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Period: 4000 BCE to 2000 BCE
Sumerian Civilization
Founded along the Fertile Crescent in southern Mesopotamia, Sumeria was the first known civilization. Sumeria is said to have lasted around 3,000 years; and while we don't know the exact year the civilization was created, historians suggest Sumeria settled around 4000 BC. -
3999 BCE
Nomads
Nomads were groups of humans that did not have a permanent home. They would go from place to place hunting and harvesting until the resources ran out. This was tens of thousands of years ago before any civilizations existed. -
Period: 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE
The Indus River Civilization
An ancient civilization in India along the Indus and Ganges Rivers, it is considered a subcontinent of Asia as separated by the Himalayan Mountains. In this civilization most followed the religion of Hinduism, and some followed Buddhism. -
Period: 2000 BCE to 1100 BCE
Bronze Age Greece
Bronze Age Greece involved the Minoans (2000-1500 B.C.E.) who were the first Greek civilizations on the island called Crete. After the Minoans came the Mycenaeans, who conquered Crete. It is believed that the Trojan War took place in the Bronze Age. -
Period: 1200 BCE to 400 BCE
The Olmec Civilization
This was the first Mesoamerican civilization. They made many jade stone carvings. The Olmecs were located on the Gulf of Mexico. -
Period: 800 BCE to 500 BCE
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was the civilization that created the calendar we still use today. They also created strong buildings and the most advanced roads in the ancient world. Rome was a republic, which is essentially a combination of different government types. For a long time, Rome had an almost identical religion to that of Greece, but in around 64 C.E., Rome saw a rise in Christianity, which would eventually become their official religion. The downfall of Rome was mainly due to inflation. -
Period: 480 BCE to 323 BCE
Golden Age Greece
This was the period of Athens, the Greek religion we now call mythology, and the creation of the first democracy. This time had achievements in philosophy, math, science, literature, and more. The Golden Age began after the downfall of Persia and ended with the death of Alexander the Great. -
Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE
Qin Dynasty of Ancient China
Imperial China's first dynasty and one of the most powerful. This dynasty built the Great Wall of China while Qin Shihuang was (the first) Chinese emperor. -
Period: 206 BCE to 220
Han Dynasty of Ancient China
Another one of the most powerful dynasties of Imperial China. This dynasty was the second dynasty, following the Qin Dynasty. The Han Dynasty invited trade along the Great Silk Road, which helped politically, economically, and religiously. -
Period: 250 to 900
Mayan Civilization
The Mayans were very advanced in astronomy, and even made the first 365-day calendar that was based on the astronomy facts that they studied. -
Period: 300 to 1100
Ghana Empire
More accurately known as the Wagadou Empire, but Ghana was the name of its ruler and therefore grew to be the common identification. -
Period: 312 to 1453
The Byzantine Empire
Byzantium was founded by Constantine in 312 when he saw that Rome was collapsing. He named it Constantinople, but we refer to this period as the Byzantine Empire. -
622
Start of Islam
Islam is a monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad with its origins in Arab. -
Period: 801 to 1500
The Feudal System
The Feudal System was a factor of the European government of the Middle Ages. It relied on the Lord/Vassal relationship; that being the person or class who would give land (Lord), and the person or class lower who would receive land and exchange work and loyalty in return (Vassal). -
Oct 14, 1066
The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings was fought between Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson and William I; they fought over the London throne. William I won and became known as William the Conqueror. -
Period: 1206 to 1368
The Mongols
The Mongols Empire from Asia led by Genghis Khan; they conquered Russia in 1250. -
Period: 1235 to
The Mali Empire
Founded by Sundiata, the man who the Disney movie "The Lion King" is inspired by. The Fall of this empire was greatly connected to the disagreements within the people about who should succeed on the throne after the death of Mansa Musa (a later ruler). -
Period: 1337 to 1453
The Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War took place in Western Europe. The war was between France and England, more specifically the House of Valois (France), and the House of Plantagenet (England). They fought over French land and which country had the right to it. -
Period: 1345 to 1521
The Aztec Empire
The Aztec Empire created the first known tax system, where if they conquered an area, that area had to pay the Aztecs a "tribute" fee. -
Period: 1400 to 1533
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire is where one of the New Seven Wonders of the World was created, Machu Picchu. This beautiful area was built under the order of Emperor Pachacutec. -
Period: 1400 to
The Age of Exploration
The Age of Exploration was a time of advanced sailors making grand discoveries in what they called the "New World." -
Period: 1434 to
Medici Dynasty
The Medici family was a family of Florence, Italy who became famous for making wool. They rose to power in 1434. -
1445
Johann Gutenberg's Printing Press
Johann Gutenburg created the first printing press in 1445. The printing press made books and the Bible more accessible to many people, thus encouraging intellect and education. -
Period: 1460 to
The Songhai Empire
This empire was in competition with the Mali Empire, but eventually the Songhai Empire was attacked and taken over by the Moroccans. -
Period: Jun 28, 1491 to Jan 28, 1547
Henry VIII
Henry VIII was the King of England from 1509 to 1547 when he died. He is known by historians today for his six wives and his part in the Protestant Reformation, as he wished to be head of the church. -
Period: 1517 to 1555
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a movement started by Martin Luther against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. It ended in 1555 when the Peace of Augsburg was signed. -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution had a big role in shaping our lives today. Mostly everything around us stemmed from advancements throughout the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution also brought city growth, as people moved away from their farms to be closer to where the factories were. -
Period: to
Hong Xiuquan
Hong Xiuquan lived from January 1, 1814, to June 1, 1864. He began the Taiping Rebellion after having hallucinations that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ. People who believed him decided that the Emperor did not have the divine right to rule and they rebelled. The Taiping Rebellion created much destruction, famine, and death. -
Period: to
Imperialism on Africa
The United States of America, China, and many European countries contributed to the imperialism of Africa. During this time, Africa lost most of its land and many people died. The U.S., China, and Europe wanted African goods and trading posts that would lead to greater profit than what they had. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
On June 28th, 1914, Austro-Hungarian heir Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo. The assassination occurred on a political trip to Bosnia. Franz Ferdinand's assassination would spark the start of World War I. -
Austria-Hungary Declares War on Serbia
After the assassination of Austro-Hungarian heir Franz Ferdinand one month prior, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia with Germany's support. Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia because they suspected that Serbia was involved in the assassination. -
The End of World War I
Following a German surrender, three allied powers (Great Britain, France, and the U.S.A.) created the Treaty of Versailles. Germany, not able to negotiate, signed the treaty with intense terms on June 28, 1919. -
Period: to
The Holocaust
The Holocaust was Hitler's mass genocide of Jewish civilians that took place during World War II. The Holocaust was fraught with violence, inhumane treatment, and murder. -
Period: to
World War II
World War II was a global war between the Allied and the Axis Powers in the 1900s. The war lasted just under six years and caused many casualties. -
Period: to
Rationing
During WWII, Great Britain was cut off from most of its overseas food supply. The Britain Government gave out ration, or coupon, books to everyone so people could eat and purchase food fairly. This lasted 14 years. -
Period: to
The Blitz
The Blitz (short for Blitzkrieg) was the period when Nazis would drop bombs continuously over British cities every night. -
D-Day
On June 6, 1944, the Allies landed in Normandy on beaches Omahu and Utah. The goal was to save France from Nazi occupation. The Allies were successful, which led to Europe's liberation from war. -
Hitler Commits Suicide
On April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide in his underground bunker located in Berlin. In May, after the suicide, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces. -
Period: to
The Cold War
The Cold War took place almost directly after World War II. The conflict was between the two emerging superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War dealt with many indirect wars (for example, the Korean War or the Vietnam War), the arms race, and many other disagreements. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were trying to make more nuclear weapons than the other country. When the United States found out that the Soviet Union was storing their nuclear weapons in Cuba, a USSR satellite state very close to the U.S., they made the Soviet Union remove them. The Soviet Union was very resistant at first but eventually succumbed. This was the closest we ever were to a nuclear war. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Soviet Union put up the Berlin Wall in 1961, separating East Berlin and West Berlin. The Eastern-German citizens were very unhappy and began to try breaking down the wall themselves in late 1989. It was not until early 1990 that the wall was officially taken down by Soviet leader Gorbachev.
