Part of the CNN Millennium ten-hour documentary which explores global events of the past 1,000 years, CNN Millennium, Pt. 6: Century of the Compass -- The Sixteenth Century outlines pivotal points between 1500 and 1600, a century of new beginnings. Seven empires cropped up during this period, while Spain suffered a decline. Flemish physician Andrea Vesalius revolutionized medicine by making dissections on cadavers. Also, the world began keeping time with a newly formatted and improved calendar. ~ Betsy Boyd, Rovi