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476
Fall of Rome
The Roman Empire Fell in 476, as a result of many complications such as inflation, barbarians trying to get in, and starvation. The Visigoths invaded in 410, signifying the beginning of the fall. -
Nov 12, 622
Muhammad Leaves Mecca
Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medinah, signifying the start of the Islamic calendar. -
Nov 12, 732
Battle of Tours
Charles Martel with the Franks and Burgundians battled the Umayyad Caliphate and won, ending Islamic expansion further into Europe (north). -
Dec 24, 800
Charlemagne Emperor of Holy Roman Empire
In 800, Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Charlemagne revived the empire by reuniting the kingdoms that had split off, but his death resulted in chaos once again (814). -
Dec 24, 1347
The Plague Reaches Europe
In 1347, the Black Plague reached Europe through trade boats and infected sailors. It first appeared in Italy out of Europe but rapidly infected a significant fraction of the rest of Europe's population. The infected sailors had come from a walled city that had been attacked by Tartars, whom catapulted the infected into the city, forcing them to flee and become victims to the disease. -
Dec 24, 1440
Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented the pivotal printing press. By 1500, more than 2,500 European cities had printing presses. -
Dec 24, 1492
Columbus
in 1492 Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sailed to America. His discovery led to the colonization of North America and created the foundation of what is now known as the U.S. -
Dec 24, 1497
John Cabot
In 1497 John Cabot sailed to Canada and thought it was Asia, and claimed it for England. -
Dec 24, 1510
Luther's Pilgrimage
Martin Luther took a pilgrimage to Rome in 1510. Through seeing the indulgences of the Catholic Church and other forms of corruption in ethics, he did not feel redeemed by his trip. He began to question the morality of the Catholic Church. (The picture shows indulgences being sold.) -
Dec 24, 1532
The Prince Appears in Public
In 1532 Machiavelli's book The Prince was released for the public. In it, contained chapters full of controversial ideas on how to be successful ideas. It was clear that he believed in powerful figures using fear rather than love, and his methods are still used and contemplated today. -
Apr 23, 1564
Shakespeare Born
Shakespeare was a legendary play-write and poet, who wrote the famous productions Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, among many. His legacy is carried on today, as he invented an estimated 3,000 words and his plays are frequently performed and interpreted. -
Dec 24, 1564
Galileo
Galileo was an Italian scientist born in 1564, who discovered that objects fall at the same rate, that "heavenly" bodies were not perfect, and was put on trail for heresy as a result of his contrasting beliefs than that of the Church. -
Isaac Newton
In 1642, Isaac Newton was born. Throughout his life, he made numerous crucial scientific discoveries including proposing universal gravity.
