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1503
The Painting of the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, was painted in Italy during the Renaissance by the famous scientist, and artist Leonardo Da Vinci. This painting was created in the classic Renaissance style which sought to capture the experience and beauty of the individual being painted. -
1520
Martin Luther was Excommunicated from the Church
Martin Luther was a German professor, monk, and author who denounced the Catholic selling of indulgences. To protest this, he nailed his Ninety-Five Thesis, which were a list of reasons why the indulgences were unbiblical and should not be sold, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg Germany. Because of this, he was excommunicated from the Catholic church by Pope Leo X. Martin, as well as others around the world, then began the Reformation. -
1521
Hernan Cortes Defeats Aztecs
Hernan Cortes was a Spanish born noble who in 1511 sailed to conquer Cuba. He then was appointed Captain General, a title which was later revoked. In response to this, he sailed away without permission. He visited the Yucatan Peninsula where he heard that the Aztec army was in disarray. He forced his army to be loyal to him by burning their ships and took the king of the Aztecs captive. He then proceeded to defeat the Aztecs. This was called La Noche Triste or the night of sadness. -
1543
Nicolaus Copernicus Publishes "On the Revolution of Heavenly Bodies"
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish mathematician, astronomer and Catholic clergyman. As an astronomer, Copernicus loved to observe the sky. While doing this, he found errors in the minutes of the arcs of Mercury, Venus, and Mars which pointed to a heliocentric universe. All of this was put into his book, which was not published until right before his death, because Copernicus feared criticism. -
1580
Sir Francis Drake Circumnavigates the World
Sir Francis Drake was an English privateer authorized by the Queen of England to find and raid Spanish ships in an attempt to challenge Spain's world domination. The true purpose of Drake's voyage was to attack the Spanish and their Inquisition. Even though this was their purpose, Drake became the second person and first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. He also became the first person to lead an entire circumnavigation because Magellan died before he completed his voyage. -
Jamestown Colony Established
The Jamestown Colony was the first permanent English protectorate in North America. In 1606, a charter was granted by King James I to the Virginia Company to form a settlement in North America. The Virginia Company's main objective was to search for deposits of gold and silver, as well as a river route to the Pacific Ocean. So in December of 1606, 100 colonists boarded three ships and sailed for America. On May 13, 1607 they landed at a small peninsula on the James River. -
Pilgrims Voyage on the Mayflower
In September 1620, a group of 100 pilgrims set sail from England to pursue a desire for religious freedom in the New World. The Pilgrims originally intended to land and create a settlement near the Hudson River and the colony of Virginia though this did not happen. Due to a storm, the Mayflower blew off course and landed on the shores of Cape Cod. Once there, a large fight ensued about what to do. Finally, a document called the Mayflower Compact was agreed on and signed by 41 men as the rules. -
Taj Mahal Completed
The Taj Mahal meaning Crown of Palace is a white marble mausoleum on the southern bank of the Yamuna. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his favorite wife though Shah Jahan is also buried there. The tomb is in the center of a 42 acre complex that includes a mosque, guest house and formal garden. The mausoleum was completed in 1643, but work continued on another phase for an additional 10 years. The total cost of the building is about 916 million. -
Charles the II Crowned King of England
Charles II was the oldest surviving son of Charles I. He had a normal education and up bringing until the English Civil War. From then on, he was in a constant war with the Puritans until 1649 when his father was executed. After that, he was hunted throughout England until he escaped to France. He made many attempts to take back his country from Oliver Cromwell. Eventually, after Cromwell died one of his generals put Charles II back on the throne and Charles began the restoration. -
Peter the Great becomes Tsar of Russia
Peter I or Peter the Great was born on June 9, 1672 to Tsar Alexis of Russia. Once his father died, the crown was handed to his sickly weak elder half brother who died a few years later. After this, there was conflict over the throne which was eventually decided by a member of the Russian council. Peter was proclaimed the child king with his mother as regent. Later at age 17, there was an attempt on his life, so Peter fled. Eventually he took back his kingdom and was crowned sole ruler. -
7 Years War
The 7 Years War was a large struggle for primacy between Britain and France. This war was fought over territories in North America and territorial disputes in Europe. The war lasted from 1756-1763. The British sought to expand into territory claimed by France in North America. In America, it became known as the French and Indian War because many of the Indians fought alongside the French though a few tribes sided with the English. Over in Europe there was also conflict. -
Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773, American members of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans, boarded ships from the East India Company, and threw chests of tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act and many of parliaments other unjust laws. The Tea Act was a law that basically gave the East India Company a monopoly on tea sales which were even cheaper than the black market. The purpose of this act was to force the colonists to pay a tax on each pound of tea purchased. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was held in Carpenter's Hall Philadelphia. Delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies met from September 5 to October 26, 1774. This meeting decided how to respond to the many taxes and coercive actions of Britain. They decided to perform an economic boycott on British trade. They also created a petition to the king pleading for him to repeal the Intolerable Acts and put right their grievances. This appeal had no effect which led to a second meeting. -
The American Revolution
The American Revolution was a political and ideological revolution that occurred in the North American Colonies between 1775 and 1783. At the end of this war, America gained their independence from Britain. Once America had won the war they began instituting the first constitutional democracy. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document that was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This document announced the separation of the 13 Colonies from Britain. It explained the reasons the colonies ought to possess their freedom. The Declaration was approved by the Continental Congress and by 12 of the 13 colonies with New York abstaining. The vote happened on July 2 although the Declaration was officially adopted on July 4 now called Independence day. -
The Constitution of the United States Signed
The United States Constitution is the fundamental law of the American system of government. It is also the oldest written national constitution in use. The Constitution was written during the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia at the Constitutional Convention. This Convention met under the guise of altering the predecessor of the Constitution, The Articles of Confederation, which were severely flawed. Instead of rewriting the Articles, they wrote a completely new document.
