Review Timeline By Ashlenherring Period: 1450 to 1600 Age of Discovery 1492 Christopher Columbus discovers the Americas Period: 1500 to 1700 Height of the Renaissance 1517 Martin Luther posts the 95 Thesis Period: 1517 to 1648 Protestant Reformation 1518 Cortes conquers the Aztecs in Mexico 1530 Calvin creates a new form of Protestantism 1534 Henry VIII splits from Catholic Church Period: 1540 to 1700 Scientific Revolution 1543 Copernicus creates heliocentric theory 1558 Elizabeth I creates the Anglican Church 1642 English Civil War 1660 Charles II takes power 1666 Newton creates the Laws of Gravity Period: 1685 to 1780 Enlightenment 1688 William and Mary take power in England 1689 Locke writes the Two Treatises of Government 1748 Montesquieu writes the Spirit of Laws Period: 1763 to 1848 Age of Revolutions 1775 American Revolution 1789 French Revolution 1793 Reign of Terror 1799 Napoleon takes power 1804 Haitian Independence 1804 Napoleonic Wars 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo begins Mexican Revolution 1811 Simon Bolivar helps Venezuela with independence 1815 Congress of Vienna meets 1821 Congress of Vienna meets 1823 The U.S. issues the Monroe Doctrine 1871 The U.S. issues the Monroe Doctrine