WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 17. CENTURY
Find out what all happened in the first half of the 17. century

Abel Tasman's second Pacific voyage began. (29. February 1644)

Writs issued in February by Charles I of England mandate that every county in England (not just seaport towns) pay ship tax by this date. (1. March 1628)

Samuel de Champlain reclaims his role as commander of New France on behalf of Cardinal Richelieu. (1. March 1633)

Georgeana, Massachusetts (now known as York, Maine), becomes the first incorporated city in the United States. (1. March 1642)

The Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a Royal charter. (4. March 1628)

Nicolaus Copernicus's book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium is banned by the Catholic Church (5. March 1616)

Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. (8. March 1618)

Susenyos defeats the combined armies of Yaqob and Abuna Petros II at the Battle of Gol in Gojjam, making him Emperor of Ethiopia. (10. March 1607)

Charles I of England dissolves Parliament, beginning the eleven-year period known as the Personal Rule. (10. March 1629)

Guaraní forces living in the Jesuit Reductions defeat bandeirantes loyal to the Portuguese Empire at the Battle of Mbororé in present-day Panambí, Argentina. (11. March 1641)

The Frondeurs and the French sign the Peace of Rueil. (11. March 1649)

Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier, founders of the Jesuits, are canonized as saints by the Catholic Church. (12. March 1622)

Harvard College is named after clergyman John Harvard. (13. March 1639)

Thirty Years' War: Bavaria, Cologne, France and Sweden sign the Truce of Ulm. (14. March 1647)

Samoset, a Mohegan, visited the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them, "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset." (16. March 1621)

Susenyos was formally crowned Emperor of Ethiopia. (18. March 1608)

The Third Anglo-Powhatan War began in the Colony of Virginia. (18. March 1644)

The House of Commons of England passes an act abolishing the House of Lords, declaring it "useless and dangerous to the people of England". (19. March 1649)

The Dutch East India Company is established. (20. March 1602)

Sir Walter Raleigh is freed from the Tower of London after 13 years of imprisonment. (20. March 1616)