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Jan 1, 1348
Black Death (1348-1351)
Also known as the Bubonic Plague, it originated in Asia and spreaded to humans from rats. -
Jan 1, 1350
Renaissance (1350-1550)
Meaning “rebirth”, it was an era of luxury and indulgences after the Black Death. -
Jan 1, 1450
Exploration (1450-1600)
The main motive for exploration was for economic reasons, finding spices and gold. The Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French were the people whom set of to explore. -
Jul 6, 1451
Council of Constance burns Hus and ends Great Schism (1451-17)
John Hus is burned because he wanted to eliminate the corruption and he attacked the power of the Papacy held by the Catholic Church. -
May 29, 1453
Fall of Constantinople; end of Hundred Years’ War (1453)
The Fall of Constantinople was when Ottoman Empire invaded the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. They had captured Constantinople, marking the end of the Roman Empire. In the Hundred Years War, England and France were fighting over the French throne and its main battles were in Agincourt and Orleans. The outcome of the war was the French winning and getting the throne. -
Jan 1, 1455
Invention of Printing Press (1455)
Johannes Gutenberg was given credit for inventing the first printing press that had a movable type. The concept of printing spread across Europe and there was a dramatic increase in the production of books. -
Aug 3, 1492
Columbus encounters America; completion of Reconquista in Spain (1492)
The Reconquista was when the Spanish took back several Muslim lands and made them Christian. The last one they took was Granada. When Columbus encountered, he was the first to encounter the new land when his intentions were to get spices and gold from india. -
Jan 1, 1500
Protestant and Catholic Reformation (1500s; 16th century)
The main causes of the Reformation were the Church’s corruption, the Avignon Papacy, Conciliarism, and the indulgences sold. There was an increase in the questioning of the Roman Catholic Church from people like Martin Luther. New emerging religions were practiced, thus moving away from Catholicism. -
Jan 1, 1500
Early Modern Society (1500-1700)
New ideas and methods of gaining knowledge emerged, such as rationalism, which began the early modern society. -
Jan 1, 1500
Price Revolution (16th century)
It was when there was a rise in inflation in European countries, although it affected different areas at different times. Spain had an increase in demand and a rise in prices. -
Oct 31, 1517
Luther posts 95 Theses (1517)
Martin Luther wrote about how selling indulgences and greed were wrong. He believed that salvation was not sold to one by the pope, but I was given from God. -
Jan 1, 1519
Cortez conquers Aztecs (1519)
The Aztecs were converted to Christianity and became subjects of the king of Spain. -
Jan 1, 1520
Religious Wars (1520s-1650)
This was a time where many different religions began to be practiced such as Anabaptism, Calvinism, and Zwinglianism. -
Jan 1, 1534
Act of Supremacy in England creates Anglican Church (1534)
This made England break away from the Pope officially. -
Jul 1, 1536
Calvin establishes reformed faith in Geneva (1536)
Protestants in Geneva asked Calvin to make their city into what he considered a model Christian city. Together, Calvin and his adherents changed the lifestyle in Geneva. People regularly attended church and they did not take part in activities such a playing cards or attending the theater. -
Jan 1, 1543
Copernicus publishes heliocentric theory (1543)
He publishes that states that the sun is at the center of the universe unlike the belief held then that the earth was at the center of the universe, or the geocentric theory. It was a new idea presented that many were did not like because it went against the ideas of the church. -
Jan 1, 1543
Scientific Revolution (1543-1687)
It was an area of growth and exploration in the field of science which derived from Hermetic and Biblical ideas. Many breakthroughs in science were made at this time, causing a change in ideas about the earth. Also, there was an increase in the number of women in the field of science. -
Dec 13, 1545
Council of Trent opens (1545)
It was an important council of the Roman Catholic Church during the Catholic Reformation. It reaffirmed Catholic doctrine by rejecting the Protestant beliefs, reformed church abuses by forbidding the selling of indulgences, maintained traditional practices, and did not limit the papacy’s authority. -
Jan 1, 1550
Dutch Commercial Dominance (1550-1650)
The Dutch thrived with commercial dominance because of its mass trade in Africa, Europe, and Asia and their prosperous Dutch East India Company. -
Jan 1, 1550
Age of Crisis (1550-1650)
It was a time where there was a desire for order, need for warfare, and a drive for trade and getting resources. -
Sep 25, 1555
Peace of Augsburg ends religious war in Germany; Charles V abdicates (1555)
It ended the Schmalkadic War in Germany but it caused a problem because it determined the religion of an area on September 25, 1555. Charles V voluntary abdicated his son as King of Spain and his younger brother as Holy Roman Emperor. -
Jan 1, 1580
Witchcraft Scare (1580-1680)
Many Europeans in the 16th and 17th viewed witchcraft as dangerous and sinister although it was not a new phenomenon. There was an increase in the number of trails and executions of presumed witches and fear of witches. -
Defeat of Spanish Armada (1588)
The Armada was very successful but when the skips were weakened by storms and had a lack of supplies, the English were able to successfully defeat the Spanish Armada ending its world class power. -
Edict of Nantes ends French religious wars (1598)
The Edict of Nantes has granted the Huguenots the right to practice their religion, religious toleration, which helped successfully end religious wars. -
Baroque Art (1600-1750)
A style of art that used a contrast of dark and light colors that focuses on a subject in a dramatic matter. -
Dutch East India Company Founded (1600)
It was a trading company that was government sponsored and its purpose was to trade with the Spice Islands. It had a port in southern Africa at the Cape of Good Hope that was used as a stop for the Dutch’s route to the Spice Islands. -
Commercial Revolution (17th and 18th century)
The Commercial Revolution was when there was a growth in industry and an increase in concepts such as mercantilism, banks, and joint stock companies. -
Stuart monarchy begins in England (1603)
The Stuart Monarchy begins with James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. -
Conflict between Parliament and King in England (1603-1689)
The king wanted absolute power in England but Parliament wanted there to be a separation of powers with Parliament part of the government. -
Age of Louis XIV (1643-1715)
He was the most powerful monarch in French history. He viewed his a nation equal to him by say “L’etat, c’est moi” which translates to “I am the state”. Political and cultural life revolved around him. -
Peace of Westphalia ends Thirty Years’ War (1648)
Diplomats from the countries involved in the Thirty Years’ War met in Westphalia and discussed and determined what lands each country will receive. The countries represented were the German States, France, Sweden, Spain, and the Dutch. The pope also came as a representative. One of the provisions was allowing rulers to decide what religion to practice in their territory. -
Charles I Executed in England (1649)
He was beheaded on January 30, 1694 because he was described as “a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and a public enemy” by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell’s revolution had triumphed and the English monarchy had been destroyed. -
Bank of England founded (1694)
The Bank of England received deposits and exchanged foreign currency, but unlike other banks it also made loans. -
Commercial Wars (1650-1763)
Many countries were having conflicts in commercialism in areas like trade. For example, there was the thriving Dutch East India Company which other countries were striving for. -
Rise of Prussia (1650-1763)
Prussia emerges because Fredrick the Great violates the Pragmatic Sanction causing the War of Austrian Succession. By taking Silesia, Prussia draws the attention of France, Spain, and Great Britain. The downfall begins when Prussia starts losing their battles badly. -
Absolutism (1650-1750)
It was a system of government where a person is the sole ruler and is given all the power over a state. An example of an absolute monarchy would be the reign under Louis XIV. -
Newton publishes Principia Mathematica (1687)
A famous work of Newton’s which included his three laws of motion. His ideas soon became accepted everywhere in Europe and helped in fields such as medicine. -
Glorious Revolution; Peter the Great’s reign begins in Russia (1688-1689)
It was when Parliament and William of Orange overthrew King James II of England. Peter the Great’s reign begins and he made plans to westernize Russia. -
Rise of Russia (1689-1815)
In Russia, rulers such as Peter the Great had contributed to the rise of Russia. Russia began to westernize and it became more involved in international affairs. -
Rise of the Middle Class (18th century)
People of the Middle Class made their living in professions such as medicine or law and they got many of their ideas from the thinkers of the Enlightenment. -
Enlightenment (18th century)
It was an emergence of secular ideas and was defined as “man’s leaving his self-caused immaturity”. Intellectuals were influenced by thinkers from the 17th century and formed a new skepticism and a popularization of science. -
Agricultural Revolution (18th century)
There was an increase in food production because there was a more farmlands, an increased production of crops per acre, more livestock, and an improved climate. By abandoning the old system of cultivation, there was a higher yield of crops. -
Peace of Utrecht; death of Louis XIV (1713-1715)
The Peace of Utrecht purpose was to end the War of Spanish Succession signed on April 1, 1713. The reign of Louis XIV ends on September 1, 1715 when he dies. -
Rococo Art (1720-1760)
It was an artistic movement and style that was light colored and portrayed a happier society. -
War of Austrian Succession begins (1740)
At this time, Prussia emerges because Fredrick the Great violates the Pragmatic Sanction, which divided land after the Thirty Years’ War. Prussia takes Silesia in 1742, thus draws in France, Great Britain, and Spain. Then, France occupies and takes land from England and Maria Theresa attempts to maintain the Habsburg Empire. The Treat of Aix-La-Chapelle in 1748 ends the war and all land was returned to the country they were originally “owned” by except for Silesia. -
Industrial Revolution (1750-1850s)
During this time there was an increase in manufacturing and inventions that also increased the number of people in the workforce. The advance in the textile industry and the invention of machines such as the spinning machine and power loom led to this. -
Treaty of Paris ends Sevens Years’ War (1763)
Peace talks are held in Paris after the 7 Years’ War and it determined that England will gain the most land and Prussia would be able to keep all the land that they took. -
American Revolution; Smith publishes Wealth of Nations (1776)
The American colonies wanted to break away and gain independence from the British rule as a cause for the American Revolution. The Wealth of Nations by Smith discusses laissez-faire by talking about three basic principles of economics: to not allow tariffs to protect home industries, gold and silver were not the source of a nation’s wealth, and that the state should not interfere in economic matters. -
French Revolution begins (1789)
It was a social and political turmoil due to the social order. In Europe at this time, there nobles and clergy were given privileges that others were not given. Also, France was deeply in debt from the previous wars, especially the Seven Years’ War, and the creation of Versailles. -
Age of Revolutions (1789-1848)
This was a period of various revolutions, such as the French Revolution and the Agricultural Revolution, which caused many breakthroughs and changes in society. -
Feminism (1790s-1980s)
A movement that strove for equality of the sexes socially, politically, and economically. -
Rise of Nationalism (1790s-1914)
Nationalism was the concept of being part of a nation with its own customs and traditions that allow individuals to practice political loyalty towards their nation. -
Wollstonecraft begins feminist movement with "Vindication of Rights of Women "(1792)
Wollstonecraft states in the "Vindication of Rights of Women" that the idea held by some Enlightenment thinkers that women must obey men contradicts the idea that having subjection over slaves were wrong, thus the subjection of women should be equally wrong. She also states that the Enlightenment was based on the idea that humans were capable of reasoning, thus women should be entitled to have the same rights as men because they have reason. -
Napoleon comes to power in France (1799)
When Napoleon took power of the government he made all the decisions and he was able to successfully restore order and stimulate French prosperity. -
Romanticism (first half of the 19th century)
Artists, writers, and composers of this period stressed emotion and nature. Romantics had stressed emotion and rejected reason unlike the Enlightenment thinkers who stressed reasoning. -
Abdication of Napoleon; Congress of Vienna (1815)
The Treaty of Fontainebleau was an agreement that ended Napoleon’s rule and sent him into exile. The Congress of Vienna was shocked when Napoleon escaped from exile, and he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. -
Rise of Liberalism (1830s-1870s)
It was a political and philosophical idea of people having liberty. This idea was influenced by philosophers such as John Locke whom proposed the ideas of life, liberty, and the ownership of land. -
Revolution in France; Belgian and Greek independence (1830-1831)
The revolutions were caused by restrictive ordinances published by Charles X. A conference was held in London and recognized the succession of Belgium from the Netherlands. Another conference was held in London that gave Greece independence under the protection of London. -
Revolutions of 1848; Marx and Engels publish Communist Manifesto (1848)
There were a series of revolutions held in 1848 against European monarchies. This included countries such as France, Belgium, Great Britain, and Italy. The Communist Manifesto was written to explain the goals of communism and how it aids in historical development. -
Unification of Nation-Building (1850-1875)
Nation Building was the process of forming a national identity for a nation through members of the state. -
Second Industrial Revolution (1850-1914)
There were new industries with steel, new sources of power such as coal, and there were new forms of communication and transportation such as the telephone and automobiles powered by gasoline. -
Modern Ideas and Science (1850-1920s)
Science began to have a greater impact on people and it also had a more modern and rational approach to studying the natural world. -
Rise of Modern Society (second half of 19th century)
Modern Society began to rise from the developing ideas of modern day including art and science. -
Realism and Materialism (1850-1870s)
Realism is an artistic style that broke away from romanticism and it focused on “real” people such as peasants and workers and their daily concerns. Materialism was a desire for possessions rather than spiritual matters -
Imperialism (1850-1914)
It was a form of government that extended its power through military or diplomacy force. An example of this is the British rule in India. -
Crystal Palace Exhibition in Britain (1851)
Opened on May 1, 1851, the Crystal Palace Exhibition in Britain was an international exhibition that was one of the first exhibitions of culture and industry. It ended on October 11, 1851. -
Britain establishes direct rule of India (1857)
The British established direct rule of India and ended the British East India Company. -
Darwin publishes Origin of the Species (1859)
His work introduced evolution and it was considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology -
Italy unified; Russian serfs emancipated (1861)
The combined efforts of Giuseppe Garibaldi and alliances with France and Austria had help lead to complete unification of Italy. Serfdom was abolished in Russia when Alexander issued a emancipation edict on March 3, 1861. -
Modern Art (1870-1920)
The concept of Surrealism began that portrays the world of the unconscious mind as dreams and fantasies and it shows the artist’s inner mind through strange objects and symbols. -
Unification of Germany; Paris Commune and Third Republic in France (1871)
Pursing nationalism to become a nation state, Germany became a unified nation on Janurary 18, 1871. The Paris Commune was a socialist government that ruled Paris. It was the third republic of the French government and was marked by stability and an increase in industrialization. -
Berlin Conference over imperialism in Africa (1884-1885)
It regulated trade and the European colonization during the New Imperialism Period, which happened together with Germany’s emergence of imperial power. -
Freud publishes Interpretation of Dreams (1900)
In Interpretation of Dreams he introduces his theory of self-analysis through dreams. -
Einstein publishes relativity theory; Revolution of 1905 in Russia (1905)
His theory of relativity challenged the traditional conceptions of time, space, and motion. It was published on November 25, 1905. The Revolution in Russia was a political and social unrest that included strikes and was partially against the government. -
World War I begins (1914)
The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand had led to the war because it caused the confrontation between Austria and Serbia. -
World Wars (1914-1945)
Both World Wars had a large impact on the world and resulted in many organizations such as the United Nations to maintain peace and prevent another war. -
Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917)
The Bolshevik Party, with help from the Germans, strengthened their party and carried out a revolution that was more like a coup d’état. It resulted in the creation of Soviet Russia. -
Treaty of Versailles ends World War I (1919)
The treaty made Germany lose 13 percent of its land and for German territories in Africa and the Pacific to be authorized by Britain, France, and Japan. Also, Poland became an independent nation. -
Totalitarianism (1920s-1945)
A concept where the government has total control over the lives of citizens. An example of Totalitarianism is the Nazi party in Germany. -
Fascists and Mussolini come to power in Italy (1922)
Benito Mussolini comes to power as the leader of the National Fascist Party. Along with his Fascist followers, Mussolini used his power and transformed the nation into a one-party dictatorship. -
Great Depression Begins (1929)
The Great Depression was a time of economic crisis in the United States and has several impacts on Europe. It replaced the spirit of optimism with fear and doubt, created uncertainty for the many workers whom were unemployed, created an increase in government intervention in economics, and it gave opportunities to dictators to take advantage of the people’s formed fears. -
Hitler comes to power in Germany (1933)
Since the Weimar Republic failed, Germany needed a new leader that would a help restore Germany. He comes to power by telling the public that he would not try to overthrow the Weimar Republic but instead he would attempt to get elected to gain power. He used the fears of the people to gain support. -
Munich Conference- height of appeasement (1938)
The agreement was meant for “peace for our time” and was held to meet all of Hitler’s demands. It was concluded by allowing Germany to annex certain parts of Czechoslovakia. -
World War II begins (1939) August
In 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union announced that they formed a 10 year nonaggression pact, meaning that they agreed to not attack each other for the given period of time, 10 years. They also secretly planned to divide Eastern Europe. When German forces attacked Poland, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. -
Cold War (1945-1991)
The Cold War was caused by the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States due to the different beliefs- capitalism or communism. Starting in 945, it ended on December 26, 1991. -
European Unity (1945-present day)
All the treaties, organizations, and breakthroughs in European history led to Europe Unity which still remains today. -
World War II ends; United Nations founded (1945)
In Europe, the end of the Second World War was marked by the death of Hitler and with Germany surrendering. Established on October 24, 1945, the United Nations was formed to create international cooperation and peace. -
NATO formed (1949)
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty was founded in April of 1949. Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal signed a treaty with the United States and Canada agreeing that they would assist one another if any of the countries get attacked. -
European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) formed (1951)
Its purpose was to create a common market for coal and steel products without tariffs and other barriers in France, West Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy. -
Stalin dies (1953)
There was a number of purges in 1953 where it was suggested that Jewish doctors kills high-level officials. His death on March 5, 1953 prevented further killing of high-level officials. -
Khrushchev’s de-Stalinization speech; Hungary revolt (1956)
De-Stalinization was a political reform of the Soviet Union that took place after the death of Stalin. This reform was held by a committee that included Khrushchev. His speevh was held on February 25, 1959. The revolt in Hungary began as a student demonstration, then as it escalated the government collapsed. -
Treaty of Rome creates European Economic Community (EEC); Sputnik launched (1957)
Also known as the Common Market, the European Economic Community promoted free trade and created a large free-trade area that was protected from the rest of the world. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik which was the first artificial Earth satellite and a breakthrough for humankind. It was launched on October 4, 1957. -
Fifth Republic in France under De Gaulle (1958)
The Fifth Republic in France was a new republic, still remaining today, where there was a new system of government in France with a stronger executive power, Charles de Gaulle unlike the previous republic. -
Berlin Wall erected (1961)
The leader of East Germany wanted to build a wall around West Berlin to stop the refugees coming from the West. The wall’s construction began on August 12, 1961 under military supervision. -
Second Vatican Council begins (1962)
It had confronted the relation between the modern world and the Church. The main belief was that that the belief of the Church would bring salvation. -
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
The Soviet Union had stationed nuclear missiles in Cuba which worried the United States because it was at a close distance to the mainland. The Missile Crisis had brought the world close to a nuclear war. -
Student revolts; Czech “Prague Spring” revolt (1968)
There was a series of student revolts in 1968 responding to political suppression. When Alexander Dubcek was elected as the Secretary of the Soviet Union to establish communism, and there was an invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact troops. -
Helsinki Accords- height of détente (1975)
Helsinki Accord was the height of détente because it granted the protection of basic human rights and tried to maintain peace. It was used to relieve the tension between the Soviets and Western Europe. -
John Paul II elected pope (1978)
He helped strengthen the church around the world, especially the non-western world. He was a strong believer in social justice so he was able to successfully remind Europeans of their spiritual heritage. -
Soviet Union invades Afghanistan; Thatcher elected prime minister in Britain (1979)
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan to restore a pro-Soviet government on December 25, 1979. Margaret Thatcher becoming prime minister, on May 4, 1979, of Britain was an advancement because she was the first female prime minister. -
Solidarity founded in Poland (1980)
It was a movement in Poland that was opposing communism and was represented by about 10 million people from Poland’s population of 35 million. -
Gorbachev comes to power in Soviet Union (1985)
In March of 1985 Gorbachev comes to power in Soviet Union and decided to take on previous reforms. -
Berlin Wall falls and collapse of communism (1989)
A new leader from East Germany opened the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany occurred. -
Break-up of Soviet Union; Balkan conflicts begin in former Yugoslavia (1991)
In December of 1991, the Soviet Union separated into 15 countries when there was an evident victory of democracy over totalitarianism and capitalism over socialism. The Balkan conflicts began when Slovenia and Croatia declared independence. -
Maastricht Treaty creates European Union (EU) (1992)
It was a treaty signed on February 7, 1992 that created the European Union for economic cooperation and to avoid conflict. -
Euro currency introduced (1999)
It was a major step in Europe because many European countries began to use it and it helped the development of Europe politically and economically. -
Terrorist attacks on United States (2001)
Four groups of terrorist had four hijacked commercial jets, two flew into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth in an isolated area in Pennsylvania. This had affected the world such having more concern over security.
