Shakespeare Class Homepage

1513: Vasco de Balboa, of Spain, becomes the first European to see the Pacific Ocean.  

1517:  Martin Luther posts his 95 theses denouncing church abuses on church door in Wittenberg—causing the start of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.  In 1520 Luther is excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church by the pope.

1519:  In America, Hernando Cortes lands in Mexico (1518) and conquers it  for Spain

1521  Magellan, a Portuguese, flew under the Spanish flag while attempting to travel around the world. He reaches the Pacific Ocean,  but is later killed by Philippine natives (1521). One of his ships under Juan Sebastián del Cano continues around the world, reaches Spain who financed the journey.(1522).

1524  Giovanni da Verrazano, sailing under the French flag, explores the New England coast and New York Bay.

1526     William Tyndale publishes his translation of the Bible into English.

  1527 - 1533   Around the World:

The end of the Italian Renaissance: The Medici family expelled from Florence, Italy. 

The Spanish explorer Narvaez attempts to explore Florida but is repulsed by Native Americans there.

In America, Pizarro marches from Panama to Peru (1533). Because the Incas are in Civil War, Pizarro conquers their empire in only two years. 

In England, John Shakespeare, Wiliam's father, moves into the town of Stratfod-on-Avon. 

1535 

        English Reformation begins as Henry VIII makes himself head of  the Church in English , no longer Catholic, after being excommunicated by Pope. In America, Jacques Cartier sails up the St. Lawrence River, basis of French claims to Canada.

1536

Henry VIII executes second wife, Anne Boleyn. John Calvin establishes Presbyterian Church.

1539

Hernando de Soto explores Southeastern America.

1543

Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his theory that the earth revolves around the sun.

1545

The Catholic Council of Trent begins to meet intermittently until 1563 to define Catholic dogma and doctrine, reaffirming and papal authority.

1547

Henry VIII dies and is succeeded by his son Edward VI, who moves the country of England toward a more thorough acceptance of Protestantism.

1552      John Shakespeare, William’s father buys his.first house in the  town of Stratford-on-Avon.

1553

Roman Catholicism restored in England by Queen Mary I.

1558

Queen Elizabeth I ascends the throne (rules to 1603). Restores the Protestant Church as the religious power in England and establishes the state Church of England (Anglican).

1561

Persecution of protestant Huguenots in France continues periodically until Edict of Nantes (1598) gives Huguenots religious freedom (until 1685).

1564

William Shakespeare born in England. The English Renaissance will begin to reach its height in England with authors Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spenser.  In Italy Michelangelo, last of the great Renaissance artists, dies.

1568

Protestant Netherlands revolts against Catholic Spain; independence will be acknowledged by Spain in 1648. 

1570

Japan permits visits of foreign ships. Queen Elizabeth I. Turkish fleet defeated by Spanish and Italian fleets (1571). Peace of Constantinople (1572) ends Turkish attacks on Europe.

1581

Francis Drake returns to England after circumnavigating the globe; knighted by Queen Elizabeth I.

1583

William of Orange rules the Netherlands; assassinated on orders of Philip II of Spain (1584).

1587

Mary, Queen of Scots, executed for treason by order of Queen Elizabeth I.

1588

Defeat of the Spanish Armada by English. Henry, King of Navarre and Protestant leader, recognized as Henry IV, first Bourbon king of France. He converts to Roman Catholicism in 1593 in attempt to end religious wars.

1590

Henry IV enters Paris, wars on Spain (1595), marries Marie de Medici (1600), and is assassinated (1610). In England, Spenser's poem The Faerie Queen is written. In Spain, El Greco's painting St. Jerome is done. In Italy, Galileo experiments with falling objects.

1598 -1599

In London, Shakespeare’s Hamlet performed for the first time.

     Much Ado about Nothing published for first time.

1600   English East India Company established to explore North America.

1602   Bartholomew Gosnold attempts to establish a colony in New England, but runs out of food and returns to England

1603    Shakespeare's Hamlet published for first time.

1605      Cervantes's Don Quixote de la Mancha published in Spain: now called the first modern novel

1606      Jamestown, Virginia, established by the Virginia Company—first permanent English colony on American mainland. Pocahontas, daughter of Chief Powhatan, saves life of John Smith.

1607      The famous explorer Captain John Smith first publishes his adventure in America.

1608      Spanish settlers begin construction of Governor’s Palace in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Samuel de Champlain establishes French Quebec. The Relation, the first newspaper, debutes in Germany.

1610

Galileo sees the moons of Jupiter through his telescope. Gaspar Perez de Villagra publishes his Historia de la Nuevo-Mexico (History of New Mexico).

1611

The King James Version of the Bible is published in England. In Holland, Rubens paints his Descent from the Cross.

1612    John Rolfe (Pocahonta's husband) plants his first successful crop of tobacco in  Virgina

1613   

Dutch fur traders arrive on the island of Manhattan (New York).

1614  John Napier discovers logarithms.

1616    Death of William Shakespeare in Stratford-on-Avon, England.

1618        Kepler proposes last of three laws of planetary motion.

1619        First African slaves are brought to Virginia in British North America.

1620  The Pilgrims, after a three-month voyage in the Mayflower, land at Plymouth Rock.

1623  New Netherland founded by Dutch West India Company.

1630  Massachusetts Bay Colony.

1662  A Virginia Law makes slavery hereditary.

Add in the Divorce of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon, and the Puritans' closure of the theaters.