renaissance By cbrandon Jan 1, 1492 Christopher Columbus reaches the Americas Jan 1, 1503 Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa Jan 1, 1516 Thomas More's Utopia is published Jan 1, 1543 With the Supremacy Act, Henry viii proclaims himself head of the Church of England Jan 1, 1558 Elizabeth i becomes queen of England Jan 1, 1564 William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, is born Jan 1, 1599 Globe Theatre is built in london Jan 1, 1605 Shakespeare writes King Lear and Macbeth 1605 - 1606 Jan 1, 1607 First permanent English settlement in North America is established at Jamestown, Virginia Jan 1, 1609 Shakespeare's sonnets are published Jan 1, 1611 King James Bible is published Jan 1, 1620 The Mayflower lands at Plymouth Rock Massachusetts Jan 1, 1621 Newspapers are first published in London Jan 1, 1658 John Milton begins Paradise Lost Jan 1, 1660 Puritan Commonwealth ends; monarchy is restored with Charles ii