Major Events (1492-Present Day)

jewish holy book is printed

Mar 31, 1492

1492 Jan 23, "Pentateuch," a Jewish holy book, was first printed.

decree expells jews from spain

Mar 31, 1492

1492 Mar 30, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella signed a decree expelling all Jews from Spain. Jews numbered about 80,000 and it was estimated that about half chose to convert

columbus's fleet sails from gomera, canary islands

Mar 31, 1492

1492 Sep 6, Columbus' fleet sailed from Gomera, Canary islands.

1st recorded reference to tobacco.

Mar 31, 1492

1492 Nov 15, Christopher Columbus noted the 1st recorded reference to tobacco.

columbus returns to spain on his first voyage

Mar 31, 1493

1493 Mar 15, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain, concluding his first voyage to the Western Hemisphere.

black slaves

Mar 31, 1501

1501
First black slaves in America brought to Spanish colony of Santo Domingo.

pizarro marches from panama to peru

Mar 31, 1532

Pizarro marches from Panama to Peru, kills the Inca chieftain, Atahualpa, of Peru

1536 henry VIII executes 2nd wife

Mar 31, 1536

1536
Henry VIII executes second wife, Anne Boleyn. John Calvin establishes Reformed and Presbyterian form of Protestantism in Switzerland, writes Institutes of the Christian Religion. Danish and Norwegian Reformations. Michelangelo's Last Judgment.

1547 Ivan the Terrible is crowned czar of russia

Mar 31, 1547

1547
Ivan IV (“the Terrible”) crowned as czar of Russia, begins conquest of Astrakhan and Kazan (1552), battles nobles (boyars) for power (1564), kills his son (1580), dies, and is succeeded by his weak and feeble-minded son, Fyodor I.

defeat of spanish armada by english

Mar 31, 1588

1588
Defeat of the Spanish Armada by English. Henry, King of Navarre and Protestant leader, recognized as Henry IV, first Bourbon king of France. Converts to Roman Catholicism in 1593 in attempt to end religious wars.

Giordano Bruno burned as a heretic

Mar 31, 1600

1600
Giordano Bruno burned as a heretic. English East India Company established.

french colony establighed in quebec

Mar 31, 1609

1609
Samuel de Champlain establishes French colony of Quebec. The Relation, the first newspaper, debuts in Germany.

start of the 30 years' war

Mar 31, 1618

1618
Start of the Thirty Years' War > Protestants revolt against Catholic oppression; Denmark, Sweden, and France will invade Germany in later phases of war. Kepler proposes last of three laws of planetary motion.

dutch ship brings african slaves to north britain america

Mar 31, 1619

1619
A Dutch ship brings the first African slaves to British North America.

restoration of the monarchy

Mar 31, 1660

1660
English Parliament calls for the restoration of the monarchy; invites Charles II to return from France.

spanish succession

Apr 4, 1701

1701
War of the Spanish Succession begins—the last of Louis XIV's wars for domination of the continent. The Peace of Utrecht (1714) will end the conflict and mark the rise of the British Empire. Called Queen Anne's War in America, it ends with the British taking New Foundland, Acadia, and Hudson's Bay Territory from France, and Gibraltar and Minorca from Spain.

uk is formed

Apr 4, 1707

1707
United Kingdom of Great Britain formed—England, Wales, and Scotland joined by parliamentary Act of Union.

vitus bering employed by russia

Apr 4, 1740

1740
Capt. Vitus Bering, Dane employed by Russia, discovers Alaska. Frederick II “the Great” crowned king of Prussia.

invented: steam engine

Apr 4, 1765

1765
James Watt invents the steam engine. Britain imposes the Stamp Act on the American colonists.

treaty of paris

Apr 4, 1783

1783
Revolutionary War ends with Treaty of Paris. William Blake's poems. Beethoven's first printed works.

napolean conquers italy

Apr 4, 1800

1800
Napoleon conquers Italy, firmly establishes himself as First Consul in France. In the U.S., federal government moves to Washington, D.C. Robert Owen's social reforms in England. William Herschel discovers infrared rays. Alessandro Volta produces electricity.

missouri compromise

Apr 4, 1820

1820
Missouri Compromise > Missouri admitted as slave state but slavery barred in rest of Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30' N.

analytical engine

Apr 4, 1834

1834
Charles Babbage invents “analytical engine,” precursor of computer. McCormick patents reaper.

opium war begins

Apr 4, 1839

1839
First Opium War (to 1842) between Britain and China, over importation of drug into China.

britain and france join turkey in war on russia

Apr 4, 1854

1854
Britain and France join Turkey in war on Russia. In U.S., Kansas-Nebraska Act permits local option on slavery; rioting and bloodshed. Japanese allow American trade. Antislavery men in Michigan form Republican Party. Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade. Thoreau's Walden.

theodore roosevelt is elected president

Apr 4, 1900

1900 - THEODORE ROOSEVELT ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT

ford introduces the model T

Apr 4, 1908

1908 - FORD INTRODUCES MODEL T

stock market crashed

Apr 4, 1929

1929 - STOCK MARKET CRASHES, DEPRESSION BEGINS

Franklin Roosevelt is elected president

Apr 4, 1932

1932 - FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT ELECTED PRESIDENT

germany invades holland, belgium, and france

Apr 4, 1940

1940 - (May) Germany invades Holland, Belgium and France – Churchill becomes P.M.

pyrenean ibex goes extinct

Apr 4, 2000

2000 — The world celebrates the turn of the millenium | The Pyrenean Ibex goes extinct | The dot-com bubble bursts | Vladimir Putin is elected president of Russia | Euro 2000 is hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands | Concorde crashes in France, killing 113 | Personal home computers break the 1GHz barrier | Sydney hosts the Olympic Games