Modern World History

  • Period: Jan 1, 600 to Dec 31, 1249

    Before Early Modern Era

    Anything that is before the Early Modern Era
  • Period: Jan 1, 1250 to Dec 31, 1449

    Early Modern Era

    Anything from 1250-1450
  • 1420

    Plantation Complex

    Sugar plantations began on the Madeira Islands and created the idea of cash crops.
  • Period: Jan 1, 1450 to

    Post-Classical Era

    Anything within the Post Classical Era
  • 1491

    Columbia Exchange

    Plants, animals, and diseases were exchanged from the Americas to the Europeans and vice versa. Tomatoes, potatoes, cows, horses, and smallpox are examples of stuff exchanged.
  • 1494

    Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain got all of the Americas, while Portugal got northeast Brazil and West Africa. This increased Portuguese power by giving it access to better trade routes.
  • 1497

    Vasco de Gama

    The first direct contact between East Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and China with Europe due to Vasco de Gama's voyages. Eventually led to cultural diffusion and syncretism.
  • 1498

    Vasco de Gama Meets With Calicut Ruler

    Not understanding Hindu temples and its difference from churches, Vasco de Gama brought a gift of minor trade goods. The ruler of Calicut laughed in their face.
  • 1500

    Ottoman with Portugal

    Naval battles were fought between the Ottoman Empire and Portugal. This was an attempt to remove the Ottoman Empire from naval superiority in order to increase European superiority in ocean-based trade. This opened up doors for Europe to become part of the cosmopolitan that was the Indian Ocean trade.
  • 1500

    Portugal and Trading Posts

    Portugal seized and created coastal trade posts in sub-Saharan Brazil. They also established a colony in Brazil.
  • 1520

    Circumnavigation of the Globe

    Ferdinand Mallegan circumnavigated the globe. He started with five ships and 270 sailors. Three years later, only one ship and 18 sailors were left. Magellan was killed on an island in the Philippines.
  • 1521

    Hernan Cortes Sacking Tenochtitlán

    Hernan Cortes took over Tenochtitlan and dismantled Aztecian monuments, which allowed for the Spaniards to force people to convert to Catholicism. The sons of Aztec royalties were kidnapped and taught Catholic doctrine. Jesus and Virgin Mary were syncretized with indigenous gods. People converted either to save their lives, save themselves from disease (philosophically), or seek protection against the cruel conquistadors.
  • 1526

    Transatlantic Slave Trade

    Slaves were captured from Africa to America. They worked from sunup to sundown in awful conditioned. They were considered property. They had to be Christian. They couldn't marry. They couldn't leave without permission. They suffered from disease and death rate increased due to horrible conditions. They were often sold by African elites to Europeans. They were taken to prison-like castles before getting on ships, where they were given beans and water. When they arrived, they were sold.
  • 1526

    Mughal Empire

    Sultan Babur created the Mughal Empire after defeating the Lodi Sultan
  • 1531

    Creation of Basilica de Neustra Señora de Guadalupe

    Juan Diego had a religious experience on the Hill of Tepeyac and believed the Virigin Mary spoke to him in Nahuatl. The Catholic clergy loved this and made a shrine and church to "the Virgin of Guadalupe"
  • 1532

    Conquest of the Inca Empire

    Resulted in the Viceroyalty of Peru, with a capital of Lima. They had urban planning guidelines and celebrated both royal events and Christian holidays, along with Day of the Dead. They became quite a cool civilized society.
  • 1535

    Spanish Hapsburg Kingdom

    Spain controlled Mexico, Central America, the coast of Venezuela, Spanish Caribbean, the Philippines, Northern territories of the United States, and the southern border of Alaska.
  • 1542

    The Great Dying

    Due to the Columbian Exchange, smallpox and other diseases such as measles and typhoid fever were spread to Native Americans who had little to no resistance against the disease. Therefore, the population of Native Americans went from 25-30 million to 1-3 million. The lack of people allowed for reforestation and a need for labor in silver mines and sugarcane plantations, creating a "need" for the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
  • 1548

    Salvador Creation

    Portugal created an administration in Salvador, where sugar, slavery, and mining dominated the economy.
  • 1569

    Mercator Projection

    The modern Mercator map was created during the era of European exploration, allowing for a distorted view of the world. The believed superiority of Europe made Europe bigger on the map and Africa smaller on the map
  • 1570

    Spain and the Silver Trade

    By this point, Spain had successfully pioneered routes that sent silver to China and India via the Philippines, which drove the global market for the next two centuries
  • 1573

    Sumptuary Laws in Spain

    A law was outlined to maintains social hierarchy that married Spaniards must bring their wives to the colonies or return to Spain.
  • Spanish Empire

    The Spanish Empire controlled the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, the Andes, the Philippines, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and eastern Canada.
  • Joseon Resistance

    Korea and the Ming Dynasty were buddies. When the Ming Dynasty was overtaken by the Qing Dynasty. Despite trying to be neutral, the king was overthrown and they stayed faithful to the Ming Dynasty.
  • Diasporic Communities

    Malay, Omani, Swahili, Chinese, Jewish, and especially Armenian merchants established diasporic communities, which made them ideal for communication and trade. They crossed borders, they spoke multiple different languages, and helped diversify the Indian Ocean. They dominated the spice trade.
  • Europe Against Spain

    The Netherlands, France, and England competed with Spanish and Portugal influence. The Dutch was especially good at overseas commerce and finance.
  • Amsterdam Stock Exchange

    The first joint stock company that allowed the Netherlands to take more risks with exploration without much loss, since it allowed for people to invest a little in businesses and diversify their portfolio
  • Dutch East India Company & British East India Company

    Other joint stock companies that played a major role in operations and trade for centuries. They acted as independent states, with armies, moneymaking abilities, diplomatic abilities, and war abilities.
  • Protestant Flee

    During the Protestant Reformation, many Puritans fled to the Americas to escape strict religious conformity.
  • Qing Dynasty

    Potatoes from America allowed the Qing Dynasty to triple in size. There was a strong centralized government, and kept Ming political systems. They kept civil service system of the Ming. They celebrated diversity within government and used a banner system for the military. Membership, land, and income was inherited. Farming was encouraged by the government and had a very commercialized economy.
  • Maroon Societies

    Enslaved people often an away, denying slavers their labor. They lived inc communities in the mountains called palenques, macambos, or quilombos. Some of them had foreign relation policies with other countries. They led riots and revolts against plantations. They freed enslaved people, poisoned slavers, and burned plantations.
  • England and France Colonies

    England France established colonies in North American and the Caribbean
  • The Fronde

    Anne of Austria, King Louis XIV regent tried to reduce the power or regional lords. They sold government positions to the highest bidders in order to pay for wars.
  • Pueblo Revolt

    Native Americans were mad about the Spanish trying to encroach on their land. They recruited neighboring communities and revolted against the Spanish. It succeeded for 12 years.
  • Armenian Nation and British East Indian Company Trade Agreement

    The "Armenian Nation" signed with the British East Indian Company. This allowed the British East India Company to have a monopoly on where Armenian merchants got to sell from and who they negotiated with. This helped limit prejudice against Europe within the Indian Ocean Trade. They signed with a network.
  • Mughal Territorial Growth

    There was no more land to conquer
  • Foreign Tax Farmers

    Europe outsourced tax collection in order to increase reliability within the Indian Ocean Trade. They were often Persian and Chinese. They were the most powerful people in a state or territory. When Bengal was conquered by the East Indian Company, they forced the rule to name the East India Company as the official tax collector.
  • New Orleans

    New Orleans was a mix of cultures, languages, and religions despite the Casta system. This was a classification of races and religions that was very fluid and allowed for people to pretend they were one thing while being another. This increased diversity and changed power throughout New Orleans.
  • Indentured Servitude

    There was a decrease of indentured servitude in migrants, so more of the slavery was forced rather than voluntary.
  • Britain Slave Trade Abolished

    Britain abolished the slave trade