November 1, 1755★★★★★
1755 Lisbon earthquake
A massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, devastates Lisbon, killing tens of thousands and deeply influencing Enlightenment thought.
Disaster· Portugal, Spain, Morocco
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Events this year
Ongoing
1351 – 1767★★★★★
Founding of the Ayutthaya Kingdom
King Ramathibodi I founds the capital of Ayutthaya, beginning a Siamese kingdom that lasts over four centuries.
DynastyPolitics· Thailand
c. 15th century – c. 1860s★★★★★
The transatlantic slave trade
From the 16th to the 19th century, an estimated 12.5 million enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas, with profound consequences for both continents.
Economy· Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Angola, Brazil, United States, Portugal, United Kingdom
1639 – 1853★★★★★
Japan's sakoku isolation policy
The shogunate expels the Portuguese and severely restricts foreign contact, allowing only Dutch and Chinese trade at Nagasaki.
PoliticsEconomy· Japan
1754 – 1763★★★★★
French and Indian War
Britain and France, with their Indigenous allies, fight for control of North America; France is defeated and loses most of its territory on the continent.
War· United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France