www.infoflorence.com/Florence_Itineraries/Uffizi Gallery/Botticelli_La_Primavera.htm -
Aug 22, 1485
Richard III is killed in battle
The king of England for 2 years died during the battle of Bosworth field fighting for the House of York. His death ended the war of Roses which was a civil war fought between the House Of Lancaster and the House Of York. -
Oct 11, 1492
Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas
A new world is revealed when Columbus led 3 ships- The Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria in 1492. His original goal was to sail west until he hit Asia, the Indies. He instead came upon the Canary Islands. -
Jan 30, 1500
La Pieta by Michelangelo
La Pieta was created by Michelangelo from 1498 to 1500. In this period, most art was centered around Christianity. La Pieta follows the trend as it depicts the dead Christ held by Mary. http://www.christusrex.org/www1/citta/B1-Pieta.html -
Jan 31, 1505
Thomas Tallis is born.
Thomas Tallis was an English composer during the Renaissance. Like many other composers of the era, Tallis wrote polyphonic music which means that every vocal part sings the melody but at different times. A great example of one of Tallis' polyphonic works is "If Ye Love Me." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6RgaPTo4hE -
Jan 30, 1508
Michelangelo Begins the Sistine Chapel
It took Michelangelo four years to compleate this project. It depicts over 350 figures including scenes from the Creation and the Fall. -
Jan 30, 1513
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Niccolo Machiavelli writes The Prince. Niccolo was an Italian historian. This book was not published until 5 years after his death. The Prince was about the truth behind politics and ethics. It focused less on the “ideal opinion” and more on what people were really think. http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=niccolo+machiavelli+the+prince&hl=en&biw=1280&bih=631&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=nZY0CKyBf8d72M:&imgrefurl=http://www.boomerangbooks.com.au/Niccolo-Machiavellis-the-Prince/Tim-Phillips/book_97819049 -
Jan 30, 1515
Flora by Titan
Titan was known for the dynamic color contrasts used in his paintings. Flora was a piece he did early in his career. http://en.wikipedia.org/wikiFlora_(Titian) / -
Jan 30, 1516
Utopia by Thomas More
Thomas More’s Utopia is published. Thomas More was an English lawyer and very important Renaissance humanist. Utopia is about an imaginary island that has a society that is very orderly and the people all get along perfectly. http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=thomas+more%27s+utopia&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1280&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=yw_FFEVsZjcsQM:&imgrefurl=http://us.macmillan.com/thomasmoresutopiainearlymoderneurope/TerenceCave&docid=g1uXnw2M54X_zM&imgurl=http://resources.macmillanusa.com/jackets/500 -
Jul 31, 1517
First Africans are taken to America as slaves
These Africans were sent to do forced labor on Spanish plantations and some mines present in the Caribbean Islands. Because of exhaustion and disease many Native American slaves died which increased the importation of African slaves who were meant to replace them. This was the beginning of the Atlantic slave trade. The trading of African slaves remained a crucial element in the Spanish and English economies for four centuries. -
Jan 30, 1519
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa. This is one of the few pieces ever completed by Leonardo da Vinci. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/vinci/joconde/ -
Jan 31, 1519
Magellan leads the first expedition to circumnavigate the world
This expedition was the first to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and he discovered Magellan Straight. The expedition did eventually circumnavigate the whole world but Magellan did not make the whole trip as he perished in the Battle of Mactan in the Philippians. -
Feb 1, 1526
Giovanni Palestrina is born.
Palestrina is one of the Renaissance period's most important composers. He was an Italian writer who greatly influenced the development of music in the Roman Catholic Church through his motets, madrigals, and masses. The masses followed the progression of the religous service and had a specific order: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. -
Jan 30, 1538
Licensing Laws
Book licensing laws are introduced in England. http://www.google.co.in/imgres?q=book+licensing+laws+1538&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1280&bih=631&tbm=isch&tbnid=8iwCT1viAwWphM:&imgrefurl=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/vol7/html_files/v7p1533e.html&docid=u4aYpO93SYqE3M&imgurl=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/kappler/vol7/html_files/images/v7p1538.jpg&w=615&h=942&ei=PSkmT9CGKYGWtwfxs4yiCw&zoom=1 -
Jan 30, 1557
Miscellany by Tottel
Tottel’s Miscellany (including poems of Wyatt and Surrey) is published. Richard Tottel was an Englishman publisher in London. He was mostly interested in books of law. He included Surrey’s poems by translating them. He helped publish some writings by another Renaissance writer, Thomas More. He books focused on legal reigns of Rickard the third, Henry Vlll, and Edward Vl. http://designarchives.aiga.org/#/entries/%2Bid%3A19551/_/detail/relevance/asc/0/7/19551/tottels-miscellany-15571587/1 -
Jan 30, 1572
Essais by Montaigne
In France, Montaigne begins his Essais. These were a series of essays that Montaigne began to write in order to focus on one main topic. He often wrote about his thoughts on things and quoted ancient Greek, Latin, and Italian. He wanted to also appeal to what readers wanted. He valued getting the reader’s attention and keeping them intrigued. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne -
Feb 1, 1580
"Greensleeves" is registered.
"Greensleeves" is probably the most recognizable piece of music from the Renaissance period. This song is typically played with the lute and keyboard which are traditional Renaissance instruments. There is a myth surrounding the orgins of this song saying that King Henrey VIII wrote the song for his mistress Anne Boleyn. http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/renaissance/Greensleeves[1].mid -
Theatres Closed for Plauge
In London, outbreak of the plague forces theatres to close. This epidemic killed around 30,000 people. Theatres were not the only places deserted by this horrific disease. http://www.familytree.com/blog/pandemics-and-your-ancestors-part-i/ -
Narcissus by Caravaggio
This painting was based on the popular Greek story of Narcissus and was only recently recognized as Caravaggio’s work. http://www.canvasreplicas.com/Caravaggio.htm -
British East India Company is established
It was originally created for trade with Asia but ended up trading mostly with the Indian subcontinent. Cotton, silk, indigo dye, salt, tea, and opium were its main trades. It exerted military power and ruled over vast sections of India. -
King James' Bible
King James’ Bible is published. This was not the first edition of the writing. At first, it was just called THE HOLY BIBLE. It offered writings on the old and the New Testament. Later, by Thomas Hobbes, it was referred to as the Bible by King James. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorized_King_James_Version -
Parthenia is published.
Parthenia was written by William Byrd who was considered to be a piano genius. During the Renaissance, there was a shift towards a capella music which means vocal music without instruments. Byrd was able to keep instrumental music alive with his hundreds of compositions with an instrumental focus. -
Newspapers in London
Newspapers are first published in London. http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2009/11/changes-in-media-over-the-past-550-years318.html -
The Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts
After an intense 66 day voyage at sea the Mayflower finally arrived. This ship transported many who were known as Pilgrims who escaped Religious persecution. There were 102 passengers on the ship -
Claudio Monteverdi publishes his eighth book of madrigals.
Monteverdi's eighth book is considered to be the perfected form of the madrigal. A madrigal is a type of secular music about love. All of the songs in Monteverdi's book would be sung in groups of four, five, or six singers. Motets are similar to madrigals, but motets are based on religion not love. -
English Civil Wars Begin
These wars were fought between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The fighting continued for nine more years. -
The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung up in America by Anne Bradstreet
American poet, Anne Bradstreet’s The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung up in America is published in London. This was Bradstreet’s only published writing in her lifetime. Surprisingly, Anne had to pretend that she had no idea this was being published for she would face harsh criticism from society in consequence. The book is a series of writings and poems by Anne, some of which are dedicated to her father, Thomas. She speaks of parts of earth, people, and life. http://www.poetsgraves.co.uk/bradstreet.h -
Paradise Lost by John Milton
John Milton begins Paradise Lost. This was originally a very lengthy poem that was put together to form a series of poems. Eventually it was condensed focusing on the stories of Adam and Eve and Satan. Milton was trying to speak his opinion of God and the relationship with people. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ma-Mo/Milton-John.html -
Unifiying Principles
In general, the Renaissance was a time of rebirth. There was a large focus on the arts and sciences because people were trying to bring back the ideas associated with Ancient Greece and Rome. Even though the church was still a large part of life, people started to venture out of the the religious norm through music, actions, art, and literature.
