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Period: 1558 to
Queen Elizabeth I rules England
After being imprisoned in a tower by her half-sister, the death of her half-sister, Mary, makes Elizabeth queen at the age 25.; -
Apr 26, 1564
Shakespeare's Birth
Shakespeare was born to John and Mary Shakespeare. No one knows his actual date of birth, but he was baptized on April 26. -
Period: Aug 26, 1570 to 1579
William attends grammar school
These grammar schools were set up by the monarchy to educate young boys from wealthy families. This is where William should have first started learning about plays and great literature. William dropped out of grammar school after being there for 9 years. -
Period: Aug 26, 1570 to Dec 8, 1576
The Lost Years
From Shakespeare's start at grammar school, to his marriage of Anne, there is little known about what he did with his life. Many historians believe that he worked with his father and brother as an apprentice sometimes. -
1573
The Bubonic Plague
At a young age, shakespeare lost his sisters joan, magaret, and anne to the plague. He also lost his 27 year old brotherEdmund. He was terrified of the Bubonic plague all his life. -
1579
The Dropout
Shakespeare left school at the age of 15, only after learning to read, write, and speak Latin. -
Marriage and Child
Shakespeare marries Anne Hathaway, only having their first child, Suzanna, 6 months later. -
Hamnet and Judith are born
In 1585, Anne Hathaway gives birth to twins, Judith and Hamnet. Sadly, around the time Shakespeare was usually away in London. It was 110 miles away. -
First Play
Around this time, Shakespeare writes Henry VI, Part One;his very first play. Like all of Shakespeare's plays, the exact year that he wrote the play is unclear. Also, around the this time, Shakespeare, leaves Stratford to begin work as a playwright and actor in London. -
Period: to
The First Play
In 1590, Shakespeare finishes his first play: Henry Vl, Part One. He continued the play part 2 and 3 in 1591. -
Greene Attacks Shakespeare
Another playwright, Robert Greene, writes a scathing critique of Shakespeare. He called him an "upstart crow" who doesn't belong with Greene's university-educated dramatist crowd. Thanks to this diatribe, we now know that Shakespeare, has become successful enough as a playwright by 1592 to make his peers jealous. -
Period: to
Venus and Adonis
Venus and Adonis, Shakespeare's narrative poem in six-line stanzas, was published by Richard Field (1561 - 1624). The poem was dedicated to Shakespeare's patron, Henry Wriothesley, Third Earl of Southampton. -
Death of Hamnet
At the age of 11, Hamnet, William and Anne's son, is buried. He dies due to unknown causes. -
Hamlet
When Shakespeare's father dies and his patron Earl Southampton is sentenced to death for his role in the Essex rebellion, it is believed that this motivated Shakespeare to write Hamlet.Shakespeare's plays over the next few years take a dark, brooding tone. -
The Death of John
In 1599, John Shakespeare became Bailiff of Stratford. Sadly, only 2 years later he passed in 1601 at the age of 70. -
Period: to
King James I rules England
King James ruled from 1603 to 1625, after the death of Elizabeth I, who died childless. -
Period: to
A Macbeth Thank You
In 1605, Shakespeare supposedly began to write Macbeth as a thank you to King James l for supporting him. -
Shakespeare's Return
After spending most of his time in London, Shakespeare finally, truly returned home to Stratford in 1613. -
Will at best
Shakespeare revised and signed his will only 29 days before his death. -
Shakespeare's Death
Shakespeare passed away on the day historians believe is his actual birth date. He lived a happy life with 3 children and a wife.
