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Apr 23, 1564
William Shakespeare is Born
Since there are no real records of when William Shakespeare was born, scholars have acknowledged April 23, 1564 as his date of birth. Shakespeare was the third child of John and Mary Shakespeare. He was baptized at the Holy Trinity Church on April 26. This is significant because William Shakespeare would eventually influence the English language and change theater forever. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Period: Apr 23, 1564 to
Shakespeare's Lifespan
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May 29, 1578
The Catacombs of Rome Were Discovered
The Catacombs of Rome were discovered in 1578. The catacombs were actually discovered by accident. Catacombs are where the dead are buried, and for the Roman Christians, the only place they could bury their dead. This is significant because discovering the catacombs show us important history and can be used to find out more about the past. The catacombs are an important symbol for Christianity, and without discovering them we would have lost so much. (Grun 248-276) -
Aug 15, 1581
Galileo Studies the Pendulum
In 1581, Galileo began his work on discovering the pendulum at the University of Pisa. According to legend, he watched a suspended lamp swing back and forth in the cathedral of Pisa. He completed his study in 1602. This is significant because Galileo's research on the pendulum will lead to his study of time intervals and a pendulum clock. (Grun 248-276) -
William Shakespeare Marries Anne Hathway
William and Anne were married on November 28, 1582. When they were married, William was 18 and Anne was 26. Worcester in Canterbury Province was where they were married. This is significant because Anne would eventually bear William Shakespeare three children, Susana, Hamnet, and Judith, and they also stay married until they die. Some say Shakespeare was in love, which could have motivated him to write some of his works. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
The Spanish Armada is Defeated
JULY 29 1588
The Spanish Armada is Defeated
In 1588, the Spanish Armada is defeated. They were defeated by the English under the command of Sir Francis Drake. The ship was battered by storms and bad weather, thus leading to their defeat with a loss of 15,000 men. This is significant because this gave England a more powerful fleet, encouraged them to colonize more, and finally rid the seas of the most powerful fleet at that time, the Spanish Armada. (Grun 248-276) -
Shakespeare Writes Henry VI, Part One
One of Shakespeare's first plays, Henry VI, was written in 1590. At this time, Shakespeare would be around the age of 25. Apparently the play is performed at The Rose Theatre in London. This is significant because this is the first play that Shakespeare was ever known to have written, and thus started his career as a playwright. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Venus and Adonis is Written
The poem is Shakespeare's first narrative. This was written when the London theatre was shut down, and it was dedicated to his friend Henry Wriothesley. The poem is Shakespeare's interpretation of the love story about Venus and Adonis. This is significant because this work was of his first published narrative poems, and it shows how Shakespeare could manipulate, transform and interpret such a classical source and make it his own. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Romeo and Juliet is Written
Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare's most well-known works, was written in 1594. It is a tragedy set in Verona and follows Romeo and Juliet who fall into a forbidden love. This work of his was based on a poem by Arthur Brooke called “The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet”, written in 1562. This is significant because Romeo and Juliet is a fascinating, well-written tragedy that, to this day, teaches themes about irrational love and devastating death. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
William Shakespeare's Son Dies
On April 11, 1596, Shakespeare's son, Hamnet, died at age 11. Hamnet was buried at the Holy Trinity Church. This left Shakespeare with two daughters, unable to pass on his name. It is believed 'King John', a Shakespeare work, was written because of his son's passing: a mother grieves her son and questions suicide. This is significant because many of Shakespeare's works were written to show a sense of grief and mourning for his son, the death influencing his writing. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Building of Royal Palace in Naples Begins
The Royal Palace in Naples was started in 1600, and started as a Palace for one of the largest and most populous capitals of the Spanish empire. The building was constructed to have the Renaissance-style. This is significant becuase the Royal Palace in Naples is a symbol of the Renaissance, and attracts many tourists because of it's beautiful works of art, tapestries, and large hallways. (Grun 248-276) -
Hamlet is Written
Shakespeare writes Hamlet in 1601. It was written around the time John Shakespeare, his father, died. The play follows Hamlet in Elsinore, Denmark, as he attempts to avenge his father's death. It is Shakespeare's longest play. This is significant because Hamlet supported religious freedom and had many themes, some including power and vengeance. Hamlet is still one of the most famous plays, because it teaches important messages with poetic writing. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Macbeth is Written
Macbeth was written in 1606. Macbeth is a tragedy about a man (Macbeth) that rises to power because of the influence he receives from prophecies and his spiteful wife. Macbeth is set in Scotland. This is significant because the play ties in with history and the ancestry of King James I; it ties love, the corruption of power, peer pressure, and betrayal. To this day, it's a good example of what peer pressure and a lust for power can transform a person into. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
Jamestown Is Founded
In 1607, Jamestown is founded. Jamestown is the first permanent English settlement on American mainland. It was sponsored by the Virginia Company of London. Jamestown is significant because it's the beginning of America and the colonies. Jamestown was the first permanent, successful colony in America and will eventually lead to the United States of America we know today. (Grun 248-276) -
Samuel de Champlain Founds Quebec
In 1608, Quebec is founded. Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec to begin a fur-trading post. The name Quebec means "the river narrows here" in Algonquian. The founding of Quebec is significant because Quebec is now a highly populated area of Canada, an estimation in 2014 of over 8,000,000. Quebec holds many resources as well. When Samuel de Chaplain founded Canada, he invited the world to new lands, new resources, and new people. (Grun 248-276) -
Shakespeare's Sonnets Are Published
In 1609, William Shakespeare's Sonnets are published by Thomas Thorpe without Shakespeare's permission. Shakespeare had written 154 sonnets. The dedication was to W.H. The sonnets concern dark, mysterious women and handsome men, and a few are based two classical Greek poems. This is significant because the Sonnets were written in the first person and tell us more about Shakespeare’s life. They are highly valued, well written literature. (Shakespeare-online.com) -
William Shakespeare Dies
On April 23 (his supposed birthday), 1616, William Shakespeare dies. He lived to be 52 years old. He is buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon and left this quote on his gravestone: "Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To dig the dust enclosed here.
Blessed be the man that spares these stones,
And cursed be he that moves my bones." This is significant because Shakespeare transformed literature, plays, and the English language in many ways. (Shakespeare-online.com)
