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300
Classic Mayan Civilization Began
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300
Camels Were First Brought to the Sahara
Camels were first brought to the Sahara at around 300 C.E. They were well-suited for desert travel and helped traders immensely as they traveled across the dangerous Sahara. -
476
Fall of Rome
The Roman Empire fell when the last emperor in the west was driven from the throne. The western half of the empire dissolved into separate kingdoms ruled by different tribes. This marked the beginning of the Middle Ages. -
500
Byzantine Empire Began
The Byzantine Empire began when the emperor Constantine moved his empire east from Rome to Byzantium. -
500
The Ghana Empire Began
The kingdom of Ghana began from sometime before 500 C.E., arising in the semidry Sahel. -
552
Buddhism was Introduced to Japan
In 552, Buddhism, an Indian religion, was brought to Japan by way of China. -
Jan 1, 604
The Seventeen Article Constitution Began
The Seventeen Article Constitution was issued by Prince Shotoku in 604, and these guidelines stated that the emperor was the country's supreme ruler. -
Jan 1, 610
Muhammad Became A Prophet of Islam
Muhammad became a prophet of Islam when he received a visit from the angel Gabriel, in a cave in the mountains. It was there, according to Muslim teachings, he was called to be a prophet of God, or Allah. -
Jan 1, 651
The First Official Edition of the Qur’an was Written
Caliph Uthman established an official edition of the Qu'ran in about 651. He destroyed all other versions, and the Qu'ran read today has remained largely unchanged since then. -
Jan 1, 700
Traders Brought Islam to West Africa
In the eighth century, Trans-Saharan trade brought Islam to West Africa. Over time, Islam began to influence West African life and play a role in West African society. Islam reached West Africa through Muslim traders and missionaries. -
Jan 1, 710
Nara Became the Capital of Japan
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Jan 1, 750
Bookmaking Began to Spread the Qur’an
In about 750, Muslim bookmakers began printing the Qu'ran, along with volumes of poetry and prose. This spread Islam and the Arabic language drastically. -
Jan 1, 1000
Feudalism Begins in Europe
At about 1000, or the High Middle Ages, Europeans had started to develop the system of feudalism. It provided protection and safety by establishing a stable social order. -
Jan 1, 1000
The Tale of Genji, The First Novel, Was Written
Murasaki Shikubu finished the Tale of Genji in its present form in 1000. -
Jan 1, 1050
Moveable Type Was Invented in China
In about 1050, moveable type was invented in China. Moveable type consists of separate blocks for each character and printing them by arranging them in a specific order in an iron frame. -
Jan 1, 1054
The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church Split
In 1054, the patriarch of Constantinople and Cardinal Humbert both exocommunicated each other. It showed that the schism between the east and the west was now complete. -
Jan 1, 1065
Song Dynasty Began Civil Services
Song Dynasty began civil services exams in 1065. They provided a well-organized government and emphasized moral behavior. -
Jan 1, 1085
The Reconquista Began with Toledo
As the Umayyad caliphate in Cordoba broke up into rival kingdoms. Christians took advantage of the Muslims' weakness. In 1085, they captured Toledo, a key victory in the fight to rid Islam and spread Christianity. -
Jan 1, 1096
The First Crusade Began
The first Crusade began when four Christian nobles led 30,000 crusaders south toward Palestine. A year later, the crusaders laid siege to the Syrian city of Antioch. -
Jan 1, 1146
The Second Crusade Began
The Second Crusade began as Muslims banded together to fight the Crusaders. In 1144, they captured Edessa, and the Crusaders answered by mounting the Second Crusade. However, tmost of he Crusader's efforts ended in failure. -
Jan 1, 1185
The Heian Period Ended
The Heian Period Ended in 1185 as Japan's government weakened. -
Jan 1, 1189
The Third Crusade Began
The Third Crusade began as the Muslims, coming under common leadership, renewed fight against the crusaders in the Holy Land. The Muslims took back most of Palestine and fought fiercely with Richard I's army. However, both armies were weakened and Salah al-Din, leader of the Muslims, and Richard I signed a peace treaty over the cities in Palestine and Jerusalem. -
Jan 1, 1192
The Era of the Samurai
In 1185, Minamoto Yoritomo came to power in Japan. In 1192, he set up a military government with its own capital in Kamakura. The start of Kamakura government marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese history - the era of the samurai. -
Jan 1, 1192
The First Shogun Came to Power
Minamoto Yoritomo came to power in 1185, but he was officially pronounced a shogun, or commander-in-chief, in 1192. -
Jan 1, 1200
The Incas First Settled in Cuzco
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Jan 1, 1203
The Ghana Empire Ended
The empire of Ghana came to an end when a rival kingdom finally took over Kumbi, the capital city of the empire. -
Jun 1, 1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
Angry barons forced a meeting with King Johns and made him sign the Magna Carta, or Great Charter. It was an agreement between the barons and the kings which said that the king had to observe common law and the traditional rights of barons and the church. -
Jan 1, 1240
The Mali Empire Began
The disappearance of Ghana opened way to the rise of Mali. In about 1240, a group of West Africans called the Mande conquered Kumbi. They built an empire that reached from the Atlantic Ocean to beyond the Niger River, and from the southern forest to the salt and copper mines of the Sahara. -
Jan 1, 1250
Aztecs Arrived in the Valley of Mexico
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Jan 1, 1258
The Mongols Destroyed Baghdad
In 1258, the Mongols destroyed Baghdad and killed the caliph of the Abbasid dynasty (ending it in the process) as they swept across Asia. -
Jan 1, 1279
The Mongols Dynasty Began
The Mongol Dynasaty was control of China by foreigers. -
Jan 1, 1300
The Mongol Empire Was Weakened
By the mid 1300's, the Mongol Empire was badly weakened. It suffered from fighting among rivals. Local rulers controlled different regions. -
Jan 1, 1312
Mansa Musa Was the First Islamic Leader
In 1312, Mansa Musa took over Mali. He became the first West Afrtican ruler to devoutly practice Islam. He helped Mali become a major crossroad of the Islamic world. -
Jan 1, 1325
Aztecs Started Building Tenochtitlan
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Jan 1, 1337
Hundred Years' War Begins
The Hundred Years' War was a series of wars over the control of lands in France. It was a long conflict and one of the contributors to the decline of feudalism. -
Jan 1, 1347
The Bubonic Plague Begins
The Bubonic Plague was a terrifying disease that swept throughout Europe and Asia in the 14th century. It had fierce symptons, and was carried by fleas. -
Jan 1, 1350
Timbuktu Became A Center For Arabic Learning
Timbuktu became a center for Arabic learning, language, and literature in 1350 C.E. -
Jan 1, 1350
The Renaissance began in Italy
The Renaissance began in Italy in the mid 1300's. -
Jan 1, 1368
The Ming Dynasty Began
The Ming Dynasty was open to foreign influence at the beginning of the Dynasty, but closed down by the end of the Dynasty. -
Jan 1, 1368
The Mongols Dynasty Ended
The Mongols Dynasty Ended as fighting among Mongol leaders weakened the government; officials were often corrupt and the Mongols finally fell because of rebellions from the native Chinese. -
Jan 1, 1370
The Medici family began to rule Florence
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Jan 1, 1400
The Inquisition Took Place
It was around the late 1400's when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella used the Inquisition, a church court, to rid Spain of Muslims and Jews. Ferdinand and Isabella's goals were to unite Spain as a Catholic country. -
Jan 1, 1405
Zheng He Made His First Voyage
Zheng He set off with a fleet of more than 300 ships, which carried more than 27,000 men, on his first voyage in 1405. -
Jan 1, 1438
The Incas Began to Create Roads
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Jan 1, 1450
Johannes Gutenburg Invents the Printing Press
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Jan 1, 1451
John Calvin Created Humanism
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Jan 1, 1453
End of Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire ended when Ottoman Turks conquered them in 1453. -
Jan 1, 1453
Hundred Years' War Ended
The Hundred Years' war ended with a French victory. Joan of Arc, a young French girl who fought in the war, had inspired many French citizens to fight in the war. They finally drove the English out and claimed their land. -
Jan 1, 1460
The Songhai Empire Began
The Songhai had settled at Gao as early as 800 C.E., but it broke away as an independent empire from Mali in 1460. -
Jan 1, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias Began To Sail Around The Tip Of Africa
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Jan 1, 1492
The Spanish Conquer Granada
In 1492, Granada fell to the armies sent by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Muslims lost their last stronghold in Spain. -
Jan 1, 1492
Isabella sent Christopher Columbus to find a sea route to Asia
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Jan 1, 1497
John Cabot Landed in Canada
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Jul 1, 1497
Vasco da Gama Began To Sail To India
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Jan 1, 1500
Pedro Cabral Began to Sail to Brazil
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Jan 1, 1500
The Mayan Post-Classic Civilization Ended
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Jan 1, 1500
Humanism Began In Italy
In the 1500's, humanism began in Italy. -
Jan 1, 1504
Michelangelo completed his statue of David
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Jan 1, 1514
Copernicus stated that the earth revolves around the sun
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Jan 1, 1517
Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses
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Jan 1, 1519
Hernan Cortes Destroyed the Aztecs
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Jan 1, 1519
The Aztec Empire Ended
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Aug 1, 1519
Ferdinanad Magellan Began to Sail Around the World
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Jan 1, 1524
Giovanni da Verrazano Landed in North America
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Jan 1, 1525
William Tyndale translated the Bible into English
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Jan 1, 1532
The Inca Empire Ended
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Apr 1, 1532
Francisco Pizarro Destroyed the Incas
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Jan 1, 1534
King Henry VIII created Anglicanism
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Jan 1, 1543
Copernicus Stated His Theory of The Heliocentric Universe
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Jan 1, 1545
The Council of Trent Was Formed
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Period: Jan 1, 1550 to
The Microscope Was Invented
The microscope was invented by Dutch lens makers in the late 1500s -
The Songhai Empire Ended
The riches of gold and salt attracted invaders to the kingdom of Songhai. Already weakened by internal political struggles, the Songhai empire went into decline as Gao, the capital city, was attacked by a Morrocan army. -
The Songhai Empire Ended
After being defeated by the Morrocans and falling into an anarchy, the Songhai Empire came to a sudden close in 1591. -
Henry Hudson Began to Try to Find the Northwest Passage
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Galileo Decided To Build A Telescope
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The Mali Empire Ended
After Mansa Musa's death, the empire could not hold together and the Mali Empire crumbled into little states. -
The Thirty Years’ War began
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The Ming Empire Ended
The Ming Dynasty's bereacracy's inability to adapt to changing conditions contributed to the fall of the Ming. -
Peace of Westphalia was signed
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The Thirty Years’ War ended
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Newton Published A Book About Gravity
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The Era of the Samurai
The Era of the Samurai ended in 1868 when the emperor was restored power. -
Charlemagne's Christian Empire Began
Charlemagne ruled for over an impressive 40 years. He was the most important leader of the Franks. -
The Tang Dynasty Began
The Tang dynasty was a period of economic development and growth and many inventions and disccoveries were made in this dynasty. -
The Tang Dynasty Ended
The Tang Dynasty ended when peasant rebellions and battles between generals destroyed the government and broke up China into small, independent kingdoms. -
Tang Dynasty Recorded The Formula for Gunpowder
In 850, Tang alchemists recorded the formula for gunpowder. They warned others to avoid it. -
Buddhism Religion Expanded in the Tang Dynasty
The Indian religion of Buddhism expanded especially in the Tang Dynasty. -
The Japanese Invented Kana
At first, the Japanese first used Chinese kanji to write Japanese words. Later, as this became difficult, they developed kana or borrowed letters, to stand for syllables. -
Hein-kyo/Tokyo Became the Capital of Japan
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The Heian Period Began
When the emperor moved his capital to Heian-Kyo in 194, the Heian period began. -
Prince Shotoku Came to Power
Prince Shotoku borrowed Confucian ideals and Chinese style of government from China, and created a set of ranks for government officials. In 604, he issued a set of guidelines called the Seventeen Article Constitution.
