16th century

(15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries)

• The modern square root symbol is first used
• Protestant reform of the Christian church in several countries in Northern Europe.
  • King Henry VIII of England breaks with Roman Catholic Church and forms Church of England (1533)
  • French Wars of Religion between Catholics and Huguenots in France
• Poland is the largest state in Europe.
• Castile invades the kingdom of Navarre (1512).
• In the Dutch revolt of 1568-1648, a small nation gained independence from the superpower of the day (Spain)
• After the Fall of Antwerp[?] (1585), many of its merchants fled to Amsterdam
• First cirumnavigation of the globe by a ship of Ferdinand Magellan's expedition. Only one ship survived the journey, under the command of the Basque captain Sebastian Elkano (1522).
• European explorers explore the New World; Spain conquers Indians in Central and South America, resulting in the destruction of the native civilizations of Mesoamerica and the Andes. Vast increase in amount of gold in circulation in Europe. The horse introduced to the Americas.
• The Ottoman Empire reaches its peak during the reign of sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520-1566). Troops of the Ottoman Empire lay siege upon Vienna, but fail to conquer the city (1529)
• Copernicus publishes his theory that the Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun (1543)
• Gregorian Calendar adopted by Catholic countries (1582)

Significant people

• Martin Luther, religious reformer
• Michelangelo Buonarotti, painter and sculptor
• Thomas More, English politician and writer
• Miguel Cervantes, Spanish writer
• William Shakespeare, English writer
• Hernan Cortes, Conquistador
• Elizabeth I, English queen
• Philip II, Spanish king

Inventions, Discoveries, Introductions

• Introduction of spinning wheel revolutionizes textile production.
• New world crops such as maize corn, potatos, chocolate, tomatoes, become known to Europeans

Decades and Years