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Apr 16, 1492
Columbus Sails to America
Christopher Columbus was a European navigator who sailed to America. His voyage was known as the Discovery of the Americas. -
Apr 18, 1492
European Exploration
The Europeans had a desire to grow rich and spread Christianty. A spirit of adventure had motivated Europeans to cross oceans and face danger. -
Apr 16, 1521
Cortez Conquered the Aztecs
Cortez had marched 600 men to the Aztec capital. Cortez's army had used muskets and cannons while the Aztecs had used a bow and arrow, causing Cortez to take over the Aztec empire in 1521. -
Apr 16, 1543
Copernicus presents the Heliocentric Theory
The Church was angry because the Geocentric Theory made human beings seem closer to God and since the earth was in the center that meants humans were more special. The Heliocentric Theory changed the perspective completely, making humans lose that position in the universe. -
Apr 18, 1560
Economic and Social Crisis
Europe suffered from inflation, which is the rising of prices, from 1560-1660. Spain wasn't finding enough silver, population began to decrease, warfare, plague, and famine all contributed to the population decline. The more gold Spain got, the less gold was worth. -
English settle Jamestown
A company of London investors received from King James a charter to found a colony in North America, and the colonists named the colony after their King.7 out of 10 people died of hunger, disease, or battles with the Native Americans in the first few years. -
Peter the Great of Russia begins his reign
Peter the Great had became a czar while a child and went into power in 1682. He wanted to borrow European technology to modernize the military and then won a war against Sweden and built St. Petersburg. -
Glorious Revolution in England
It means "No battles or blood". Parliament, which was angered by James II's and the possibility that his Catholic son could become king, invited James' daughter Mary and her husband William to overthrow th king. -
Europeans and Slave Trade
From 1690 to 1807 America was leading the carrier of enslaved Africans when slavery was abolished in England. Many Europeans would enlist the help of African rulers and merchants for their needs, and instead of the Europeans traveling inland to get slaves, they would wait in ports along the coast of Africa. African merchants would trade Europeans gold, guns, and other goods for enslaved Africans. -
Napoleon conquers most of Europe
Napoleon's French armies conquered most of Western Europe, and it had become so scary it took 7 people to destroy Napoleon's hopes of having a French-dominated Europe. -
The Storming of the Batille
A mob was joined by some of the King's soldiers, and stormed the Bastille, which was part in response to the King bringing in the Swiss soldiers. The commander of the Bastille attempted a surrender but the mob would not accept it; he and every other gaurd were were killed as the mob poured through the gates. -
French Revolution begins
The social and political system of France was called the Old Regime, and under this system, the people of france were divided into three large social classes or estates. Before the Revolution, France had an Absolute Monarchy. -
Louis XIV of France begins his reign
King Louis XIV was viewed as the best example of absolutism in the 17th century when he came to the throne in 1661 at 23 years old. He was known for his love of fun. -
Maximilien Robespierre
Robespierre was the mastermind of the Reign of Terror, which was when people had been lead to their deaths and were killed by the guillotine. He was also the head of the Committee of Public Safety, so he decided who was enemy of the Republic by beheading them with the guillotine. -
Westernization in Russia
Peter the Great increased his power as an absolute monarch to advance his program of westernization. He introduced potatoes (a staple in Russian diet), started Russia's first newspaper, raised women's status, and he created an advanced education.
