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Apr 23, 1564
Birth
William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 (Fox 27). He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon. His parents were John and Mary Shakespeare. This event is significant because if Shakespeare wasn't born, we wouldn't have his plays in writing like we do today. -
Jan 1, 1577
Sir Francis Drake navigates (World Event)
From 1577 to 1580, Sir Frances Drake circumnavigated the world. He did this to help defeat the Spanish Armada. Queen Elizabeth send Drake out against the Spanish along the Pacific coast of South America in late 1577 (Bio.com). This was significant because it helped the Americas against the Spanish Armada, which led to taking them down. With the help of Sir Francis Drake, we were able to take down our rich and powerful rivals. -
Jan 1, 1578
Schooling
Shakespeare attended grammar school at age 14. He went to a school in Stratford, where he grew up (Rowse 10). This was significant because the knowledge he got from grammar school, he carried with him throughout his career. -
Spanish Armada (World Event)
The Spanish Armada was a war on the sea between the English Fleet and the Spanish Fleet. There were 132 ships in the Spanish Fleet, and 8 fire ships in the English Fleet (Mackenzie). The English defeated the Spanish Armada during the time of Queen Elizabeth. This is significant because it made Britian a very strong naval power and helped them win more battles on the sea because them defeating the Spanish Armada boosted their confidence. -
Writing
According to the Pelican, William Shakespeare began writing in 1590 (Williams 590). This was the start of the playwright we know today. Soon after, he began writing actual stories/plays. This event is significant because writing is a key element in being a playwright. Therefore, when Shakespeare first began writing impacted the rest of his life. -
First Appearance
Shakespeare's literature first appeared in print in 1593 (Fox 44). His first published work was a poem called Venus and Adonis. His first play published was Henry VI. This was significant because it was a personal accomplishment for Shakespeare. This way, his work spread around the area, and more people heard about him. -
First Tragedy
William Shakespeare published his first tragedy play in 1593. This play was called Titus Adronicus (British Library). It involves horror and murder, and was enjoyed by Shakespeare's audience. This was significant because it was his first debut as a tragedy writer, and the fact that people enjoyed this play encouraged him to write more. -
Became Principal Writer
In 1594, William Shakespeare became the principal writer for the successful Lord Chamberlain's Men (Rabkin 15). They had truly appreciated Shakespeare's works, and decided to give him this position. This is significant because this was the first time someone of great importance admired Shakespeare's work. -
The Rape of Lucrece
The Rape of Lucrece was said to be published in 1594. This piece of literature Shakespeare wrote was a poem. It was significant because it was one of Shakespeare's first poems, and the fact that it was published to "exploit the success of the first" (Williams 589) was important. -
Dutch Fleet visits Indonesia (World Event)
In 1596, the Dutch Fleet visited islands off the coast of Indonesia ( Indonesia) They did this to open up the Indonesian spice trade. The merchants involved later formed the Dutch East India Company. This was significant because it opened up Indonesia for trading, and helped them economically. -
Romeo and Juliet
Shakespeare published Romeo and Juliet in 1597. This play is a novel, and is a romance tragedy. In this play, two families are feuding. A girl from one family falls in love with a boy from the other. They try to keep in touch, even though their families would disapprove (Sparknotes). Many people of the Elizabethan Era found this story very dramatic, and enjoyed the play. This is significant because this was another play that most audiences enjoyed, which helped Shakespeare's career prosper. -
Roman Churches burn Hebrew books (World Event)
On January 14, 1601, the Roman Church Authorities burned all Hebrew books. They did this because they wanted to destroy all knowledge of two Second Century Jewish books that it said contained ‘the true name of Jesus Christ (Bushby). This was significant because it was a way of protection for Rome. It defended the Roman's beliefs, and helped prove them right. -
Jamestown is founded (World Event)
The colony of Jamestown was founded in 1607. This was the first successful colony in the United States. Roughly 100 colonists set off to establish this colony in late December (History.com Staff). John Smith led the group during the time. This event is significant because it was the start of colonization in New England, and it was a great precedent for other people to follow. -
Galileo's Telescope (World Event)
In 1610, Galileo Galilei invented his telescope. Galileo’s telescope was similar to how a pair of opera glasses work: a simple arrangement of glass lenses to magnify objects (Universe Today). He observed with the telescope that the moon was not smooth, and had craters. This event is significant because it was an important part of the Scientific Revolution. Also, it is one of the most popular telescopes invented, and it helps many astronomers today. -
Death
William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616 (Levi 2). He died on the same day he was born, which made this his 52nd birthday. He was buried in Stratford Upon Avon, the same place he was born. His death was significant because he was born on the same day he died, and his legacy lived on. -
Macbeth: Published and Printed
Shakespeare's tragedy, Macbeth, is well know to audiences today. It was published and printed in 1623. It is about a Scottish King who has conflicts with his sense of right and wrong (Sparknotes). This play was much enjoyed by the queen, and was well written. This was significant because it is a very well known tragedy, and one of Shakespeare's most successful pieces of literature.
