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3000 BCE
The First Use of Bow and Arrow by Humans
The bow and arrow wielded even greater distance than the spear. It also had much greater speed, was deadlier, and easier to carry. -
3000 BCE
The Domestication of Horses
Horses in warfare held greater speeds in covering ground, as well as efficiency and reliability. Their common availability also made them easier to find and tame. -
2700 BCE
The Invention of the Longbow
The longbow is used for quicker shooting. It is also lighter and quieter, although it's less accurate. -
Period: 1194 BCE to 1184 BCE
The Trojan War
The Trojan War, famous for its prominence in Homer's Iliad, was fought between Troy and Sparta. The war was primarily fought when Paris of Troy took Helen, the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. One of the most famous stories of the Trojan War is that of the Trojan Horse. -
Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE
The Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was fought between the Delian League, led by Athens, and the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta. The war began when Athens was beginning to be seen as a major power in Greece and began causing friction with Sparta. -
300 BCE
The Development of the Trebuchet
The trebuchet wielding range and distance far greater than any weapon developed at the time. It was also able to hurl humongous objects at the enemy. -
Period: 264 BCE to 146 BCE
The Punic Wars
The Punic Wars were fought between Rome and Carthage. The Punic Wars were primarily fought when Rome wanted to expand their empire via Sicily, which was partially ruled by Carthage. Rome was able to conquer Carthage, although Carthage had a far superior naval fleet. -
800
The Invention of Gunpowder
Gunpowder opened the door to much more powerful weapons. Gunpowder is used in making firearms and explosives. -
Period: 1095 to 1492
The Crusades
The Crusades were fought between the Latins and Muslims. The Crusades were primarily fought in an attempt to recover the Holy Land from Muslim rule, although every attempt resulted in defeat. Some of the Crusades were also fought because of the suppression of paganism and heresy. -
1200
The Development of the Handcannon
The handcannon held greater firepower than other weapons at the time. It shot at greater speeds and distances than the bow and arrow. -
Period: 1337 to 1453
One Hundred Years War
The One Hundred Years War was fought between the English House of Plantagenet and the French House of Valois. The One Hundred Years War was fought over disputes about who would rule France. -
1470
The Development of the Matchlock Gun
The matchlock gun allowed for greater ammunition speed and accuracy. It was also easier for on person to use than other weapons. -
Period: Feb 1, 1519 to Aug 23, 1525
The Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire
The Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire was the of the biggest events that aided in the colonization of Mexico. The Spanish began their rule of Mexico at the fall of Tenochtitlan and established their capital, Mexico City. -
The Development of the Submarine
The submarine allows for stealthier naval warfare. Modern submarines can also be equipped with torpedoes and other explosives. -
Period: to
The Thirty Years War
The Thirty Years War was fought between the Anti-Habsburg states and allies, and the Habsburg states and allies. The Thirty Years War started as a religious war between Catholicism and Protestantism, before escalating into a war about the rivalry for European political power between France and the House of Habsburg. -
Period: to
English Civil War
The English Civil War was fought between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. The primary cause of the English Civil War stemmed from conflicts between King Charles I of Scotland and Parliament about an Irish insurrection. -
Period: to
The Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were fought between the French Empire, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, and various European powers. The reasons for the war stemmed from conflicts from the French Revolution. -
The Invention of the Revolver Handgun
The revolver was smaller and easier to carry and allowed for faster shooting. Being small, the revolver was also easier to hide. -
Period: to
The Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was fought between the Qing Dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom waged war seeking to convert the Chinese to their version of Christianity by upending the morals of China. -
The Invention of the Ironclad Warship
The ironclad warship was essentially a tank version of a boat. It had incredible armor and allowed it to get up close to the enemy. -
Period: to
The American Civil War
The American Civil War was fought between the northern and southern states of the U.S. The primary reason for the war was the controversy of slavery and racism. -
The Invention of the Machine Gun
The machine gun allowed for extensive rapidfire. Unlike the gatling gun, machine guns do not require a crank to fire. -
Period: to
The Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion was fought between the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious fists, and China. The rebels, labeled Boxers by westerners, began an uprising in northern China in an attempt to stop the influence of Western and Japanese culture in the area. -
Period: to
World War I
World War I was fought between the Allied Powers (France, British Empire, Russia, Serbia, Belgium, Montenegro, Japan, Italy, United States, Romania, Portugal, Hejaz, China, Greece, Siam, and others) and the Central Powers (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria). The war began with the assassination of Austrio-Hungrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Austrio-Hungrians and the Serbians went to war, and interlocking alliances with other nations led to a global war. -
The Invention of the Tank
The tank also had incredible armor and firepower. Although it is slow, it is incredibly difficult to destroy. -
Period: to
The Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was fought between Vladimir Lenin's Bolsheviks and the rebellions, known as the Whites. The Russian Civil War began because the Whites wanted to prove how weak the Bolsheviks were. -
Period: to
World War II
World War II was fought between the Allied Powers (Primarily United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and China) and the Axis Powers (Primarily Germany, Japan and Italy). The war began with the invasion of Poland by Germany and the attempted invasion of the rest of Europe. -
The First Use of the Atomic Bomb
The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945 in an attempt to end World War II. The bomb, dubbed "Little Boy," leveled roughly 5 square miles of Hiroshima. The atomic bomb has advanced warfare to terrifying new levels, and has the potential to wipe out cities and even small nations in an instant. -
Period: to
The Cold War
The Cold War was mainly "fought" between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Cold War was a result of conflicts stemming from World War II, as well as the United States wanting to get rid of Communism, and the looming threat of nuclear war. -
The Development of Anti-Satellite Missiles
The Development of Anti-Satellite Missiles began in the early 1950s. ASAT missiles can be used for destroying enemy satellites for different reasons. The satellites may be being used to uncover allied positions or relay information to the enemy. -
The Testing of the First Hydrogen Bomb
The hydrogen bomb is much more powerful than the atomic bomb. Nicknamed "Ivy Mike," the first hydrogen bomb detonation reached a maximum radius of 2.9 miles. -
Period: to
The Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was a mass slaughter of the Tutsi people in Rwanda by the Hutu in the midst of the Rwandan Civil War. Upwards of one million Rwandans were murdered after the Rwandan President, Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, died when his plane was shot down a single day before the massacre began. -
Period: to
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War was fought between nine different African nations, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Chad, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The Second Congo War mainly stemmed from disputes from the First Congo War, as well as escalating rebellions in various cities. -
The Development of the Mother of All Bombs (M.O.A.B.)
The Mother of All Bombs is the largest nonnuclear weapon in the history of warfare. It was first used in Afghanistan on April 13, 2017,
