1638
| Years: 1635 1636 1637 - 1638 - 1639 1640 1641 | |
| Decades: 1600s 1610s 1620s - 1630s - 1640s 1650s 1660s | |
| Centuries: 16th century - 17th century - 18th century 1638 in literature 1638 in science | |
Events
- March 29 - Swedish colonists establish first settlement in Delaware, called New Sweden
- April 15 - Shogunate forces defeat the last rebels of Shimabara Rebellion in the fortress of Hara
- May 11 - French admiral d'Estrees runs his whole fleet aground in Curacao
- Dutch settle in Ceylon
- Pedro Texeira makes the first ascent of the Amazon River, from its mouth to Quito, Ecuador. The same trip had been made in the opposite direction in 1541.
- Willem Kieft, Dutch merchant, appointed Director of New Amsterdam by the Dutch West India Company.
- The Netherlands colonizes Mauritius.
- Shipwrecked sailors from England found the first known European settlement in Belize.
- Swedish settlers arrive on the ships Kalmare Nyckel and Fågel Grip to the American colony New Sweden (Delaware).
Births
- March 15 - Future Shunzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty of China.
- September 5 - Future King Louis XIV of France
- November 25 - Catherine of Braganza, Queen-Consort of King Charles II of England
Deaths
- April 7 - Shimazu Tadatsune, Japanese daimyo
- Johann Heinrich Alsted, German theologian
ca:1638
da:1638
de:1638
es:1638
eo:1638
fr:1638
nl:1638
pl:1638
ro:1638
sl:1638
fi:1638
sv:1638