World History Timeline by Thomas and Ryan

  • Period: Jan 1, 1271 to Jan 1, 1295

    Marco Polo

    Marco Polo picture
    Marco Polo traveled from Europe to Asia by land. He wrote a book which explained in detail many things about China. This effected Europe because they started to trade with Asia and that created the silk road. Niccolo and Maffeo Polo traveled with Marco on his exporation of Asia.
  • Jan 1, 1492

    Columbus discovers North America

    Columbus discovers North America
    On his voyage to find a shorter path to India, Columbus, sponsered by King Ferdinand of Spain, unintentionally discovered North America which then led to people going over and starting to immigrate here. This jump started the Age of Exploration.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1492 to

    Siglo de Oro

    Picture of Siglo de Oro
    Spain's richest time period that doesn't have a definite start or end but is thought to have started as early as 1492 and end as late 1659. This time period set up Spain economicly and made Spain last as a country. This efected the growth of Spain and let them explore many different parts of the world.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1499 to Jan 1, 1502

    Amerigo Vespucci explored the coasts of the Americas

    Picture of Amerigo Vespucci
    Amerigo Vespucci explored the coasts of North and South America and made a map that showed that the Americas were not Asia. This effected the naming the the Americas which were named after Amerigo Vespucci.
  • Jan 1, 1519

    Ferdinand Magellan

    Ferdinand Magellan
    In 1519, with the support of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Magellan set out to find a better route to the Spice Islands. He assembled a fleet of ships which, despite huge setbacks and Magellan’s death, circumnavigated the world in a single voyage.
  • Feb 1, 1519

    Hernando Cortes

    Hernando Cortes
    Cortés was to command his own expedition to Mexico, but Velázquez canceled it. Cortés ignored the order and set sail for Mexico with more than 500 men and 11 ships that fall. He then conquered Mexico for the crown of Spain. The country of Mexico still speaks Spanish today.
  • Apr 20, 1534

    Jacques Cartier

    Jacques Cartier
    Cartier sailed with two ships and 61 men. He explored the west coast of Newfoundland, discovered Prince Edward Island and sailed through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, past Anticosti Island. Cartier was looking for gold and when he thought he found it he went back to France to find that it was all worthless, his reputation was destroyed, but he still named Canada which of course is still its name today.
  • May 8, 1541

    Hernando de Soto finds the Mississippi River

    Hernando de Soto finds the Mississippi River
    Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who discovered the lower Mississippi River. His team was the first to explore via the Mississippi after they crossed the Mississippi Hernando was struck with a fever and he died. This effected the exploration of North America, now the United States, because they could now explore by the Mississsippi.
  • Samuel de Champlain

    Samuel de Champlain
    Samuel de Champlain settled and goverened the towns of New France and Quebec City and started the colonization of those cities. This effected the language they still speak in the Quebec area which is French.
  • Jaques Marquette

    Jaques Marquette
    Marquette and his friend Louis Joliet, a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer, were chosen to lead an expedition that included five men and two canoes to find the direction and mouth of the Mississippi River, which natives had called Messipi, "the Great Water." They discovered the northern area of the Mississippi river which efffected the colonies chosen by France and eventually the United States bought the land from France to make the United States much larger.
  • Period: to

    Glorious Revolution

    Glorious Reveloution picture
    When James II flees, William III of Orange and Mary II begin to rule which they start the "cabinet system," this system used still today. This revolution was glorious because it was completely non violent.
  • Period: to

    Baron De Montesquieu

    Baron De Montesquieu
    He created the idea of a government format that has 3 different branches (judical,legislative, executive) with equal power that eventually sets up the way the United States will work.