A Timeline of Historical Events (10,000 BCE- 2017)

Neolithic Revolution (Fertile Crescent)

10,000 BCE

The Neolithic Revolution started around 10,000 B.C.E. in the Fertile Crescent, a boomerang-shaped region of the Middle East where humans first took up farming.

Start of Rule of Egyptian Pharaohs (Egypt)

3100 BCE

Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt ruled from the Early Dynastic Period before 3100 BCE.

Site of Palmyra (Syria)

3000 BCE

Palmyra is an ancient archaeological site located in modern-day Syria. Originally founded near a fertile natural oasis, it was established about 3000 B.C.E. as the settlement of Tadmor, and it became a leading city of the Near East and a major trading post on the Silk Road.

Founding of Judaism (Israel)

1812 BCE

Judaism begins with the covenant established between God and Abraham around 1812 BCE, during the Bronze Age, in Israel which is in the Middle East.

Code of Hammurabi (Mesopotamia)

1754 BCE

The Code of Hammurabi, a Babylonian code of law of ancient Mesopotamia, was dated back to about 1754 BCE.

Founding of Hinduism (Indus Valley)

1500 BCE

Hinduism developed from the religion that the Aryans brought to India with them in about 1500 BCE in the Indus Valley.

Mandate of Heaven (China)

1046 BCE

In 1046 BCE, the Shang Dynasty was overthrown at the Battle of Muye, and the Zhou Dynasty was established. The Zhou created the Mandate of Heaven.

Rise of the Roman Republic (Rome)

509 BCE

The Roman Republic began with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom, traditionally dated to 509 BCE.

Democracy in Ancient Greece (Greece)

507 BCE

In 507 BCE, Athenian leader Cleisthenes introduced system of political reforms called demokratia, “rule by the people.”

Hippocratic Oath (Greece)

500 BCE

The original Hippocratic Oath was written in Ionic Greek, around the fifth century BCE.

Founding of Buddhism (modern day Nepal)

500 BCE

The origin of Buddhism points to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, who was born in Lumbini (in present-day Nepal) during the 5th century BCE.

Humoral Theory of Health (Europe)

500 BCE

In 500 BCE, Hippocrates invented the Humoral Theory of Health, all human ailments are caused by an imbalance of the "four humours."

Roman Twelve Tables (Rome)

451 BCE

The Twelve Tables was a set of laws inscribed on 12 bronze tablets created in ancient Rome in 451 and 450 BCE.

Pericles Funeral Oration (Greece)

431 BCE

Pericles' Funeral Oration is a speech delivered by Pericles at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War (431 BCE) as a part of the annual public funeral for the war dead.

Role of Confucianism (China)

206 BCE

It was during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) when Confucianism became the dominant political ideology in China.

Rise of Han Dynasty (China)

206 BCE

Liu Bang lead a rebellion against the policies of the Qin Dynasty. After winning a number of battles, he seized Xianyang, the capital city of Qin, and ends Qin rule. He established the Han Dynasty in 206 BCE.

Start of Trade on the Silk Road ( China, Central Asia, Arabia, India, Persia and modern day Turkey)

130 BCE

The Silk Road was established when the Han Dynasty in China officially opened trade with the West in 130 B.C.E.

Assassination of Julius Caesar (Rome)

44 BCE

The assassination of Julius Caesar was the result of a conspiracy by many Roman senators led by Gaius Cassius Longinus, Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, and Marcus Junius Brutus. They stabbed Julius Caesar to death in a location adjacent to the Theatre of Pompey on March 15, 44 BCE.

End of Rule of Egyptian Pharaohs (Egypt)

30 BCE

Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt ruled until the end of the Ptolemaic Dynasty, when Egypt became a province of Rome under Augustus Caesar in 30 BC.

Fall of the Roman Republic (Rome)

27 BCE

The Roman Republic ended in 27 BCE with the establishment of the Roman Empire.

Founding of Shintoism (Japan)

4 BCE

4 BCE is the founding date of the Ise Grand Shrine in honour of the Shinto goddess Amaterasu. Shintoism is said have been founded around 4 BCE in Japan.

Founding of Christianity (Europe)

1 CE

Christianity began in the 1st century CE as a Jewish sect but quickly spread throughout the Greco-Roman world.

Fall of Han Dynasty (China)

220

A series of battles weakens the empire further, and Liu Xie finally abdicates in 220 CE, thus ending the Han Dynasty.

Justinian Code (Byzantine Empire)

529

The Justinian Code was developed under the Byzantine emperor Justinian I from 529 CE to 565 CE.

Founding of Islam (modern day Saudi Arabia)

610

The start of Islam is marked in the year 610, following the first revelation to the prophet Muhammad at the age of 40. Muhammad and his followers spread the teachings of Islam throughout Mecca and the Arabian Peninsula.

Role of Taoism/Daoism (China)

712

Taoism becomes official religion of China under the Emperor Xuanzong (712 CE - 756 CE).

Chachapoya People (Modern Day Peru)

750

The Chachapoyas culture is thought to have developed around 750-800 CE.

Role of the Samurai (Japan)

794

During the Heian Period (794-1185), the samurai were the armed supporters of wealthy landowners.

Start of The Crusades (Jerusalem)

1095

The Crusades, a series of holy wars, began in 1095. In these battles, Christians fought against Muslims to reclaim holy land in the city of Jerusalem.

End of The Crusades (Jerusalem)

1291

The Crusades, a series of holy wars, ended in 1291. In these battles, Christians fought against Muslims to reclaim holy land in the city of Jerusalem.

Start of Rule of Mansa Musa (Mali)

1312

Mūsā I of Mali also called Mansa Musa was mansa (emperor) of the West African empire of Mali from 1312.

Start of Journeys of Ibn Battuta (Africa, Middle East, Asia)

1325

Ibn Battuta was a Muslim who started on his travels when he was 20 years old in 1325. His main reason to travel was to go on a Hajj, or a Pilgrimage to Mecca.

End of Rule of Mansa Musa (Mali)

1337

Mūsā I of Mali also called Mansa Musa died in 1337 and was mansa (emperor) of the West African empire of Mali until his death.

Black Death/Bubonic Plague (Europe)

1347

The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was a pandemic resulting in the deaths of about 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia and peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351.

End of Journeys of Ibn Battuta (Africa, Middle East, Asia)

1354

On Battuta's journey across the desert, he received a message from the Sultan of Morocco commanding him to return home. He set off for Sijilmasa in September 1353. He arrived back in Morocco early in 1354.

Aztec Empire (Modern Day Mexico)

1430

The Aztec Empire, or the Triple Alliance began as an alliance of three Nahua"altepetl" city-states: Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. These three city-states ruled the area in and around the Valley of Mexico from 1430.

End of Trade on the Silk Road ( China, Central Asia, Arabia, India, Persia and modern day Turkey)

1453

The Silk Road routes remained in use until 1453, when the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China and closed them.

Columbian Exchange (Americas, Europe, Africa)

1492

The "Columbian Exchange" describes the interchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the Americas following Columbus' arrival in the Caribbean in 1492.

Cortes and the Aztecs (Modern Day Mexico)

1519

Conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived at the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, leading a small army of several hundred Spanish soldiers. The Aztec leader, Moctezuma II, initially welcomed the Spanish into the city as honored guests. Hernan Cortés invaded Mexico in 1519 and conquered the Aztec Empire, which is known as the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, or the Spanish-Aztec War.

Start of Rule of Suleiman the Magnificent (Ottoman Empire)

1520

Suleiman the Magnificent was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from September 30,1520 until his death.

Conquering of Tenochtitlan, establishment of Mexico City (Modern Day Mexico)

1521

The Spanish conspired against the Aztec Empire and had their final victory on August 13, 1521, when Cortés captured the emperor Cuauhtemoc and Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire.

Inca Empire and Pizzaro (Modern Day Peru/Chile)

1532

Spanish soldiers under conquistador Francisco Pizarro, his brothers, and their native allies captured the Sapa Inca Atahualpa in the 1532 Battle of Cajamarca.

Start of Rule of Elizabeth I (England)

Nov 17, 1558

Elizabeth I was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558.

End of Rule of Suleiman the Magnificent (Ottoman Empire)

1566

Suleiman the Magnificent was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire until his death in November 28, 1566.

British East India Company (England)

Dec 31, 1600

British East India Company was founded by John Watts on December 31, 1600.

Dutch East India Company (Netherlands)

Mar 20, 1602

The Dutch East India Company was a multinational corporation that was founded in March 20, 1602.

End of Rule of Elizabeth I (England)

Mar 24, 1603

Elizabeth I was Queen of England and Ireland until her death on March 24, 1603.

Founding of Palmares (Modern Day Brazil)

1605

Palmares, or Quilombo dos Palmares, was a quilombo, a fugitive community of escaped slaves and others, in colonial Brazil that developed from 1605 until its suppression in 1694. It was located in what is today the Brazilian state of Alagoas.

Tulip Mania (Netherlands)

1636

Tulip mania was a period (1636 – 1637) in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637.

India colonized by the British East India Company (India)

1757

The British East India Company began to colonize parts of the Indian subcontinent in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey.

Dutch East India Company (Netherlands)

Dec 31, 1799

The Dutch East India Company ended after it ceased operations on December 31, 1799.

Sepoy Rebellion/Indian Mutiny of 1857 (India)

1857

The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India between 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown.

British East India Company (England)

Jun 1, 1874

Though the company had already lost power, the British East India Company officialy ceased operations on June 1, 1874.

Start of Rule of Czar Nicholas II (Russia)

Nov 1, 1894

Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, ruling from 1 November 1894.

Typhoid Mary (New York)

1907

‘Typhoid Mary' - Mary Mallon (1869-1938) was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and emigrated to New York in her teens where, working as a household cook, she left a trail of illness wherever she was employed. After being first identified as a carrier in 1907, she was quarantined to the Riverside Hospital on New York’s North Brother Island. She was released three years later on condition that she never worked as a cook again.

End of Rule of Czar Nicholas II (Russia)

Mar 15, 1917

Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, ruling until his forced abdication on 15 March 1917.
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Spanish Influenza (Worldwide)

1918

The Spanish influenza pandemic began in 1918 and caught nations by surprise. It infected an estimated 500 million people and killed 50 to 100 million of them in three waves.

Apartheid (South Africa)

1948

Apartheid was the ideology supported by the National Party (NP) government and was introduced in South Africa in 1948.

Stop and Frisk (NYC)

1964

In March 1964, Rockefeller signed a bill which introduced stop-and-frisk police tactics. This year New York State passed the country’s first law under that name.

Eudocia “Lola” Tomas Pulido arrives in United States (Modern US)

May 12, 1964

On May 12, 1964, Tizon's family moved to Los Angeles and brought Lola with them.

Discovery of Lucy, Mother of Man (Ethiopia)

Nov 24, 1974

Lucy was found by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray on November 24, 1974, at the site of Hadar in Ethiopia.

Chauvet Cave Paintings (France)

1994

The Chauvet Cave Paintings were discovered in the Ardèche valley (in southern France) on December 1994 by three cave explorers.

Nelson Mandela elected as President (South Africa)

1994

The African National Congress won 62% of the votes in the election, and Mandela, as leader of the ANC, was inaugurated on May 10, 1994 as the country's first black President.

Start of Second Liberian Civil War (Liberia)

Apr 21, 1999

The Second Liberian Civil War began on April 21, 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, emerged in northern Liberia.

Birth of Ana Ramos (NYC)

Jun 4, 2003

I, Ana Ramos, was born in New York City on June 4, 2003.

End of Second Liberian Civil War (Liberia)

Aug 18, 2003

The Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed by the warring parties on August 18, 2003 marking the political end of the conflict and beginning of the country's transition to democracy under the National Transitional Government of Liberia which was led by interim President Gyude Bryant until the Liberian general election of 2005.

Arab Spring (Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen)

Dec 18, 2010

The Arab Spring also referred to as Arab Revolutions was a revolutionary wave of both violent and non-violent demonstrations, protests, riots, coups, foreign interventions, and civil wars in North Africa and the Middle East that began on 18 December 2010 in Tunisia with the Tunisian Revolution.

Myanmar’s Rohingya Crisis (Myanmar/Burma)

2012

In May 2012, the rape and murder of a Buddhist prompted a series of revenge attacks against Muslims. The violence quickly intensified. The military began a wide-ranging crackdown, and hundreds of thousands fled.

Belt and Road Initiative (China)

2013

When Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Astana, Kazakhstan and Southeast Asia in September and October 2013, he raised the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

Filial Piety Laws (China)

Jul 1, 2013

A new national statute took effect July 1, 2013 mandating that family members attend to the spiritual needs of the elderly and visit them "often" if they live apart.

Mohammed bin Salman named first in line to throne (Saudi Arabia)

Jun 21, 2017

MBS was appointed Crown Prince on June 21, 2017 following his fathers' decision to remove Muhammad bin Nayef from all positions, making Mohammad bin Salman heir apparent to the throne.

Kalashnikov Monument (Moscow)

Sep 19, 2017

A monument to engineer Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle, also known as the Kalashnikov rifle, was unveiled in central Moscow on September 19, 2017.