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Oct 1, 1347
Black Death
It swept through Asia and Europe in the late 1340s, killing over 30% of Europe's population. It traveled through the Silk Road and was carried by rats living on merchant ships. -
May 2, 1492
European Colonization of Americas
Soon after Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas, Europe began to conquer, large-scale explore, and colonize. France also founded colonies in Eastern North America and in Caribbean islands. -
Atlantic Slave Trade
From around 1650-1860. slaves from Africa were taken from their homes and shipped to South America, the Caribbean, and North America. Nearly 20 million slaves actually arrived to their destination while many others died on the journey -
Major smallpox epidemics
In Europe during the 18th century, there were major smallpox epidemics. Although the first known case was in 1350 BC, during this time, it killed over 400,000 Europeans. It also spread to North America from the 17th-18th century. -
Industrial Revolution
Industrialization occured from around 1760-1830. The Industrial Revolution had an effect on migration because many workers moved to the cities to work in factories. However, industrialization also led to heavy pollution. -
Steam engine
In 1781, James Watt made a steam engine with continuous rotative motion that could power a large range of manufacturing machines. -
Native American Reservations
In the 1800s, Native Americans were invaded, taken over, and forced to live on reservations. They had terrible living conditions and were often forced to convert to Christianity. They were sometimes put with hostile tribes and it led to violence. -
Irish Potato Famine
At the time, a lot of people worked on farm, and when the famine struck, they were devastated. Over one million died, and a million more emigrated to the United States (Mostly to Boston & New York). This permanantly changed the demographics, politics, and culture of Ireland. -
Scramble for Africa
1881-1914; The colonization of Africa was dominated by economic influence and direct rule. Africa was invaded, occupied, and colonized during the time period of New Imperialism. -
The Influenza Epidemic
The flu killed approximately 50 million people, 25% of the United States, and it hit without warning. Some people lasted only hours while others had a few days to live.
