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200
Homo Habilis 2.5 million years ago (Pre-History)
The species name, Homo habilis, means “handy man.” They were the first hominids to develop and use stone tools. Many scientists believe that homo habilis may have been a human ancestor, due to the brain size and humanlike teeth. -
300
Homo Erectus 2 million years ago (Pre-History)
Homo erectus first appeared about 2 million years ago. They were the first species to walk completely upright, like modern humans. Although they did not stand as tall as humans, they were the first ancestors that walked completely upright. They likely evolved from Homo habilis. -
400
Homo Sapiens 230 000 - 450 000 years ago (Pre-History)
The species name, Homo sapiens, means “man who thinks.” They developed spoken language and more sophisticated tools. The most ancient homo sapiens was discovered in Hungary dating back to 450 000 years ago. Modern humans known as Homo sapiens sapiens, dated back to 40 000 years ago and evolved from homo sapiens. -
500
Cradle of Civilization 3500 BCE (Mesopotamia)
Mesopotamia was founded between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in modern-day of Iraq, north-eastern Syria and south-eastern Turkey. The ancient Greeks were the first to call the region Mesopotamia. It is referred to as the Cradle of Civilization because it is the first known civilization. -
Feb 7, 600
Building of the Great Pyramid of Giza 2560 - 2540 BCE (Egypt)
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest pyramid in Giza, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For over 3,800 years. it was the tallest man-made structure in the world, at 481 feet. It is believed that is was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu. It took about 20 years to construct this massive pyramid. It used to have a smooth outer surface made of casing stone, but it has eroded over time. -
Feb 6, 650
Cuneiform 2112 - 2094 BCE (Mesopotamia)
The Mesopotamians used Cuneiform as the first known type of writing. The "Epic of Gilgamesh" which tells the story of a legendary Sumerian King who ruled Uruk around 2600 BCE, is the oldest known piece of literature in the world. -
Feb 6, 750
King of Babylon 1792 - 1750 BCE (Mesopotamia)
King Hammurabi was the first king of Babylon. He is known for the set of laws called the Code of Hammurabi, which was the first legal code in history. This code was based on an eye for an eye. -
Feb 7, 1000
Olympic Games 776 BCE (Greece)
Today, the Olympic Games are one of the most popular sporting events. The Olympics were created by the Ancient Greeks. According to Greek Mythology, King Oenomaus of Olympia, held chariot races against himself for any man who wanted to marry his daughter, Hippodamia, to compete in. If he won, he could marry her, if he lost he would be killed. Pelops, the grandson of Zeus, defeated him with the help of the gods. He ordered the athletic games to be held every four years to honour his victory. -
Feb 8, 1005
Creation of Rome 753 BCE
According to legends, Rome was founded after Romulus. Romulus and Remus were sons of the god of Mars and princess Rhea Silvia. Rhea’s uncle, Amulius, had seized the throne and imprisoned Rhea. The boys survived his wrath and was raised by a shepherd. When they grew older, the brothers dethroned Amulius, avenged their mother and decided to build a city where they grew up. They quarrelled and Romulus killed his brother. Romulus named the city Rome after himself. -
Feb 7, 1050
Birthplace of Democracy 500 BCE (Greece)
In the fifth century, a system called 'direct democracy' was founded in Athens. It is considered to be the first democracy system ever used. Every male over 18 could speak and propose resolutions in the assembly, stand for public office and vote on every piece of legislative. -
Feb 7, 1100
Death of Julius Caesar 44 BCE (Rome)
Caesar’s military success made him a hero to the Romans, and he used the opportunity to seize power. He became a dictator, and created many reforms designed both to strengthen Rome and to secure his own power. Many members of the Senate began to fear the amount of power Caesar had, and assassinated him. -
Feb 8, 1300
Fall of Rome 476 CE
The decline of the great empire of Rome began in the second century CE when enemies to the north and east began attacking different border regions at one time. Rome was finally defeated when Germanic tribes from the west and Huns from the east caused Rome to divide into two parts, each with its own ruler. Odoacer, a Germanic chief, captured Rome and forced the western emperor to step down. This served as a final blow during the long, sloe decline of Rome. -
Feb 8, 1350
Justinian's Code 529 CE (Medieval Europe)
Just a year after he became emperor, Justinian appointed a 10-person commission to organize all Roman laws. The task was enormous, but eventually in produced Justinian's Code. The code had three parts: the Code itself, which was a list of 4652 statutory laws passed by Roman emperors, the Digest, which was 50 volumes that summarized legal opinions, and the Institutes, which were 4 volumes that formed a text for the study of law. -
Feb 8, 1500
The Crusades 1096 - 1202 CE (Medieval Europe)
The Crusades were a series of religious wars waged against the Saracens. It was launched by Pope Urban II, and its purpose was to free the Holy Land from the Saracens. These wars ended up being very violent and gruesome. The Crusades are usually criticized for being such a violent war that was only fought because of religion. -
Gothic Cathedrals late 1100's - early 1500's CE (Medieval Europe)
In Medieval Europe, cathedrals were very tall stone churches. Its Gothic style replaced Romanesque cathedrals in the time period. These cathedrals are still very popular today, and are popular attractions. -
King Tutankhamen 1334 BCE (Egypt)
King Tutankhamen was an Egyptian pharaoh who lived for a very short life. He died at the young age of 18, and the cause of his death is unknown. His tomb was discovered in the 1920's. The mask for his mummy is a popular icon for Ancient Egypt. -
Hatshepsut 1479 - 1457 BCE (Egypt)
Hatshepsut is one of the first great women in history. She originally married her half brother, pharaoh Thutmose II. When he died, the throne was supposed to be passed to their son, but Hatshepsut seized the throne for herself. Because pharaohs are supposed to be male, she dressed like a man. She suffered a mysterious fate when her son ruled, and her body was never found. The picture shows a sphinx that was modelled after her. -
Trojan War 1250 BCE (Greece)
It is unknown whether this war actually happened, and no one knows if it is fact or fiction. Around 1250 BCE, the Mycenaeans came together to attack the city of Troy. It started when a Trojan prince kidnapped Helen, the wife of the king of Sparta. They recruited many Greeks to attack and save Helen. They burnt their tents and left to give the appearance that they had given up. They left a large wooden horse behind, where Greek warriors hid inside and attacked the Trojans, winning the war.
