1. By William Shakespeare
Hamlet
By William Shakespeare

2. SETTING Time and place in which the story takes place
The when and where
The story may have a specific location and time, but it's not a historical drama
Hamlet was written between 1599 and 1601
there are several allusions to the Protestant Reformation, which wasn't initiated until around 1517

3. Where and When is Hamlet set?
The story of Hamlet is set in the late middle ages (14th and 15th centuries, or 1300 to 1499)
In and around (mostly) the royal palace in Elsinore, a city in Denmark.
The whole thing takes place at Denmark's royal court.

4. What was going on in the 1400’s?
Major World Events in 1400's
» China sailed to the Indian Ocean with advanced fleet ( ).
» Portuguese conquered Ceuta, Moors defeated (1415).
» Inca Empire founded (1438).
» Ottoman Empire defeated Polish and Hungarian armies at Varna (1444).
» Machu Picchu of Inca was constructed (1450).
» Ottoman changed their capital to Istanbul, then Constantinople (1457).
» The Treaty of Tordesillas signed by Spain and Portugal, for partitioning the World (1494).
» Christopher Columbus discovered America (1492).

5. What’s going on in the 1500’s?
Portugal claimed Brazil (1500).
» Ottoman fleet defeated Venetians (1500).
» First African slaves arrived North America (1502).
» Tatars of Crimean invaded Poland (1506).
» Portugese conquered Malacca (1511).
» Portugese lands at Macau, China (1513).
» Ottoman took control of Egypt and Arabia (1517).
» Spanish conquered Mexico (1521).
» Ottoman defeated Hungary (1526).
» Mughal Empire founded in India (1526).
» Inca Civil War, Spanish conquered Inca Empire (1532).
» France claimed Quebec (1534).
» French defeated Spanish at Ceresole Battle(1544).
» Chinese Ming Dynasty closed all trading seaports (1548).
» Russia conquered the Khanate of Kazan (1552).
» Ottoman navy defeated the Spanish fleet at Djerba (1560).
» The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was created (1569).
» Ottoman navy destroyed by the Holy League (1571).
» Gregorian Calendar issued (1582).
» British and Spanish War on Atlantic ( ).
» The Mali Empire was defeated (1599).