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Period: 30,000 BCE to
Beginnings to Exploration
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1345 BCE
Aztecs
The Aztecs were a civilization in Mesoamerica that gained a reputation for being blood-thirsty due to their infamous human sacrifices. The Aztecs viewed human sacrifices as a repayment for the sacrifices the gods made when creating the world and the sun. They also followed a social hierarchy/caste system where people were identified as nobles, commoners, serfs, or slaves. -
900 BCE
Pueblo/Anasazi
The Anasazi tribe, or Puebloans, were the largest and most prominent prehistoric group of people, they created pottery, exquisite jewelry, woven textiles, and more. They lived in villages that consisted of multi-story houses varying in sizes, built with stone and sun-dried Adobe bricks. -
117
Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization, they had a legal system and laws in order, such as the Law of the Twelve Tables. They also gradually conquered most of Western Europe, Greece, the Middle East, and North Africa thanks to their strong military tactics. However, overexpansion, military overspending, government corruption, and many other factors led to the fall of the Roman Empire. -
1348
The Black Death
The Black Death, or the bubonic plague was a deadly disease that wiped out over a third of the population, which was around 50 million people. The plague spread by fleas on black rats that were on merchant ships. The economy during this time went through abrupt and extreme inflation because it was difficult and dangerous to produce goods and trade. -
1400
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period of "rebirth" for European civilization immediately following the Middle Ages. This time period had advancements in art, science, and more. Artists such as Leonardo DaVinci and Michelangelo included realism in their art, this made people more educated about human anatomy. There was also an increase in literacy, since the printing press was invented and more works of literature were being mass produced in different languages. -
Oct 31, 1517
Reformation
The Reformation began with Martin Luther's 95 Theses, which was a list of things Martin Luther thought could reform or change the Catholic Church. During this time, the Catholic Church would sell indulgences, which is why John Calvin presented his idea of predestination, the idea that God has already chosen our path for us. -
1520
Conquest of the New World
When the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes landed on the Mexican coast, Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor at the time, sent Cortes gold and chocolate to welcome him and the Spanish because they believed he was an Aztec god. Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec empire in 1521, they were able to do this because they had the advantage of superior weaponry, such as cannons, guns, and swords. -
Period: to
Colonial America
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Chesapeake Colonies
The Chesapeake Colonies include Virginia, Maryland, East and West New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. All these locations were sprawled out and near waterways (because of trading). In Virginia and Maryland, Tobacco was the primary cash crop. The colonists used servants because there was a labor shortage. They combated this by using the Headright System, which was a system in which colonists were granted two headrights: two tracts of 50 acres each, or a total of 100 acres of land. -
Caribbean Colonies
The Caribbean Colonies included Barbados, Jamaica, etc. These colonies heavily relied on sugar, as it was the main crop that was produced on plantations in these colonies. -
New England Colonies
The New England Colonies started out with Plymouth. The Pilgrims landed on Plymouth in 1620 on the Mayflower. On the Mayflower was a man by the name of Squanto (or Tisquantum). He was a Native American interpreter and guide. -
Charter Colonies
Charter colonies, or proprietary colonies, were territories that were granted by the King to an individual or group of people who have full governing rights. These colonies included New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. -
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution overthrew the reigning king, James II, and replaced him with his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange. King James II was overthrown because he had made multiple attempts to increase the power of the monarchy as well as restore the Catholic faith. -
Salem Witch Trials
The Salem Witch Trials started in Salem, Massachusetts when a few young girls claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several over women in the village of witchcraft. If one was accused of witchcraft, they would be executed. By the time the trials were over, more than 200 people were accused and 20 were executed.
