Throughout History

Skhul

99,000 BCE

Some of the earliest classified modern humans found in modern day Israel (caves). They were tall, long limbed humans. Lived in multiple small caves forming communities.

Neanderthals

40,000 BCE

Closest ancient human relatives that was located in Eurasia. This set of people went extinct because they were unable to adapt hunting methods during the Ice Age and longterm inbreeding.

Natufians

9000 BCE

The late hunter and gathers living in the Levant region. Known for foraging food such as wheat, barley, almonds and hunted gazelle, deer, cattle, and horse. Their living style was similar to that of a settled society even before agriculture.

Jericho

9000 BCE

A town that had over 20 successful settlements. This is known as the oldest city in the world. Found in Palestine and Israel. It has been continuously settled, the first development of permanent settlement.

Neolithic Revolution (Beginning of Agriculture)

8000 BCE

A boomerang-shaped region of the Middle east where agriculture first started. The transformation form hunting and gathering to farming. Villages began to form and animal became domesticated.

Fertile Crescent

8000 BCE

A crescent shaped region containing modern day Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan.This was called Mesopotamia (between the rivers) which held very fertile soil, the rivers were the Tigris and Euphrates. This allowed for agriculture to start and civilizations to grow in size.

Beringia

8000 BCE

The last ice age exposed the land under the Bring and Chukchi Seas. The place were human population first passed from Asia to populate the Americas. Northwest Alaska and Russian far east inhabit this land today sharing the same language, traditions, and dependence on the environment. The tribe was the Paleo Indians.

Faiyum

7200 BCE

A region in ancient Egypt located on the eastern bank of the Mediterranean Sea (promised land). Known for its abundance of plant and animal life. The plant growth attracted animals which attracted humans. Domesticating barley, wheat, sheep, and goats.

Catalhoyuk

7000 BCE

Humans settled into life with farming, representing an early society. This caused for social changes and development. A city that can be found in modern day turkey.

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

6500 BCE

A city that is known for its organized and regular layout in the Indus River valley. This town was very developed and can be found in modern day Pakistan.

Egyptian Kingdom

3500 BCE

Settled early because of the Nile River that made the fertile topsoil each year perfect for agriculture. Divided into the old, middle, and new kingdom.

Old Kingdom (Egyptian)

2686 BCE

The establishment of a monarchy with a ruler who became a living god and ruled/demanded the services and wealth of his subjects. All the pyramids in Egypt were built during this time and the burial place for kings.

Sumer or Sumerian

2330 BCE

The oldest Empire is the Sumerian Empire also known as the Akkadian Empire lead by King Sargon. They were the first to introduce Imperialism and take over neighboring lands. Became the first dynasty to having three generations rule.

Middle Kingdom (Egyptian)

2000 BCE

The cult of Osiris dominated Egypts popular region. Kings became weaker and the north and south fought for power over the country.

The Mayan Empire

2000 BCE

A civilization with a fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas. Noted for their art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. The cities were inhabited by millions of people. Traded many items that included gold, silver, cacao, salt, seashells, and jade.

Babylon

1792 BCE

Located in Mesopotamia was invaded by nomads who defeated the Sumerian Empire in total. Ruled by Hammurabi who coded the laws (an eye for an eye). The first time laws and punishments were written down.

Minoans

1700 BCE

Lived on the island of Crete in an advanced civilization with a strong navy. They were wiped out by several natural disasters.

Shang Dynasty

1600 BCE

Founded in China and the first recorded dynasty, ruling parts of northern and central China. Based on agriculture; millet, wheat, and barley raising pigs, dogs, sheep and oxen. Advanced in science and art of medal becoming the first aristocratic society.

Phoenicians

1550 BCE

A commercial empire found on the eastern coast of the mediterranean. A compilation of maritime traders. They developed the alphabetic writing system.

New Kingdom (Egyptian)

1550 BCE

Contained the most famous pharaohs. Hatshepsut (foremost of noble ladies) reigning for the longest of any other woman. Thutmose III expanded the army and consolidated the empire. Amenhotep III helped Egypt reach the peak of its international power. Akhenaten (living spirit of Aten) was one of the longer ruler and changed the worship from several gods to just one. Tutankhanmun (living image of Amun) tomb was covered intact.

Myceneans

1400 BCE

Lived on the Greek mainland, became the age of the heroes.

Trojan War

1194 BCE

The bronze conflict between the kingdoms of Troy and Mycenaean Greece. It started with the abduction of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince of Paris. There was a siege of the city that involved many little battles. Trojans defeated by gifting a wooden horse that contained soldiers.

The Greek Dark Age

1100 BCE

The period of civil war amongst the Mycenaeans because of the country's weak state allowing the Dorians to take over. They made iron weapons and created art, architecture, and writing.

The Roman Empire

800 BCE

An advanced civilization the Etruscans, there is no evidence of the written language due to them being destroyed. Romans gained their independence, first look at imperialism of Rome. Based a society of Greek political philosophy, their "senate" made up of wealthy aristocrats. The common people were Plebeians and the wealthy were patricians.

The Archaic Period

750 BCE

The development of art through pottery and sculpture. The beginning of democracy.

Persian Empire

525 BCE

In modern day Iraq and Iran. Largest empire in human history that stretched from eastern Africa to India. The most civilized areas on earth and the three superpowers were Persia, Greece, and Egypt.

The Classical Period

500 BCE

Known as the classical period when Greeks became in conflict with the kingdom of Persia. Athens reached its greatest political and cultural heights under a democratic government. Building the Parthenon built on the philosophy by Socrates and Plato.

Alexander the Great

340 BCE

A seasoned commander at the age of 20, that defeated the rebellion. He captured the Persian ports making it impossible to start a war. He defeated many armies leaving Ptolemy in charge when the crown was passed on.

Roman Civil War

49 BCE

General Julius Caesar did an illegal military move igniting the civil war, establishing a dictatorship. He destroyed Pompey's army becoming dictator.

Augustus

31 BCE

Divided the empire into 1/3 of the Empire between Augustus, Marc Antony, and Lepidus. Then defeated them all becoming sole leader. Rome was known for cruelty including flogging for minor offenses and crucifixion for crimes considered misdemeanors.

The Dark Ages

455

The period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Italian Renaissance. Advanced for their time in the progress of science, government, philosophy, and architecture. Feudalism was a dominant political system. Along with religious superstition that was wide spread. Famine and disease were common during this period.

The Decline

521

Decline of the Roman Empire due to the assaults of nomadic tribes on the wealthy. Installed the law of Religious tolerance giving Christianity legal rights.

Charlemagne

768

Became king from the death of his father of the Frankish state. He was known for the uniting Europe, starting the period of cultural and intellectual activity within the Catholic Church.

The Vikings

793

Known for the talent in ship building and exploring the ocean. Attacked many villages and islands looking for money. Scandinavian descendants served as mercenaries.

The Battle of Hastings

1066

Anglo-Saxon became the dominant culture of Britain establishing a monarchy. Making a noble family of the country. King Harold was shot in a bloody battle because he was shot in the eye with an arrow. Anglo-Saxon phase of England was over, giving birth to the modern day English.

The Crusades

1066

Europe became Christian and the Viking Age has ended. Soldiers were made from lower classes and made royal for acts that range from vicious to completely inhuman.

Marco Polo

1234

Born to a wealthy Venetian merchant family but was raised by an extended family. Journey took place in present-day China making plans to return to Khan's court. A sophisticated culture outside of the Vatican looking for priests. Made memories of the places and cultures he witnessed, receiving great knowledge of the Mongol Empire.

The Inca Empire

1300

Founded in the western coast of South America, with 12 million people in the tribe. They demanded labor and military services instead of money. The empire weakened when the two sons struggled on who took power.

The Aztec Empire

1325

Journeyed across Mexico and ended up in the center. Took control of Lake Texcoco by digging complex systems of drainage canals and raising floating fields. Built a temple called Tenocitilan and intermarried with other tribes and civilizations. It eventually grew as big as 80,000 square miles and had 6 million inhabitants.

The Black Plague

1397

Started with 12 Italian ships that docked at the port of Messina after a long journey through the Black Sea. The sailors aboard were dead or gravely ill, covered in black boils that oozed blood. Rats carried the disease with bites throughout Europe killing 20 million people.

The Renaissance

1400

The De Medici Family were the Godfathers of the Renaissance, took power with intimidation, violence, and murder. Built philosophy on ancient Greece and Rome, and architecture was borrowed from Corinthians and ancient Rome. Reformation of the church.

The Tainos

1400

Native people who were a mixture of different tribes in the islands of the Caribbean. These were the first people Columbus encountered. They were an advanced group of people in agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Each village was laid out in a specific fashion with a large plaza surrounded by houses. They were known for decorating their bodies with paint.

Inquistition

1478

Inquisition was established by the monarchs rather than the church. Desire to create religious unity and weaken local political authorities. The government made a profit off of those you committed heresy. Jews were banished from Spain unless they converted.

Columbus

1492

Christopher Colobus thought a water route to Asia was possible, that would allow him to fill his ships with spices and trade items. He traveled for the money not discovering if the world was round. Never made it to the mainland of America, also thinking it was India.

An Age of Discovery

1492

Native Americans ancestors migrated across Bring Strait and the Vikings made and establishment. Almost all European sea power was sending expeditions to the new world building trade networks. Making new places for colonization efforts .

The Columbian Exchange

1492

An important crossroad were people began exploring the new world. They brought with them pigs, horses, and plants and brought native plants back to Europe, sweet potatoes, potatoes, birds, chocolate, and more. Also with this came the spread of disease like black plague, influenza, and small pox.

Henry VIII

1509

Married the Spanish Princess Katherine as a political move but sought annulment, it was refused. Declared himself the Church of England. Required to be apart of the church otherwise you were tortured till you converted.

The Reformation

1517

Collect money for indulgences for the Vatican, the more you paid the less relatives suffered in Purgatory. This was according to the Pope but a monk named Martin Luther disagreed and nailed a 95 Theses on the chapel encouraging people to read the bible. He developed Lutherans and made the bible more accessible to common people.

First colonies

1565

St.Augustine, Florida was named after a catholic church from a Spanish sailor.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke, Virginia

1584

Queen Elizabeth I wanted to establish a foothold in America and financed a scouting expedition to find the perfect spot. Roanoke had protected shores and was the first place soldiers disembarked. 108 people settled on the north side and traded with Indians. Conflict started to arise due to food shortages, some decided to leave back for Europe and 15 men were left behind. Came back three years later to no one left.

Jamestown, Virginia

1607

The first permanent English colony, sponsored by a group of investors. The relationship with the natives wasn't good but trade was established. With the colony being made up of the wealthy many refused to work causing a lack of laborers and skilled farmers. They then established a no work, no food policy. Smith returned t England and promoted colonization.

New Amsterdam

1609

Dutch trying to find Columbus all water route to India. Hired Henry Hudson to find the Northwest Passage to Asia. He went the wrong way and found Cape Cod and what is known as the Hudson River.

The Story of Squanto

1614

Him along with others of the Patuxet tribe were kidnapped and sold into slavery. Squanto was educated and treated well by Catholic Friars. They then freed him and sent him back to England, was hired to be an interpreter in interactions with Native people.

The First African Slaves

1619

The first one to arrive to America step foot in Virginia and came from Central Africa, from capture in the war with Portuguese. First treated as indentured servants 7 to 14 years and then were freed. The number of African slaves then started to increase and turn into slaves.

The Beginning of Colonial Government

1619

The first representatives in America began in Jamestown with a general assembly named the House of Burgesses. This became a symbol of representative government, with 22 in the house and were elected by the vote of all men over 17.

Slavery

1619

Brought to the US to work on the tobacco fields. Politicians left slavery for the future Americans to decide. With the invention of the cotton gin one slave could do 50 pounds a day. The faster process meant more profit for landowners which led to more slaves . Southern wealth had become reliant on this one crop and more dependent on slave-labor.

Plymouth Colony

1620

In Massachusetts Bay with the desire to convert Natives to Christianity. The pilgrims were very religious and wanted to work in the tobacco plantations. The Mayflower Compact, was the first document of Democracy that was written and signed. Started in the winter with no food or clothing which meant raiding near by villages of Indians.

Colonies before the Revolution

1650

Over 50,000 people lived in America and still continued to consider themselves loyal subjects of the English Crown. The colonies started to gel into a single nation and less away from their home countries.

English Bill of Rights of 1688

1688

Protected British subjects from being taxed without consent. This was looked at as a violation of the English Bill of Rights.

The Sugar Act

1733

Enforcement of these regulations became difficult, so the English government established extensive customs services. Identified to try and convict suspected smugglers.

French and Indian War

1756

The start of the struggle between Britain and France. It ended up giving Great Britain an enormous territorial gains in North America. The wars expenses led to colonial discontent and ultimately the American Revolution. Claim and defend the Ohio River Valley and both sides made alliances with Native tribes. The war lasted 7 years.

The Townshend Act

1767

Acts passed by Parliament of Great Britain relating to the colonies. This would held raise revenue in the colonies and pay the salaries of governors and judges. The enforced compliance with trade and shipping, this was met with resistance.

Sons of Liberty

1773

Organization of American patriots that originated in North American colonies. They were formed to protect the rights of the colonists and abuses of the British government. Known for undertaking the Boston Tea Party.

The Tea Act

1773

Reduce the massive surplus of tea held by the financially troubled British East India Company. If colonist purchased tea then parliament had the right to tax them. There was then resistance that culminated and threw the tea into the harbor.

Intolerable Acts

1774

They organized the first continental congress to coordinate a protest. The first attempt was to offer a "redress of grievances." Some wanted to preserve the peace and other felt the peace was long past.

Lexington and Concord

1775

War began when a regiments of British solders were quartered in Boston. They captured Samuel Adams and John Hancock and they seized weapons and gunpowder. They were attacking from the sea.

Bunker Hill

1775

George Washington was the commander of the colonial army. The Americans repelled the first two attacks of the British but then ran out of ammunition. British lost 40% of army which gave patriotism for the colonist.

Articles of Confederation

1781

Similar to the Constitution but gave far less power to the central government and far more to the individual states. Every state had their own laws and own currency.

US Constitution

1787

An addition of 10 amendments protecting certain civil rights were added and signed. This described the new government. Amendments allowed for changes but not minor ones. It provided three branches of government. This allowed or checks and balances of the government.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

1804

Two men were sent to explore the new west. They were sent to produce maps, geographical information, and talk about animal specimens. Exploring new territories and establishing trade with natives. Trying to find a waterway from the Us to the Pacific Ocean.

The War of 1812

1812

The war was caused by the series of economic sanctions by the British and French against the US. Trade embargoes hurt the US far more than Britain angering the citizens. They declared war and first attack happened in Canada. British made their way into Maryland burning down the White House and other government buildings. They continued to press onwards into America. The US neither gained nor lost any territory in result of the war.

Trail of Tears

1831

White Americans looked at Indians as aliens that occupied land they wanted. They wanted to make natives as much like white people as possible converting to Christianity, learning to speak english, and adopt to economic practices. The transfer of Indians across thousands of acres of land to make room for more white land. Forcing natives to vacate lands they've lived for generations, making the journey by foot without food, water, or supply. Trail of tears.

Dakota Uprising

1851

Treaty of Traverse de Sioux said that Dakota would give up their land and would be paid by the US Government in yearly installments called "annuities." Traders inflated prices and robbed the natives of their money leaving them impoverished and starving. The acculturation of American Indians helped create divisions with the tribes. Dakota men killed four and word spread and that led to war and the killing of many innocent lives.

The Civil War

1861

Was set to determine if the US was an indivisible nation with sovereign national government or continue to exist as the largest slaveholding country in the world. The North's victory mean the end to institutional slavery. This war was between the free states and the slave states, under the rule of Abraham Lincolm.

Reconstruction

1865

The end of the war gave 4 million slaves their freedom, but the south needed to be rebuilt. The south chose to make black codes to control the labor and behavior of form slaves.

Custer's Last Stand or the Battle of Little Big Horn

1876

Army dispatched to force Indians back to the reservations. Attacked without warning learning that the village had three times his strength. Natives were able to drive them out due to terrain and obstacles. Known as the worst American military disaster in US history. Crazy Horse surrounded men and after came and stripped soldiers of valuables.

Wounded Knee

1890

Indians started to suffer from poverty and disease. They were shunned by the government, Ghost Dance religion spread which meant rejection of the white man. Tried to arrest sitting bull but murdered him instead increasing tensions.

World War 1

1914

Us remained neutral until involvement in the war. Provided many materials to soldier during this time.

Great Depression

1929

The worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world. It all happened due to a stock market crash. The economy was to weak to support all of America. Bank failures and production and drought also paid a factor.

World War 2

1939

Japan launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. This was a global war that was lead by Germany and its control of most of Europe. They wanted a political take over and started the Holocaust one of the largest mass killings in history.