1590-1609 Microscope, Thermometer & Telescope

This twenty year period covers the reign of Elizabeth I who died in 1603 and was succeeded by James VI of Scotland, son of Mary Queen of Scots, who became James I of England. 

In this period there was constant warfare in the world,  but at least something as useful as the microscope was invented during this period.

The 1585–1604 Anglo–Spanish War was continuing, despite the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Then came the 1590–1595 Fourth Russo–Swedish War, the 1592–1598 Seven-Year War, the 1593–1606 "Long War" between the Habsburgs and the Turks, the 1593–1617 Moldavian Magnate Wars, the 1594–1603 Nine Years War in Ireland (Tyrone Rebellion), the 1596–1597 Cudgel War in Finland, the 1600-1611 Polish–Swedish War, the 1602–1612 Turkish-Persian War, the 1609–1618 Russo–Polish War and the 1609 First Anglo-Powhatan War.

This period coincides with the 1590 invention of the microscope by Zacharias Janssen, and then in 1593 thermometer was invented by Galileo Galilei and in 1608 the telescope was invented by Hans Lippershey

In 1605 the Willem Jansz expedition first saw the coast of Australia, in 1606 Luis Vaez de Torres discovered the Torres Strait and Cape York and on May 14 1607 Jamestown founded the first permanent English colony (Virginia) in the New World -- 13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.