Evolution of the Guitar

Egyptian Guitar

1500 BCE

This is one of the earliest instruments that actually has a similar structure when compared to modern day guitars. The owner was an Egyptian singer named Har-Mose. His guitar only had 3 strings, was made out of cedarwood and contained a very early version of a "pick" that was tied to the neck of it. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/BriefHistory.html

Greek Kithara

600 BCE

This instrument required great skill from the performer, had seven strings and a body made out a wood, like a regular guitar, but the neck and soundhole are nonexistent in this design. The sound of it would depend on how thick or how tense the strings were. It was an instrument that was utilized by professionals instead of commoners. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kith/hd_kith.htm

Chartar Ancestor

Jan 1, 600

The origins of the word guitar came from the Sanstrick word "tar" that meant string. Before the early guitar arrived in Spain, the Persian chatar ancestor had four strings a similar narrow neck as modern guitars and a similar body shape. When it arrived in Spain, the name would change to quitarra over the years. (exact date unknown).
http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/BriefHistory.html

The Lute

Jan 1, 711

When the Muslims overtook the Iberian Peninsula and claimed the territory that is now Spain, they brought their music along with them. The lute was one of many instruments that remained a part of Western culture even after the Moors were kicked out of Spain. The neck is a lot narrower than modern guitars but the body is made out of wood and the circle in the middle indicates the idea of a soundhole. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.wellington-guitar-lessons.com/classical-guitar-history.html

Renaissance Guitar

Jan 1, 1500

The curved shape of the modern guitar started in Western Europe, mostly Italy, the heart of the Renaissance, and Spain - the origin of the introduction of the guitar in Europe. Although people believed it was an instrument meant for commoners, composers were intrigued by it. During these years, the practice of plucking strings with the right hand was introduced, which is still done today. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.wellington-guitar-lessons.com/classical-guitar-history.html

Baroque Guitar

Jan 1, 1600

Even though the Baroque guitar has a similar physical structure to the Renaissance Guitar, its status had transformed. Now, it was an instrument valued by the high class, therefore its style became more decorative. Antonio Stradivari was one of the skilled guitar makers of this time that provided Europeans with beautiful instruments. Compared to a modern guitar, it is much smaller and not as heavy. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.wellington-guitar-lessons.com/classical-guitar-history.html

Romantic Era Guitar

Jan 1, 1825

This era was characterized as a time where composers became extremely passionate with their music and used it as a way to express their emotions quite fiercely. That enabled the guitar to rise in popularity, with the help of many talented guitar players that traveled throughout Europe. The shape of it is starting to look more like a modern guitar, but its size is still considerably smaller
(exact date is unknown)
http://www.wellington-guitar-lessons.com/classical-guitar-history.html

Antonio Torres Jurado Modern Guitar

Jan 1, 1859

Antonio Torres Jurado provided the world with this new and improved guitar design that hasn't changed in more than a century. He decided to make the body of the actual guitar bigger to ampliphy its sound, the neck longer to provide its user with more frets to be able to play the same notes in different ways and gave it seven internal fan braces instead of three. (exact date is unknown)
http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/BriefHistory.html