1611: English explorer Henry Hudson disappeared after sailing into the interior of the wilderness in the Northeast part of the continent, trying to find a passage into the interior. He only made it into a shallow strait before being icebound and then abandoned by mutineers who took over his ship.

Today: Hudson's name is known across the globe because his name was given to the famous Hudson River, which borders New York City.

1611: William Shakespeare, who died in 1616, was in the last phase of his career, creating complex, mature tragicomedies such as Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest.

Today: Shakespeare's reputation as a playwright has yet to be surpassed.

1611: England's King James I is a supporter of the doctrine of the divine rights of kings. This doctrine maintains that royal personages had to answer to no one but God for their decisions.

Today: The...