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476
Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Romulus Augustus is replaced by a Germanic Tribal Leader named Odoacer. The Dark Ages have begun. -
Period: 476 to Jan 1, 1485
The Medieval Ages
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Oct 14, 1066
Battle of Hastings
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Jan 1, 1096
First Crusade
Pope Urban II calls on European Christian Knights for the First Crusade. -
Period: Jan 1, 1096 to Jan 1, 1270
The Crusades
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Jan 1, 1147
Second Crusade
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Jan 1, 1186
Third Crusade
Richard the Lionheart attempts to retake Jerusalem from Saladin. After a fever sets in and his army depleted, Richard calls for a truce before returning to Europe. -
Period: Jan 1, 1241 to
Age of Exploration
The age of Exploration also called the Age of Discovery was a period when European explorers sailed the globe to find new trade routes and lands. The majority of these explorations were made to "The New World" by Portugese, Spanish, and later French, British, and Dutch explorers. -
Jan 1, 1271
Marco Polo
Marco Polo travels to Asia. He roams the contient for 24 years collecting information. His stories are later published after his return to Italy. His book would be an inspiration to later explorer Christopher Columbus. -
Jan 1, 1347
Black Death Devastates Europe
Bubonic Plague spreads across Europe like a storm. The plague bacteria was trasmitted by rats on board trade ships from Asia. The rats carried infected fleas which would spread to humans once arriving at European ports. Not knowing what the cause of illness was, infected people continued to travel across Europe spreading the disease. -
Period: Jan 1, 1350 to
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a "Rebirth" of cultural, scholarly and socio-political thought which focused on the teachings and discoveries from classical antiquity. Florence, Italy was the center of the Renaissance. -
Jan 1, 1397
Manuel Chrysoloras arrives in Italy
Chrysoloras was a Greek scholar from Constantinople. He comes to Italy to teach Greek grammar. He will later teach at the Universities in Bologna, Italy, and Rome. With him comes the works of Homer and Plato's The Republic which he translates into Latin. -
Jan 1, 1429
Cosimo de Medici Rises to Power in Florence, Italy
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Period: Jan 1, 1492 to
Spain In America
Spanish explorers set up key ports and trading routes in the New World. These explorers would create lasting impacts on this area of the globe through cultural and future European influences. -
Aug 3, 1492
Columbus Departs on 1st voyage
Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera, Spain in order to find a shorter route to Asia. -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus Lands in New World
Columbus lands in the Bahamas, thinking he has landed in Japan. He names the island San Salvador. -
Jan 1, 1503
Leonardo de Vinci Paints the Mona Lisa
Scientist, Artist and Inventor Leonardo de Vinci was born on April 15, 1452 outside of Florence, Italy. Known through out the world as one of the greatest minds ever. His painting of The Last Supper measures 15 x 29 feet. He truly was a "Renaissance Man". -
Jan 1, 1504
Hernando Cortés arrives in the New World
Cortés lands on Hispaniola (Presently the island of Haiti & Dominican Republic) at the city of Santo Domingo. -
Nov 1, 1512
Michelangelo Finishes Painting the Sistine Chapel
Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508. After his assistants failed to satisfy their his expectations, they were fired and their work erased. He then took upon himself the task of painting the ceiling himself. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernando Cortés Claims Mexico for Spain
Cortés will cut through Mexico and defeat the Aztec Empire. This will open the door to Spainsh culture in Central America. -
Mar 16, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan Finds Asia
Ferdinand Magellan determined to finish what Columbus had started, discovers a western route from Europe to Asia. He lands in the Philippines. This is why some people in the Philippines still speak Spanish. -
Jan 1, 1533
Francisco Pizarro Conquers the Incas
Pizarro pushs through Central & South America defeating the Inca Empire in Peru. The Capital of Lima was founded two years later in 1535. -
Jan 1, 1540
Hernando de Soto Lands in Florida
Hernando de Soto explores the Southeastern part of the United States. His travels would take him through Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. -
Jan 1, 1559
Pensacola, Florida Founded
Don Tristan de Luna founded the city of Pensacola in 1559, making it the oldest European settlement in the United States. However, the city was destroyed in a storm and was abandoned. Afterwards, St. Augustine was founded and has remained settled ever since. Pensacola was of course rebuilt, but locals from both cities like to argue over which city is Americas oldest. -
Aug 28, 1565
City of St. Augustine Founded
Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles was ordered to colonize Florida to protect Spainsh treasure ships returning to Spain from the New World. St. Augustine was founded and protected from enemy colonies to the north by contructing Castillo de San Marcos (pictured). The fort was attacked several times, but has never been captured. -
Jamestown, Virginia (1st English Colony)
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Period: to
English Colonies in America (US)
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Pilgrims Arrive in Plymouth, MA
The Pilgrims, were persecuted for their religious beliefs in England. They fled to The Netherlands to try their luck there. Soon it was clear they would have to take their religion somewhere else. The Pilgrims were trying to reach Virginia since the English had already founded Jamestown. They were blown off course and landed near Cape Cod south of (soon to be) Boston Harbor. -
New Jersey Founded (New Netherlands)
This colony was originally settled by the Dutch which named their colony New Netherlands, but was renamed New Jersey after the British took over. -
New York Founded (New Amsterdam)
Originally settled by the Dutch, the settlement on an island at the mouth of the Hudson River was named New Amsterdam. After the British forced the Dutch out, the colony was renamed, New York. -
Puritans Arrive in America
Escaping religious persecution in England, the king grants the Puritans a charter to establish a colony in America. King Charles was not a fan of the Puritans and used their charter as a way to get rid of them. -
Maryland Founded
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Connecticut & Rhode Island Founded
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Delaware Founded
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North Carolina Founded
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South Carolina Founded
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Pennsylvania Founded By William Penn
Charles II gave William Penn a land tract of land which was named Pennsylvania. Penn, a Quaker, soon had a large group of Quakers pour into the area. -
Salem Witch Trials
Between 140-200 people were accused of witchcraft after a string of illnesses affect some girls of Salem Village. Within a year of trials, 20 people are dead by being hung, cruched by stones, or died in prison. Evidence was practically zero and only two women in the village were actually practicing what might be considered dark arts. -
Georgia Becomes the 13th Colony
James Oglethorpe gets a charter from King George II for the colony of Georgia. The colony is meant to serve as a second chance for debtors. Allowing them to work off their debt and make a new life in America. The colony also served as a seperation between the Spanish in Florida and the port city of Charles Town, South Carolina. -
Period: to 476
The Roman Empire (First Century Onward)
