William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He wrote plays and poetry that are still performed and studied over 400 years later all over the world. Shakespeare lived during exciting times in Tudor England under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I, witnessing events like the Spanish Armada and Gunpowder Plot. He died in 1616 but remains one of the most influential writers in history due to his incredible plays and poems that still resonate with modern audiences.