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1347
Start of the Black Plague
The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, was a multi-year pandemic that greatly influenced Europe. Believed to have been brought from China sometime in October 1347, the Black Death would end up killing anywhere from 33% to 50% of the population. The pandemic caused massive labour shortages, affected religious attendance and caused a sense of anti-semitism, among other outcomes. -
1368
Ming Dynasty Founded (Part 1)
The Ming Dynasty, founded in 1368, was the final Chinese dynasty. It was the fourth longest dynasty, lasting until 1644.
The prior dynasty, the Mongol-lead Yuan era, brought poor leadership upon the Chinese people. Famines, droughts, flooding and the bubonic plague killed and displaced millions.
In 1358, a peasant uprising brought on by Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋) overtook the capital of Nanjing. At age 16, Zhu saw the Yellow River flood and the rest of his family die of disease. -
1368
Ming Dynasty Founded (Part 2)
Up until 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang's army attacked Dadu, now present-day Beijing. Zhu successfully overran the city, and forced the Yuan to flee on a northern path.
The significance of the Ming Dynasty lied in the way Zhu (now Hongwu) would rule. His bureaucrats would have to pass a test to prove intelligence and loyalty. His policies would favour peasants over merchants in an attempt to end exploitation. -
1401
The Florence Baptistery Door Competition (Part 2)
The significance of this project lies within the building itself. The Florence Baptistery was constructed between 1059 and 1128. The building has three sets of artistic doors enshrined with sculptures. Gheberti's designs demonstrated the mastery of linear perspective within 15th century art. -
1401
The Florence Baptistery Door Competition (Part 1)
The Florence Baptistery door competition, occurring in 1401, was launched by the Arte di Calimala. The artist who created the selected artwork regarding the Sacrifice of Issac would be allowed to create a follow-up project: a second set of doors for the Baptistery.
The judging panel would be comprised up of 34 native citizens of Florence. A total of seven artists competed, of which two passed to the final round: Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi. Ghiberti was eventually selected. -
1418
Portugal Begins to Colonise the African Coast (Part 1)
The Portuguese's first voyage into the African continent occurred in 1418, with a trip down to Porto Santo. As they were first, the Portuguese were the first European nation to promote overseas exploration and colonisation, bringing forth a multi-century long debacle.
69 years after the initial expansion into Porto Santo, the Portuguese had well explored the continent of Africa, expanding and building trading stations in Arguin, Sierra Leon and El Mina. -
1418
Portugal Begins to Colonise the African Coast (Part 2)
By the 1490s, sugar plantations were established on islands, and Kongo slaves were brought in to work the fields. Portugal soon became the number one producer of sugar for Europe.
Portugal's colonalisation of Africa set an example for the rest of Western Europe, and encouraged each country to expand into the New World for themselves. Additionally, high demand for slaves brought forth the Columbian Exchange, which would introduce new crops and people to Europe and the New World. -
1450
Invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press (Part 3)
Selling copies to captains of ships was a very common distribution method, allowing for the first mass-distribution network of printed books within Europe.
News pamphlets were also issued using the press, allowing for a faster and simpler method of communication. -
1450
Invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press (Part 1)
In Europe, the first printing press was known as the Gutenberg Press, made by goldsmith/inventor Johannes Gutenberg. In 1440 while in Strasbourg (FR) after being exiled from Mainz (DE), Gutenberg had been experimenting with printing. After returning to Mainz, Gutenberg finalised his plans and created the first printing press by the year 1450.
Gutenberg's design incorporated metal printing blocks via replica casting and a winepress to flatten printing paper. -
1450
Invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press (Part 2)
A screw was turned via a handle, which would exert a downward force on the paper. The average press could print 250 sheets per hour (about 4 sheets a minute) if one side was printed on.
The press printed the now famous Gutenberg Bible at a rate of 200 copies per three years, a massive improvement compared to hand-copying. -
May 29, 1453
Constantinople Conquered by the Ottoman Empire (Part 3)
the Christian kingdoms largely relied on present-day Hungary to slow down fast-spreading Ottoman expansions into eastern Europe. Large numbers of Greeks immigrated away to Italy during the following years, which may be one of many indications of the beginning of the Renaissance period. -
May 29, 1453
Constantinople Conquered by the Ottoman Empire (Part 2)
...was fully encircled on the 22nd. Focus then shifted to artillery fire, with the defenders attempting repairs at night. Before dawn, Ottoman labourers encompassed the moat surrounding Constantinople, and a coordinated assault comprised up of artillery, infantry and naval attacks commenced. The first two attempts were unsuccessful, but a strenuous third attempt successfully conquered the capital.
The invasion of Constantinople allowed for a quick Ottoman expansion into eastern Europe, where.... -
May 29, 1453
Constantinople Conquered by the Ottoman Empire (Part 1)
The Byzantine Empire was ended after the Ottoman invasion of Constantinople on 29 May 1453. The entrance into the city occurred after a 55-day siege from the land and sea. During the siege, the Ottomans, who vastly outnumbered the Byzantines, commenced a blockade around the city walls while beating down the city walls with cannonfire. Artillery fire commenced on the 6th of April, and the first assault occurred the day after. Various naval skirmishes occurred throughout the siege, and the city... -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas (Part 1)
The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between the Spanish and Portugese governments. The treaty divided the Americas between the two superpowers vertically with a "line of demarcation" in the Atlantic ocean. Lands east of the line were de-facto property of Portugal, and all land west were de-facto Spanish.The effects of the treaty are still evident. Latin American nations are primarily Spanish-speaking countries, except for Brazil, as its eastern portion crossed into Portugese property... -
Jun 7, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas (Part 2)
Additionally, the Treaty of Tordesillas allowed for expansion into the New World, as it was called. Overall, the impact of the Spanish and Portugese would have been to a much lesser extent without the Treaty of Tordesillas. -
1502
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Begins (Part 1)
The transatlantic slave trade was a subdivision of the global slave trade that impacted 10-12 million Africans between the 16th and 19th century.
The Portugese were transporting Africans for slave labour on plantations in Cape Verde and Madeira islands. The Spanish took Africans across the Atlantic in 1502, and the Portugese followed in 1526. The Dutch became the foremost in the Atlantic slave trade by the 1600s, with the English and French following in the 1700s... -
1502
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Begins (Part 2)
The beginning of the Transatlantic slave trade marked the beginning of slavery in the Americas. This would be one of the founding principals of many nations within the continent, would drastically improve labour and product output and would affect the future of the nations, including the US'. -
1508
Michelangelo Paints the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (Part 1)
Michelangelo was hired by Pope Julius II to paint the Sistine Chapel in 1508. Prior to his hiring, Michelangelo was well-known for his sculptures. Despite his artistic talent, however, his painting skills were sub-par. Michelangelo was appointed the task at the suggestion of his two rivals, who hoped that Michelangelo would fail.
Michelangelo's decided to take up the task, deciding upon the Old Testament as his topic.
(This is the end of Part 1...please go to 1512 to continue reading). -
1512
Michelangelo Paints the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (Part 2)
Michelangelo commenced the project in 1508 and ended four years later. He started with the entrance, and then decided to re-adjust his scale graudally so that moer detail was brought out as one's view moved.
The idea of a religious painting tied into the chapel's day-to-day use. For the past two decades prior to the completion of the paintings, the chapel had been used as an election site for popes, making such an important topic suitable for occasions of this nature. -
Oct 31, 1517
Martin Luther’s 95 Theses Nailed To Church Door (Part 3)
Luther refused to change his tone, forcing the Pope to expell Luther and for the the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to declare Luther an outlaw; thereby allowing any person to murder him without consequences.
By 1546, Luther's beliefs had allowed for the start of Protestant Reformation. Protestant Reformation would lead to a new branch of Christian beliefs and would mark the border between Roman and Western Christianity.
Note: some believe that such incident never occurred. -
Oct 31, 1517
Martin Luther’s 95 Theses Nailed To Church Door (Part 1)
On Halloween of 1517, Martin Luther allegedly nailed his 95 Theses (important opinions) to the castle church door in Wittenberg, allowing for the beginning of Protestant Reformation.
In the Theses, Luther criticised the corruption and overindulgence of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), with special emphasis on the practise of exchanging payment for forgiveness.
A copy of the Theses was quickly sent to Rome, and the RCC began negotiations to convince Martin Luther to think otherwise. -
Aug 13, 1521
Fall of Tenoctitlán (Part 2)
Cortés retreated to Tlaxcala to allow his army to regain strength over a five month period.
Due to the interaction with the Spanish, smallpox had been introduced to the Aztecs. During the months that Cortés were away, smallpox killed half of Tenochtitlán's population. Cuauhtémoc was named the suceeding leader during this period.
In May 1521, Tenochtitlán was besieged, cutting off the supply of food and water to the city.
For the next 93 days, the opposing faction would start assaulting the... -
Aug 13, 1521
Fall of Tenochtitlán (Part 1)
The fall of Tenochtitlán occurred on 13 August 1521 after a 93-day-long militaristic engagement and seige of the Aztec capital city. The opposing force, comprised up of various indigenous tribes and the Spanish, were lead by Hernán Cortés.
Cortés placed the leader of the Aztecs (Montezuma) under house arrest and took overshadowing control over the Aztecs for a temporary period. This caused Montezuma's brother (Cuitláhuac) to retaliate, driving the Aztecs and their allies out of Tenochtitlán... -
Aug 13, 1521
Fall of Tenochtitlán (Part 3)
capital. On 13 August 1521, Tenochtitlán was overrun.
The fall of the Tenochtitlán would mark the end of the Aztec reign and the beginning of the Spanish colony New Spain. Over the next three years, the Spanish would take nearly all of Mesoamerica, and smallpox would continue to ravage the region. The Spanish would eventually find the indigenous people as subjects that treated them similarly to the Aztecs preceeding them. -
1570
Formation of the Iroquois League
The Iroquois Confederacy, founded between 1570 and 1600, was originally comprised up of five nations: the Mohawks, Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida and Seneca. Prior to the existence of the Confederacy, the various nations were immersed in a group of inter-tribal conflicts. Such conflicts weakened their societal structure. The Great Peacemaker Hiawatha, Chief of the Onondaga tribe, brought the various nations together. The Iroquois Confederacy (League) eventually slowed down European expansion. -
1570
Potatoes Brought to Europe (Part 1)
Spanish conquistadors were the first Europeans to meet the potato, happening on a trip to Peru in 1532 with the end goal of finding goal. During this trip, the Spanish noted the indigenous miners consuming a potato-based food. Initially ignoring it, the Spanish would eventually use potatoes as a form of food on long transoceanic trips.
Potatoes arrived in Spain in 1570, with some farmers cultivating them on a small scale to be used for livestock. -
1570
Potatoes Brought to Europe (Part 2)
Ireland saw the first potato in 1589, and by 1600, potatoes were widespread in Europe, even though there was initially heavy opposition.
Many disliked the potato due to its weird shape and origin. It wasn't until the late 1700s that potatoes became popular.
Despite the hesitation, potatoes are very rich in essential nutrients, and provide a good source of energy. Due to these factors, the potato helped Europe's population to grow, and substantially helped European colonialistic expansion. -
Shah Abbas Becomes Leader of the Safavid Empire (Part 2)
In other notations, Shah Abbas started a large-scale building programme aimed at making Isfahan his primary residence. Additionally, Abbas' reign was considered a golden age for arts, with calligraphers, painters, illuminators and others making a reliable living. Trade was also very popular, with Isfahan being made a cultural crossroad. Abbas encountered many Europeans and Asians, of which he could have assumed into an alliance with. -
Shah Abbas Becomes Leader of the Safavid Empire (Part 1)
Abbās came to rule the empire in October 1588. The nation was taken advantage of by the Turkmens due to a weakened governmental system brought on by his father.
After Abbas came into power, he focused on two tasks: reasserting the monarchy's authority and expelling Ottomen and Uzbeks. In 1589 and 1590, peace was made with the Ottomen.
In 1598, offensive was taken against the Uzbeks, and four years later, the same was done to the Turkmen. -
Unification of Japan Under the Tokugawa Shogunate
The reunification of Japan under the final shogunate, known as the Tokugawa period, occurred after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. The Tokugawa unification period was marked by peace, economic growth and stability.
The Tokugawa period established the Tokyo (Edo) government, where Japan's primary government still remains. In 1630, isolationist rules were brought forth, which would greatly affect Japan's technological advancements in the future (read: WWII). -
First Enslaved Africans Arrive in the British Colonies (Part 1)
20 Angolans kidnapped by Portuguese people arrived in Virginia in Augus 1619. The arrival marked the commencement of over 200 years of slavery within North America.
Portuguese colonialists captured the Angolans and forced them to march to the Port of Luanda. The Angolans were then forced to board San Juan Bautista, which was bound for Veracruz, New Spain. About 150 of the 350 captives died through the journey.
Pirates stole ~60 slaves as the ship was nearing its destination. -
First Enslaved Africans Arrive in the British Colonies (Part 2)
One of the pirate ships was the White Lion, which arrived at Point Comfort on 20 August 1619. There, the ship traded prisoners for food.
The first slaves were sold as indentured servants, but were forced into slavery later on.
The arrival of slaves within the British colonies marked the beginning of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which affected over 12 million Africans. This would be the beginning of a 250+ year fight for freedom by the enslaved population. -
Trial of Galileo Galilei (Part 1)
The trial of Galileo took place on April 12th and 30th, and May 10th 1633. A final sentence was delivered on 22 June, 1633.
During the trials, Maculano (prosecutor) introduced to the court, a warning, in which Galileo was ordered to abandon the Copernican ideas. To this, Galileo responded in a way that proved he had received this message. This evidence incriminated Galileo, and through the other two trial dates, Galileo was found guilty, and went under house arrest. -
Trial of Galileo Galilei (Part 2)
The trial of Galileo would eventually be recognised as a conflict of belief between Scholasticism and natural sciences during the 17th century. John Milton, a poet, wrote “this was it which had damped the glory of Italian wits; that nothing had been there written now these many years but flattery and fustian. There it was that I found and visited the famous Galileo grown old, a prisoner to the Inquisition, for thinking in Astronomy otherwise than the Franciscan and Dominican licencers thought.” -
Trial of Galileo Galilei (Part 3)
Milton's words reflected clearly the oppression of ideas that conflicted with the ruling church in the 17th century. Such ideas, after much future conflict, would be brought to light years later. Galileo's endeavours would pave the way for future astronomy. -
End of the Thirty Years’ War & the Peace of Westphalia (Part 1)
Attended by the Holy Roman emperor Ferdinand III, various German nobles and French and Swedish representatives, the Treaty of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years' War.
The Thirty Years' War originated between Austrian and Roman conflicts over Protestant and Catholic religions. The conflict lead to a large number of European nations being divided, with secondary factors including commercial interests, rivalries and power. -
End of the Thirty Years’ War & the Peace of Westphalia (Part 2)
Under the treaty, various nations received additional land or had their land confirmed. Sweden, France and their various allies benefited from the agreement. The United Provinces of the Netherlands and the Swiss Confederation were confirmed as independent republics, allowing the two nations to be formally recognised for the first time. The vast majority of secular lands were returned to the countries of which it had been associated with in 1618. -
End of the Thirty Years’ War & the Peace of Westphalia (Part 3)
Additionally, the Treaty of Westphalia re emphasised the Peace of Augsburg and secured the three religious groups: Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Calvanist. Various rights were outlined for all religious groups.
The changes affected 1600's politics in various ways. Germany's continuous conflict with the Holy Roman Empire finally ended. HRE was also greatly weakened in terms of territory and people. This propelled Germany into the number one position of European diplomacy. -
Pueblo Uprising (Part 1)
The Pueblo Rebellion was an organised revolt organised by Pueblo Indians. The revolt ended in a victory, overthrowing Spanish rule in New Mexico.
The Pueblos were not appreciative of Spanish rule within their homelands. The Spanish disrespected Pueblo missionaries by burning sacred pits, masks and other objects. Additionally, Indians were often tried in Spanish courts and had severe punishments, such has hanging, whipping, dismembering body parts or forced slavery. -
Pueblo Uprising (Part 2)
Starting in 1645, revolts started occurring. The Pope of the San Juan pueblo, a medicine man, commanded the final revolt. On 10 August 1680, he lead a large revolution, of which nearly all Pueblos were a part of. 11 days later, the Spanish left after suffering 400 deaths. The Indians celebrated by destroying churches and washing off all symbols of Catholicism.
The Pueblo Revolution demonstrated the ferocity of the indigenous members to various world powers, and greatly slowed down expansion. -
Maria Sibylla Merian Publishes Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium
Maria Sibylla Merian was a German nature artist most well-known for her specialisation in insects and plants.
One of her greatest works was Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium. In it, she covered 60 engravigns of stages of development of insects in Suriname. After receiving pressure to publish it, she eventually did in 1705.
The book would influence future naturalist illustrators, which would eventually affect how people viewed botany and naturalism.
