1605: Gunpowder Plot
- Guy Fawkes and a group of English Catholics attempted to assassinate King James I by blowing up the Houses of Parliament in London. The plot was discovered, and Fawkes was executed.
1618-1648: Thirty Years' War
- A series of conflicts primarily fought in Central Europe that involved most of the great powers of the continent. Religious, dynastic, political, and territorial disputes played important roles in causing the war. It is considered one of the most destructive conflicts in European history.
1620: Mayflower and Founding of Plymouth Colony
- English Puritans sailed on the Mayflower to North America and established the Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts.
1642-1651: English Civil War
- A series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians (primarily Roundheads) and Royalists (mostly Cavaliers) over the governance of England. The Parliamentarians, led by Oliver Cromwell, defeated the Royalists, and King Charles I was executed.
1665-1666: Great Plague of London
- A bubonic plague epidemic that ravaged London, killing an estimated 100,000 people.
1666: Great Fire of London
- A major conflagration that destroyed much of the medieval City of London, including St. Paul's Cathedral. It prompted significant urban redevelopment.
1688: The Glorious Revolution
- England's King James II was overthrown by a coalition of nobles and politicians in favor of James' eldest daughter and her husband, Mary and William of Orange. This pivotal event established constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy in England.
1690: Battle of the Boyne
- King James II unsuccessfully attempted to reclaim the throne from his daughter Mary and her husband William but was defeated by their forces led by William at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland.
1693: Salem Witch Trials
- A series of trials against individuals accused of witchcraft and sorcery occurred in Salem, Massachusetts, resulting in 19 individuals, mostly women, being executed by hanging.