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Jamestown is Founded
Jamestown, the first permanent settlement in America, is established by the London Company in southeast Virginia. -
L’Orfeo Premieres
L’Orfeo, written by Claudio Monteverdi, was one of the first operas ever written, published and performed. The play drew heavily from Greek mythology and musical practices. -
The Plymouth Colony is Founded
The Mayflower sails from England and lands in Massachussets, where pilgrims establish the Plymouth Colony. -
Oldest Surviving Printed Keyboard Music in Portugal
Manuel Rodrigues Coelho releases his Flores de Musica (Flowers for Music), in Lisbon. This piece is Portugal’s oldest known surviving printed keyboard music. -
Founding of New York
The English seize New Amsterdam from the Dutch and rename it New York. -
Earliest Known German Sonata
Johann Heinrich Schmelzer releases Sonatae Unarum Fidium, the earliest known German sheet music of a sonata for violin and continuo. -
The Gregorian Calendar
Britain and American Colonies switch from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. -
Handel’s Eye Operation
George Frederic Handel undergoes his infamous eye surgery at the hands of the fraud John Taylor, who botches the surgery, eventually leading to Handel’s death. -
The French and Indian War
A war fought between Britain and France for control over eastern North America. Britain won the war and furthered the colonial region. -
Ferdinand Ríes
Ferdinand Ríes was born this year, who would grow up to be a composer as well as a good friend and peer to Beethoven. -
Ballet in Oslo
Ballet is performed for the first time in Oslo by a performer named Madame Stuart -
The Boston Massacre
British soldiers open fire on a group of colonial protesters, sparking a violent riot and inciting future conflict.