Early Modern Era Timeline

Key

Russia

Europe

China

Japan

The Americas

Africa

Ottoman Empire

South Asia/Indian Subcontinent

KEY

Founding of the Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire was founded prior to the Early Modern era in 1299 by Osman I, who was a Turkish tribal leader in Anatolia. He united many Anatolian states under his rule and soon established the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and long-lasting empires in the world, and it is known for its rich culture and arts, such as the Selim Mosque at Edirne, Turkey. The empire was dismantled between 1908-1922 due to its defeat during World War I.

Founding of the Ottoman Empire

Chinese Ming Dynasty

Chinese Ming Dynasty

After the fall of the Yuan Dynasty ruled by the Mongols, the Han Chinese began the Ming Dynasty prior to the Early Modern Era, and it lasted from 1368 through 1644. During the Ming Dynasty, the population doubled, trade expanded, and the great wall was built and refurbished. The Ming Dynasty ended for many reasons, including drought and corruption, and it was replaced by the Qing Dynasty, which was ruled by the Manchus.

Reign of Mehmed the Conqueror

Reign of Mehmed the Conqueror

Mehmed the Conqueror ruled twice in his lifetime, from 1444-1446, and from 1451-1481. He renounced his throne due to a peace treaty in 1446, but his position was restored when the treaty was broken in 1451. He was known for expanding the empire, and was especially famous for the conquering of Constantinople from the Byzantines, after which he renamed the city Istanbul. He also converted the Hagia Sophia, an Eastern Orthodox church, into a mosque.

Songhay Empire

In 1464, the Songhay Empire replaced the Mali Empire, ruling until 1591. The Songhay Empire was known for expansion of trade with Europe and Asia, economic success due to agricultural production and trade of gold and salt, and scholarly advances, especially in the city of Timbuktu, a center of Islamic scholarship. The empire fell in a weakened state to the Moroccans due to enviromental struggles and struggles regarding controlling the empire's vast territory.

Songhay Empire

Russian Independence

In 1480, Russia gained independence from the Mongols under the rule of Ivan III at the Battle of Urga. The Battle of Urga was a standoff between the Russians and the Golden Horde. When the Mongols' allies did not appear and they learned their base camp had been raided, the Mongols withdrew from the battle, resulting in Russian independence.

Russian Independence

Christopher Columbus Lands in the Bahamas

First Europeans Land in the "New World"

In 1492, Christopher Columbus began his voyage across the atantic and landed in the Americas while trying to find a new route to India. By landing in the Americas, Christopher Columbus connected Europe and the Americas, opening opportunities for European states to colonize the Americas. Trade soon began between Europe and the Americas after Columbus' arrival.

Treaty of Tordesillas

On June 7, 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed in Tordesillas, Spain. The Treaty divided the "New World," which consisted largely of the Americas, between the Spanish and the Portuguese crowns. Portugal primarily received Brazil, and Spain primarily received large parts of North and South America.

Treaty of Tordesillas

Vasco de Gama's Voyage to India

Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese explorer, set off to India in 1497 and landed in India in 1498. He was the first European to travel to India across the Atlantic Ocean. This was beneficial to trade, especially for the Portuguese, as this route made it possible for the Portuguese to create colonial empires in Asia and Africa.

Vasco De Gama's Voyage to India

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Martin Luther, a German professor of theology, wrote his 95 Theses, which highlighted his ideas that the Bible is the central religious authority and that salvation cannot be be reached by deeds, rather that salvation can only be reached by faith. Luther also opposed indulgences, which were essentially a way to absolve your sins through payment. Luther's 95 Theses, posted in 1517, were the spark that spurred the Protestant Reformation.

Spanish Conquest of Mexico

The Spanish Conquest of Mexico, also known as the Spanish-Aztec War, lasted between 1519 to 1521. During this war, Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador, conquered the Aztecs. This soon resulted in the colony of New Spain and an era of Spanish rule over much of the Americas. The influence of the Spanish on Mexico can still be seen today, as Spanish is still the primary language of Mexico.

Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sponsored by Spain, set out from Spain in September of 1519 with his fleet of five ships. Although Magellan himself died only halway through the trip in the Philippines, one of the five ships of his original fleet made it back to Spain in 1522, circumnavigating the globe. The result of this voyage was the discovery of the Magellan Strait, an important maritime route for trade.

Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe

Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent

Suleiman the Magnificent ruled from 1520-1566, and he was the 10th sultan to rule the Ottomans. Under his rule, the empire reached the height of its military and political power, and it conquered Hungary. He pushed for reforms such as laws pushing for the end of Christian slavery, the implementation of tax reforms, and reforms pushing for the building of infrastructure such as mosques and bridges.

Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent

Mughal Dynasty

The Mughal Dynasty was founded by Babur in 1526, who unseated the Delhi Sultanate and took over much of Northern India. The dynasty was known for its rich culture and arts, such as the Taj Mahal. The dynasty was characterized by the fact that a Muslim minority was ruling over a Hindu majority. The Mughals were replaced by the British Raj in 1857, which was made easy due to a lack of strong rulers and religious intolerance in the dynasty.

Mughal Dynasty

Beginning of Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

The Trans-Atlantic slave trade is believed to have started in 1526 due to a demand for cheap labor, especially in American plantations. The slave trade was part of the triangle trade, in which finished goods were shipped from Europe to Africa, raw goods were shipped from the Americas to Europe, and slaves were shipped from Africa to the Americas. The slave trade resulted in the death of many Africans and a gender imbalance in Africa. The slave trade ended throughout the 1800's as countries like America, Spain, and Great Britain abolished the slave trade.

Start of the Church of England & Evolution to Anglican Church

The Church of England was founded in 1534 by Henry VIII. Henry VIII's wife had not given him a male heir, and he wanted his marriage annulled in order to remarry. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church did not accept Henry VIII's annulment, so Henry VIII founded the Church of England. The Anglican Church is still around to this day.

Start of the Church of England & Evolution to Anglican Church

Council of Trent

The Council of Trent was the embodiment of the Counter-Reformation, lasting from 1545-1563. The council's accomplishments included reaffirming the Catholic Church's authority, reforming the Church's abuses, and condemning Protestant beliefs. The Council of Trent was held in what is now Northern Italy, and it was the 19th council of the Catholic Church.

Council of Trent

Tokugawa Shogunate

The Tokugawa Shogunate lasted from 1603 to 1868 and is known for restoring order and unity in Japan, partially by enforcing rigid social hierarchies through a feudal system. There was basically no mobility between social classes, and Japan closed itself off to Western influences during this period. The Tokugawa Shogunate was followed by the Meiji Restoration, in which the shogun lost power and the emperor regained the highest power.

Tokugawa Shogunate

First British colony settled in North America

In 1607, the British colony of Jamestown, named after King James I, was founded in Virginia, becoming the first permanent English settlement in North America. The settlers came for many reasons, including money, trade opportunitities, and religious freedom. Great Britain wanted this colony in order to establish their claim over North America, to obtain raw materials, and for trading reasons, such as trading with the Natives and colonists.

First British colony settled in North America

Christianity Banned in Japan

Christianity was banned in Japan from 1614-1873, primarily during the Tokugawa Shogunate, which feared Christianity would devastate the order and strict social hierarchy of Japan during the Tokugawa Shogunate. Christianity first arrived in 1549 by Jesuit missionaries. During the period in which Christianity was banned in Japan, many missionaries and Christians were killed and supressed.

Christianity Banned in Japan

30 Years' War

The 30 Years' War lasted from 1618-1648, and was fought primarily for religious reasons in Europe. The war began when Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II tried to force the Protestants of his empire into Roman Catholicism. Protestant nobles in Austria and Bohemia opposed this, resulting in a conflict. The war ended with the Treaty of Westphalia, which granted religious tolerance outside of Roman Catholicism and changed the map of Europe significantly

30 Years' War

Reign of King Louis XIV

King Louis XIV was an absolute monarch who ruled France from 1638-1715, and was often called "Le Grand Siècle," meaning "The Great Century." King Louis XIV shaped France into a strong and centralized state, and he built the Palace of Versailles. The Palace of Versailles showed the power the king had over the nobles, and it helped centralize power.

Reign of King Louis XIV

Peace of Westphalia

The Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648, and it ended the 30 Years' War and 80 Years' War, which both caused many casualties. The Peace of Westphalia consisted of two treaties, and it brought peace to much of Europe, especially the Holy Roman Empire. Concepts of state soverneight and diplomacy can be traced back to the Peace of Westphalia.

Peace of Westphalia

Life of Peter the Great

Peter the Great was a Russian czar who ruled from 1672-1725. Prior to Peter's rule, Russia lagged behind other major European countries, but his reforms modernized the country and made Russia into a major power. His reforms consisted of taking the church under his control, building canals, and moving the capital from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

Life of Peter the Great

7 Year's War

The 7 Years' War lasted from 1756-1763, and was called the "the first world war" by Winston Churchill. It ended with the Treaty of Paris, in which Britain earned Canada from France and complete power over India. The war's primarily conflict was between France and Great Britain regarding land claims. The war began in North American, where it was known as the French and Indian war, but the war soon spread to the Europe, Africa, and Asia.

7 Years' War