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Jan 1, 1200
Koreans Developed Moveable Type
More significant to the advance of printing technology, Koreans developed moveable type made from metal in the 1200s. -
Jan 1, 1300
Ottoman Turks Built a Powerful Empire
The Ottoman Turks built one of the most powerful empires. Spreading out from Anatolia in the 1300s, they conquered
southeastern Europe and the Arab lands of North Africa and the Middle East. -
Jan 1, 1377
Koreans Printed Text for Buddhists
In 1377, the Koreans printed a text for Buddhists that today is the
world’s oldest known book printed with moveable metal
type. -
Jan 1, 1390
Knights from France and Genoa
Knights from France and Genoa used cannon to bombard the fortified town of Mehadia in Tunisia, North Africa in 1390. -
Jan 1, 1400
People of Europe and the Americas
In 1400, the people of Europe and the Americas knew nothing
about each other’s lands. Much of the world was disconnected. Even large parts of Asia and Africa were shrouded in mystery for those not living there. -
Jan 1, 1400
A Spirit of Exploration
Many underlying factors helped produce the first global age. The most direct cause was increased sea travel and exploration. Beginning in the late 1400s, European countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean launched sea expeditions and explored the world. -
Jan 1, 1400
Great Voyages from China
In the early 1400s, for example, the Chinese admiral Zheng He led a series of great voyages from China to India and East Africa. These expeditions, sponsored by the Ming dynasty, were much
larger than later European voyages. -
Jan 1, 1400
Russia's Powerful State and Empire
To the north, Russia also built a powerful state and empire. Expanding outward from Moscow in the 1400s, Russian rulers conquered the surrounding territory and then pushed into Central Asia. -
Jan 1, 1400
Portuguese Arrived on African Coast
When the Portuguese arrived on the African coast in the early 1400s, they began buying slaves from African traders, too. Eventually, the British, French, and Dutch got involved. -
Jan 1, 1400
Spain and Portugal Form First American Colonies
Spain and Portugal formed the first American colonies. Spanish colonization began in the Caribbean, or West Indies, in the late 1400s. From there, Spain went on to occupy large portions of North and South America. -
Period: Jan 1, 1400 to
New Global Networks
- The world’s regions became more connected. The movement of people, goods, and ideas increased.
- Global population nearly tripled, from around 375 million in 1400 to 950 million in 1800.
- New technologies—including innovations in navigation, printing, and weaponry—revolutionized travel, communication, and warfare.
- States took on increased political and military power. New empires formed around the world.
- New ideas and scientific knowledge influenced society and culture.
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Period: Jan 1, 1400 to
Chinese Population More than Quadrupled
Between 1400 and 1800, the Chinese population more than quadrupled, to around 330 million, or one third of the world’s population. During this period, the Chinese traded with the Americas. New foods brought to China provided more calories than foods from Europe, causing a population boom. -
Jan 1, 1450
Gutenburg Invented a New Printing Press
In about 1450, Gutenberg invented a printing press that used
moveable metal type and that could turn out 300 pages in a
single day. Gutenberg’s press made printing faster and more efficient. -
Jan 1, 1453
The Capture of Constantinople
The capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 put the trade routes at risk. European countries wanted to establish direct sea routes to Asia so they could reduce costs and gain better access to Asian goods. -
Jan 1, 1488
Portuguese Rounded Tip of Africa
The aim of the Portuguese was to find a sea route to Asia by sailing south and east, around Africa. In 1488, a Portuguese ship rounded the tip of Africa. -
Jan 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus in the Americas
In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas, claiming these lands for the Spanish crown. He thought he had reached the Indies, but later voyages proved him wrong. -
Jan 1, 1500
Portuguese Arrived in Brazil
The Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500 and later established a colony. The English, French, and Dutch came to North America and the Caribbean and formed colonies of their own. European states had extended their reach across the Atlantic and connected the Americas to the rest of the
world. -
Jan 1, 1500
Japan Built Centralized State
In the 1500s, Japan also built a centralized state under strong military rulers, called shoguns. The shoguns used guns to defeat local lords and unify the country. They founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, which brought more than two
centuries of peace and stability to Japan. The Tokugawa rulers maintained tight control and isolated Japan from most
foreign contact. -
Jan 1, 1500
Portugal Colonized Brazil
Portugal colonized Brazil in the early 1500s. -
Jan 1, 1500
Buddhism Gained a Wider Following
In Asia, Buddhism gained a wider following. Mongols in Central Asia began converting to Tibetan Buddhism in the late 1500s. Buddhism also gained strength in China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. -
Jan 1, 1500
British Diplomat
In the late 1500s, a British diplomat described the cruel force exercised by Czar Ivan IV, commonly known as Ivan
the Terrible. -
Jan 1, 1500
The Great Dying
Scholars estimate that during the 16th century Old World diseases killed at least 50 percent of the native population,
amounting to tens of millions of people. Many died even before making contact with Europeans, as viruses spread from
one community to another. It was, in the words of one scholar, “the greatest destruction of lives in human history.”
Historians call this tragedy the Great Dying. -
Period: Jan 1, 1500 to
Absolute Monarchs
Absolute monarchs ruled Europe between 1500 and 1800. -
Period: Jan 1, 1501 to
Safavid Empire
In Persia, the Safavid Empire arose during this era. Between 1501 and 1722, the rulers of the Safavid Empire used
gunpowder weaponry to control the lands between the Ottoman Empire to the west and India to the east. Unlike the
Ottomans, who were Sunni Muslims, the Safavids were followers of Shi’a Islam. Under their greatest ruler, Shah Abbas, they built a strong, centralized state. They promoted the arts and built a splendid capital at Isfahan. -
Jan 1, 1502
Spain Brought First African Slaves to West Indies
Spain brought the first African slaves to the West Indies in 1502. But the Atlantic slave trade really began with Portuguese shipments of slaves to Brazil in the mid-1500s. A century later, African slaves were working on plantations across the Americas. -
Nov 15, 1510
Portuguese Establish Forts and Trading Posts
By 1510, the Portuguese had begun to establish forts and trading posts around the Indian Ocean. From there they moved on to the fabled Spice Islands of the East Indies. They established a base at Malacca, in present-day Malaysia, and another at Macao, in southern China. -
Jan 1, 1513
Macao is Established
The Portuguese established Macao as a colony in 1513. -
Jan 1, 1517
Religious Movement Gave Birth to Protestant Religion
By encouraging new ways of thinking, the Renaissance helped pave the way for the Reformation. This religious
movement split the Catholic Church and gave birth to Protestant religion. It began in 1517 with the actions of Martin
Luther, a German monk and teacher. Luther believed that the church had grown corrupt. He called for reform and a more
personal approach to faith. His views, spread by the printing press, sparked cries for religious change across
Europe. -
Jan 1, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
In 1519, another Spanish expedition, led by Ferdinand
Magellan, set out to reach Asia by sailing around South
America. Magellan crossed the Pacific, but was killed in the Philippines. One of his ships made it back to Spain, however,
after a three-year journey. It was the first voyage to circle the globe. -
Jan 1, 1520
Portuguese-Masters of the Southern Sea
By 1520, the Portuguese were the masters of the southern seas. -
Period: Jan 1, 1526 to
Mughal Empire Established
Muslim invaders from Central Asia took power in India and established the Mughal Empire, which lasted from 1526 to 1707. The Mughals defeated much larger Indian armies by using firearms and cannons. Eventually they gained control over most of the Indian subcontinent. They established an effective government and grew rich from the trade in cotton cloth and spices. Under their rule, the economy and culture of India flourished. -
Jan 1, 1530
Francisco Pizarro Led his Army Through the Andes
Francisco Pizarro led his army through the Andes to conquer the Inca empire in Peru in 1530. Pizarro and his men were among the Spanish onquistadors who helped Spain build a colonial empire from the American southwest to the tip of South America. -
Nov 16, 1532
Spaniards and Incas Meet
Two worlds came face to face in the highlands of Peru. On one side was a small band of Spanish soldiers, representing the most powerful kingdom in Europe. On the other was the massive Incan army, representing the greatest empire of the Americas. -
Jan 1, 1550
Ottoman Turks Dominated
By 1550 the Ottoman Turks dominated a region stretching from the Balkans to the Persian Gulf and the southern shores of the Mediterranean. -
Jan 1, 1552
Spain Tried to Maintain Control Over its American Empire
Spain tried to maintain tight control over its American empire. A system of royal officials managed the colonies under direct orders from the crown. Spain was far away, however, so local officials often governed as they saw fit. In 1552, one colonist in Guatemala wrote to the king, “Oh sacred Majesty, how just and good are the royal orders you send to this province, and how officials mold them here and do what they wish!” -
Accurate View of the World
In the Middle Ages, Europeans had thought of Jerusalem as the center of the world, with Africa, Asia, and Europe spread around it. By the 1600s, they had a more accurate view of the world. -
Silver Mining and Potosi
Silver mining became the main economic activity in the Spanish colonies. The Spanish forced Indians to labor in the mines. Thousands of tons of silver were shipped from the Americas. The richest deposits were at Potosí, in modern-day Bolivia. By 1600, Potosí was producing half the world’s silver and had become one of the world’s largest cities. -
Scientific Revolution
By the 1600s, scholars and thinkers inspired by the Renaissance and the discoveries of the global age had begun to study the natural world in new ways. They applied the power of reason to the observation of nature. This new approach to learning is known as the Scientific Revolution. Early scientists made key advances in astronomy, physics, biology, medicine, and many other fields. The methods and discoveries of science would have a profound impact on the world. -
Period: to
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France embodied the principle of absolutism. He was king of France from 1643 to 1715. -
Ming Dynasty
In China, the Ming dynasty ruled until 1644, when it fell to Manchu invaders from the north. The Manchus formed the Qing dynasty and expanded the Chinese empire. They maintained China’s eco-nomic prosperity, while restricting European access to Chinese trade. -
Expanding Global Network
By the late 1700s, Australia and the Pacific islands were becoming part of this expanding global network. -
British Send Expeditions to Pacific Ocean
Later, in the 1700s, the British sent expeditions into the Pacific Ocean. Captain James Cook explored and mapped Australia, New Zealand, and a number of Pacific islands, including Hawaii. He also landed on the west coast of North America. Cook’s voyages helped bring the Pacific region into the new global system. -
Europed Emerged as a Dominant Force
By the end of the 18th century, however, Europe had emerged as a dominant force. Europe’s cultural influence began to spread around the world. This process of westernization—the spread of European ideas and values—would become a defining feature of the modern era to come. -
Europe's Rising Power
Several interrelated factors help account for Europe’s rising
power by the late 18th century. A major factor was the Commercial Revolution. -
Russia's Occupied Lands
By 1700, Russia occupied lands extending all the way to China and the Pacific Ocean. Russian czars, or emperors, modernized the army and ruled with absolute power. -
Enlightenment
In the 1700s, European thinkers also turned their attention to the workings of society and government. They applied scientific principles to the study of human affairs, hoping to bring about a new age of reason. This school of thought was known as the Enlightenment. -
African Slaves Shipped to Americas
By the 1800s, more than ten million African slaves had been shipped to the Americas. Around one in six died en route.