World History

By Bookdragon01
  • 3966 BCE

    Creation

    The world is created.
  • 3500 BCE

    Mesopotamia and the Fertile Crescent

    Mesopotamia, meaning "The Land Between Two Rivers", was situated in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates River. The Fertile Crescent is a crescent shaped region extending from the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 1940 BCE

    The Sumerians

    Located in the southern region of Mesopotamia, Sumer is the earliest known civilization, who developed the first known form of writing, cuneiform.
  • Period: 3100 BCE to 30 BCE

    Ancient Egypt

  • Period: 3000 BCE to 220 BCE

    Yellow River Valley Civilization

    Located along the Huang He, or Yellow River, the civilization became the Chinese Dynasties.
  • Period: 2500 BCE to 1300 BCE

    Indus River Vally Civilization

    Located along the south-western part of the Indus River and the Ganges, it was one of the largest early civilizations. It was known as a subcontinent because it was separated from the rest of Asia by the Himalayan Mountains. It was also known as the Harappan Civilization.
  • 2310 BCE

    The Flood

    Every living thing except Noah and his family with two of every kind is destroyed in the flood.
  • 2310 BCE

    The Tower of Babel

    God creates languages to confuse the people in disobedience to Him.
  • 1990 BCE

    The Pyramids First Appear

  • 1950 BCE

    Decline of the Sumerians Begins

    The Elamites and the Amorites attack the Sumerians, beginning the decline of Sumer.
  • 1750 BCE

    Hammurabi's Code of Laws

    Hammurabi's Code, the first written set of laws, is written by King Hammurabi of the Amorites.
  • Period: 1700 BCE to 1000 BCE

    Bronze Age Greeks

    When the Mycenaeans lived on mainland Greece, and the Minoans on Crete. The Bronze Age Greeks heavily influenced the classical Greeks. It was during this time that the Trojan War was thought to have been fought. They were destroyed by a series of natural disasters, and their cities collapsed.
  • 1500 BCE

    The Olmecs

    The first complex society, a pre-Columbian civilization, to appear in Mesoamerica. Lived in the tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. Influenced later Mesoamerican societies. Known for their colossal stone heads and the first to develop a written language in the Americas.
  • 1206 BCE

    Genghis Khan Founds the Mongol Empire

    After making an alliance with a tribe to rescue his kidnapped wife, he united the five tribes of the Jin Dynasty to form the Mongol Empire.
  • 1194 BCE

    The Trojan War

    A war famously recorded by Homer to have taken place between the Mycenaeans and Troy. It lasted ten years, before the city was finally destroyed by Odysseus and the Greeks hiding in the Trojan horse somewhere around 1184 B.C.
  • Period: 1000 BCE to

    The Bantu Migration

    The Bantu people migrated from Congo or Niger Delta Basin for unknown reasons. The introduced things like crops, including millet and sorghum in the places they migrated to, and may have introduced iron smelting and iron tools.
  • Period: 1000 BCE to 500

    The Mayans

    Lived in the jungle of Mexico and Central America, in the Yucatan Peninsula. Most developed culture in ancient America, with pyramids and the development of an accurate calendar.
  • 753 BCE

    Rome is Founded

    Rome is said to have been founded on this day, and was celebrated in Roman culture. It was said to have been founded by the brothers Romulus and Remus, Romulus becoming the first king of Rome, which is named after him. Rome was built on seven hills, known as "the seven hills of Rome": Esquiline Hill, Palatine Hill, Aventine Hill, Capitoline Hill, Quirinal Hill, Viminal Hill, and Caelian Hill.
  • Period: 510 BCE to 323 BCE

    Golden Age Greece

    Also known as the Classical Period, it was a time of great culture and philosophy. Democracy was invented, and famous philosophers, like Socrates, and playwrights were present. Greece was divided into city-states, the most powerful being Athens and Sparta.
  • 509 BCE

    Monarchy Ends in Rome

    Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, seventh king of Rome, is overthrown, and Rome becomes a republic, res publica, "property of the people."
  • Period: 492 BCE to 449 BCE

    The Persian Wars

    A series of wars fought between Greece and Persia. It started with the Ionian Revolt, when Greek states under Persian control decided to rebel. The revolt failed in 494 B.C., but Darius continued to attempt an invasion of mainland Greece in 492. His fleet was destroyed, but in 490 a Persian army of 25,000 landed at the Plain of Marathon, and Athens fought unaided. They won, but Persia continued to attack under Xerxes. The Delian League was formed, and the Peace of Callias ended the war.
  • 478 BCE

    The Delian League is Formed

    A coalition of Greek city-states, excluding Sparta, head by Athens. Formalized at Delos, it became the Delian League. Its purpose was to liberate Greek states still under Persian control, but made Athens too powerful, thus causing the Peloponnesian War.
  • Period: 460 BCE to 446 BCE

    The First Peloponnesian War

    Fought with Sparta as the head of the Peloponnesian League, including Thebes, and Athens as the head of the Delian League, including Argos, the war was a series of minor conflicts and wars. It began at the Battle of Oenoe, with Athenian victory, and was followed by many battles. After Athens was defeated by the Persians in Egypt in 454, they entered a five year truce with Sparta. But war commenced again in 448 with the Second Sacred War. The war ended with the Thirty Year Peace treaty.
  • 446 BCE

    The Thirty Year Peace Begins

    A treaty signed between Athens and Sparta after the first Peloponnesian to war to stop a second. It only lasted 15 years, before the second Peloponnesian War in 431 started.
  • Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE

    The Second Peloponnesian War

    Fought between Athens, and Sparta and the Peloponnesian League, it was caused by growing resentment from Sparta towards the growing Athenian empire. The war was divided into three phases: The Archidamian War, The Sicilian War, and The Ionian War. It began on April 4, 431. In 430, Sparta started a 40 day siege of Athens, mainly Attica and the Aegean islands. The plague hit Athens, and the Peace of Nicias lasted six years. The war was finally ended by Sparta, who became the ruling city-state.
  • 338 BCE

    Philip ll of Macedon conquers Greece

  • Period: 336 BCE to 323 BCE

    Alexander the Great's Rule and Empire

    During his rule of Macedon, he conquered almost all of the known world, from Greece to far northwestern India. His empire brought in the Hellenistic Period.
  • Period: 264 BCE to 241 BCE

    The First Punic War

    Rome and Carthage went to war over Sicily. It was mainly a naval war, but Rome's army was loyal, and they copied Carthage's chips. They won the victory.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 206 BCE

    Qin Dynasty

    The Qin, or Ch'in Dynasty, built the Great Wall of China. The emperor, Qin Shi Huang, is also known for the famous terracotta army in his tomb.
  • Period: 218 BCE to 201 BCE

    Second Punic War

    Carthage invaded Rome led by Hannibal from the north, and destroyed most of Italy. But Rome sent troops to attack Carthage, making Hannibal send troops back to defend their home. This caused Rome's victory.
  • Period: 206 BCE to 220

    Han Dynasty

    Opened trade along the Silk Road. The Han Dynasty replaced the Qin Dynasty, creating the second imperial dynasty, and was known as a golden age in China.
  • Period: 149 BCE to 146 BCE

    Third Punic War

    Rome attacked Carthage with an extended siege, and won the war.
  • 45 BCE

    Julius Caesar Becomes Dictator of Rome

    His invasion of Italy ignited a civil war from which he emerged dictator. He adopted the 365 day calendar, and made many laws helpful to the poor Romans.
  • 44 BCE

    Julius Caesar is Assassinated

    He was killed by his enemies, led by Marcus Junius Brutus, and Gaius Cassius.
  • 27 BCE

    Augustus Becomes First Emperor of Rome

    Octavian, sole leader of Rome, assumes title Augustus, ushering in pax Romana, two centuries of peace and prosperity. He created a single currency, the denarius, for Rome, built aqueducts, and built roads and structures from concrete so they might last for centuries, and made a civil service where anyone could apply to work in a government/political position.
  • Period: 27 BCE to 68

    Augustus Dynasty

    Began with Octavian, and continued with Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. It finally ended with Nero.
  • Period: 300 to 1100

    Ghana Empire

    West African empire that grew rich from trans-Saharan trade in gold and salt. Became a vassal to the Mali Empire in the 13th century.
  • 324

    Constantine becomes the sole emperor of Rome

    After civil war and finally defeating Licinius at the battle of Chrysopolis on September 18, Constantine became the sole emperor of Rome.
  • 324

    Rome's Capital is Moved to Byzantium

    Constantine moved the Roman capital to Byzantium, renamed Constantinople.
  • 325

    Constantine Makes Christianity Sole Religion of Rome

    Christianity was made the sole religion of the Roman Empire at the Council of Nicaea, although he had already declared it acceptable and freedom of religion in 313 A.D.
  • Period: 330 to May 29, 1453

    The Byzantine Empire

    The eastern half of the Roman Empire that last almost a thousand years after the fall of Rome. Preserved Greco-Roman heritage. Helped spark the Italian Renaissance. Eventually fell to the Ottoman Turks. It was sacked in the 4th Crusade in 1204.
  • Period: 455 to 455

    The sack of Rome

    The third of four sacks in ancient Rome, the Vandals sack destroyed the glory and fame of old Rome. It was caused by a disagreement that arose after Eudoxia, widow to Valentenian lll, who had made a peace treaty with Genseric, leader of the Vandals, called upon them to avenge her husband who was rumored to have been murdered by Maxim, his successor. The Vandals were met at the gate by Pope Leo l, who begged them not to burn Rome. The Vandals agreed, and Rome was saved from arson, but looted.
  • 476

    The Fall of Rome

    Many things caused the fall of Rome. Rome had begun to hire Germanic mercenaries, who were the ones invading Rome, instead of loyal soldiers. The people were no longer patriotic, and political rulers no longer revered. The empire of Rome had also been split into the western and eastern empires, with Constantinople as the capital of Constantine's "New Rome." The west began to fail economically, then leading to inflation. The fall of Rome was actually the west, the east being the Byzantine Empire.
  • 481

    Clovis becomes King of the Franks

    At the age of just 15, Clovis became the first Frankish king. He established the Merovingian Dynasty, which lasted 200 years. Seen as the last pagan king, Clovis converted to Christianity, and was a strong ally to the Byzantine empire. He was a king of the small land of Flounders, and conquered from Aquitaine to the Rhine and the English Channel. He is considered the founder of modern-day France, his name even derived into Louis, which became the royal name of 18 kings.
  • Period: 500 to 1400

    Middle Ages

    Also known as the Dark Ages in western Europe. Coincided with the Golden Age of Islam
  • Period: 500 to 1500

    Swahili City-States

    Trading coasts on the east coast of Africa. They traded with Asia and the Mediterranean. After the Portuguese arrived in 1498, and decided to conquer to conquer for Christianity in 1503, Swahili never gained its trading prowess again, even after the Portuguese were defeated in 1729 after Swahili received support from the Imam of Oman.
  • Period: 500 to 1000

    The Dark Ages

    A time in Europe of war and pillaging, with threats of Viking and Germanic invasions. Filled with violence, learning and education were almost nonexistent, and the art of writing disappeared.
  • 570

    Muhammed is born

    Muhammed, the prophet and founder of Islam, was born in the trading town of Mecca, now Saudi Arabia.
  • 610

    Islam Begins

    Muhammad professes to have received divine revelations from the angel Gabriel in the town of Mecca, Arabia that later become the Quran.
  • 632

    The Muslim Conquest Begins

    Launched from the town of Medina
  • 732

    The Battle of Poitiers

    Stopped the advance of the Muslims.
  • Oct 10, 732

    The Battle of Tours

    Under command of Charles Martel, the Franks routed the Umayyad Muslims at the Battle of Tours, slowing their advance into Western Europe. The Muslim leader, and the governor of Cordoba, Abd-ar-Rahman, was killed, and the Frankish victory ensure the rule of Martel's family, the Carolingians, which gave way to Charlemagne. This establishment of the Carolingian dynasty and Frankish power shaped Western Europe.
  • Period: 750 to 1258

    The Golden Age of Islam

    Came about under the Abbasid caliphate. The House of Wisdom was founded in this age. Ended with the Mongol invasion and the Siege of Baghdad.
  • Dec 25, 800

    Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor

    Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo lll, who in doing do rejected the authority of the Empress Irene of Constantinople. This eventually led to war, and the Great Schism of 1054 between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Charlemagne was the first recognized emperor to rule Western Europe, uniting most of it, since the Roman empire, and became known as the "Father of Europe." His reign brought the Carolingian Renaissance, and the Carolingian Empire.
  • 896

    King Alfred defeats the Danes

    After decades of war and the threat of invasions, King Alfred of England defeated the Danish invaders. The Danish Vikings and Angle-Saxons had been at war for years, but Alfred found a way of obstructing the River Thames so their ships couldn't leave. The Vikings retreated, and Wessex was saved. Alfred was given the epithet "the Great," the only English king to be honored with that title.
  • 988

    Christianity reaches Russia

    Although Christianity had already reached Russia, Vladimir made Christianity the sole religion of Russia, and was baptized along with the whole population. He did this to unite all the Slavic states, and to ensure connections with the Byzantine empire, the mightiest state in Europe and Asia at that time.
  • Period: 1000 to 1500

    The High Middle Ages

    England and Europe once again began to prosper, and learning and writing cam back into existence.
  • 1054

    The Great Schism

    The split between the Greek speaking Eastern Byzantine church, and the Latin speaking Western church, leading to the development of the modern-day Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
  • Oct 14, 1066

    The Battle of Hastings

    William the Conqueror of Normandy defeated and killed King Harold of England, bringing England under Norman control. After Edward the Confessor died, Harold was made king, but William claimed Edward had named him his successor, and that Harold had agreed, leading to the battle. William's conquering of England changed the country's history, bringing Feudalism and the construction of castles, mottes, and keeps.
  • 1200

    Mali Empire

    Famous for Sundiata "the Lion King," and his grandson, Mansa Musa, who made the pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-1325.
  • Period: 1206 to 1368

    The Mongol Empire

    The second largest empire in history, behind only the British Empire.
  • Jun 15, 1215

    The Magna Carta is signed

    A charter of rights for the barons, King John signed the document at Runnymede when he was threatened with civil war. The charter put him under law, and all future monarchs.
  • 1258

    The Mongols Conquer Baghdad

    They overthrow the House of Wisdom.
  • Period: 1271 to 1368

    The Yuan Dynasty

    Established by Kublai Khan.
  • Period: 1295 to

    Age of Discovery

    Began in 1295 with the return of Marco Polo, and resulted in the discovery of the New World by Columbus and other explorers, and the trade between the old world and the new called the Columbian Exchange.
  • Period: 1299 to

    The Ottoman Empire

    Ended the Byzantine Empire. It ended after World War l, and Turkey was declared a republic on October 29, 1923.
  • Period: 1299 to

    The Ottoman Empire

    One of the three Gunpowder Empires, it was the longest lasting and consisted of Northern Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe. and the Balkan Peninsula. Founded by Osman Bay, it grew under Selim l and Suleiman the Magnificent. They controlled the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, making the sultan a Caliph, and tying their name to Islam. In 1453, under Mehmed ll, they captured Constantinople, spurring on the Renaissance, western exploration, and marking the end of the medieval era.
  • Period: 1300 to 1521

    The Aztecs

    A wandering Native American tribe belonging to a larger group called the Nahua who migrated to Central America. Their capital was Tenochtitlan, which was founded in 1325 and built on top of Lake Texcoco, modern day Mexico City. Were a conquering people, who made their conquests pay tribute. Were known for their human sacrifices. Conquered by the Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1521. Invented popcorn, chocolate, and chewing gum, and floating gardens called chinampas to feed the empire.
  • Period: 1300 to

    The Renaissance

    Meaning "Rebirth," this was a time of learning and discovery. Based on the old Greco-Roman texts and philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, the era began in the city-states of Italy, with Florence as the capital. The philosophy of humanism, was developed, the idea of human values. A revival of the arts ensued, and artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo emerged, with inventions and discoveries such as the telescope, and Newton's three laws of motion came about.
  • Period: 1337 to 1453

    The Hundred Years War

    Fought between France and England, the war lasted 116 years. The war began after Edward lll asserted his claim to the French throne as the grandson of Philip the Fair. The land of Aquitaine was another cause, as it belonged to England, but was a fief of the French. All of the battle were fought on French soil, with hiatuses and breaks in between battles. Joan of Arc turned the tide after she routed the English at Orleans. The English lost, and siege warfare was changed forever.
  • Period: 1347 to 1351

    The Black Death

    Originally in Central Asia, it spread along the Silk Road, and this terrible disease was brought to Europe by black rats and fleas after a ship from Crimea reached Sicily. The plague quickly spread, killing 30-60% of the population, about 75-200 million people.
  • Period: 1375 to

    The Songhai Empire

    The largest and last of the three major pre-colonial empires in West Africa. Fell after civil war left them vulnerable to Morocco.
  • Period: 1434 to

    The Medici Family

    Ruler of Florence, the Medici dynasty was a great patron and supporter of the arts in Florence. They came to power through banking and commerce, with Cosimo the Elder becoming the first political leader. They supported artists such as Leonardo de Vinci and Michelangelo, greatly assisting in the Renaissance.
  • Period: 1438 to 1533

    The Incas

    A conquering people who created a vast empire along the Pacific Coast of South America in the Andes Mountain range. Known for their temples, such as Machu Picchu, and large amounts of gold which drew the Spanish. Invented dried food and terrace farming, and had a road system across the mountains with suspension bridges. Conquered by Francisco Pizarro in 1572.
  • 1445

    The Printing Press is Invented

    Johann Gutenberg, a German inventor, created the printing press, one of the most important inventions in all of human history. Invented during the Renaissances, this invention allowed books to be mass produced, and therefore education spread quickly, greatly assisting the spread of the Renaissance and the Reformation. The press also caused relatable trades to thrive. Music was able to be printed, and humanism was spread.
  • May 29, 1453

    The Fall of Constantinople

    The Ottoman Turks, led by the Sultan Mehmet ll, destroy Constantinople, bringing an end to the Byzantine Empire.
  • 1488

    Bartholomeu Dias Sails around the Cape of Good Hope

    The first European to sail around the tip of Africa, Dias' discovery led to the opening of a trade route between Europe and Asia.
  • 1492

    Columbus Discovers the New World

    Although he thought it was Asia, Columbus discovered the new world while trying to find a route to the East from the West. Many other explorers, such Amerigo Vespucci, would explore America and discover that it was actually a completely different continent.
  • 1497

    Vasco de Gama Sails to India

    Vasco de Gama was the first person to sail from western Europe around the tip of Africa through the Indian Ocean to South East Asia. His discovery opened a trade route between Europe and Asia, making Portugal wealthy through their trade, and he returned from his voyage in 1499.
  • Period: 1500 to

    Age of Absolute Monarchs

    A time when monarchs were not held in check, and felt they had absolute authority, such as the Divine Right of Kings. Many changes took place in Europe, and conflicts arose, especially between the Catholics and the Protestants.
  • 1501

    Amerigo Vespucci Lands in the New World

    Vespucci was the first to recognize that the New World was not Asia, but a separate continent after traveling to Brazil, leading to the New World being named America, the feminized form of Amerigo, after him.
  • Period: 1501 to

    The Safavid Empire

    Established Shia Islam as the state religion of Iran.
  • Period: 1501 to

    The Safavid Empire

    Consisted of Persia and modern-day Iran, it was founded by Shah Ismail l and was a Shiite theocracy. Feared rivals of the Sunni Ottomans, the Safavids forcefully converted Sunni Iran to Shiite Islam. They were tolerant, however, of Christians, making them highly respected by Europeans, and learned greatly from European technology, using horses in their military. The empire reached its height under Shah Abbas, when the empire was expanded and solidified, and the capital of Isfahan developed.
  • 1513

    Vasco Nunez Discovers the Pacific

    Vasco Nunez de Balboa was the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean. Hid discovery led to the later exploration of Spanish Conquistadors along the west coast of South America.
  • Period: 1517 to 1555

    The Protestant Reformation

    Started by German monk Martin Luther, it began when he nailed his famous 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, calling for a Reformation in the Catholic Church. What emerged was a religious revolution that resulted in the breaking off of Protestants from the Catholic church, forming their own dominations, and names like John Calvin and John Knox.
  • 1519

    Ferdinand Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe

    Magellan's three year voyage, which he did not survive, was the first complete circumnavigation of the globe. He navigated the Magellan Strait into the Pacific Ocean, naming it such for its still waters after coming through the Strait, and sailed into the Philippines where he was killed fighting for the natives in their war. Only one ship, the Victoria, made it back to Spain on September 6, 1522. The crew also discovered the Magellanic penguin and the two galaxies closest to earth.
  • 1521

    Diet of Worms

    Martin Luther was summoned to this council in response to his nailing of the 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, where he was commanded to denounce them . When he refused, he was excommunicated and labeled a traitor, causing him to seek shelter with Friedrich, the elector of Saxony, where he translated the Bible into German.
  • 1521

    Hernan Cortes Conquers the Aztecs

    Hernan Cortes defeated the Aztecs by laying siege to the capital city of Tenochtitlan with the help of other tribes who disliked the Aztecs, claiming Mexico for Spain. This led to a massacre and the destruction of on the most complex civilizations in the world. at that time.
  • 1524

    Giovanni de Verrazano Explores North America

    Verrazano explored up the east coast of North America, all the way up to New York and into Nova Scotia, affirming that America was not a part of Europe or Asia, but its own continent.
  • Period: 1526 to

    The Mughal Empire

    The empire was founded by Babur after he lead an invasion of India from Central Asia through Afghanistan. The Delhi sultanate was overthrown when Lodi was defeated at Paniput. Under Akbar, the empire was expanded to include northern India. While Hindus were largely protected, under Aurangzeb strict Muslim laws were enforced.
  • 1533

    Francisco Pizarro Conquers the Incas

    Pizarro defeated the Incas by taking advantage of the civil war and smallpox epidemic that had been ravaging the people. He took one of the kings, Atahuapla, captive for ransom, and then had him executed. He then conquered Cuzco, and founded Lima. Pizarro was later assassinated after having his partner Diego de Almagro killed. The last Inca stronghold was not defeated until 1572.
  • 1534

    The Act of Supremacy

    This established King Henry the Vlll of England as head of the Church of England which broke off from the Catholic Church. King Henry did this in response to Pope Clement Vll's refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could remarry and produce a male heir. Henry was excommunicated for this, and the King began the dissolution of all convents and and monasteries in England. This was the start of the English Reformation.
  • 1534

    Jacques Cartier Discovers Canada

    French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered Canada, claiming it for France, and named it after the Iriquois word for settlement. He sailed up the St. Lawrence River and traveled through Quebec and Montreal.
  • 1540

    The Jesuits are Formed

    A group of devout Catholic monks, the order was established by Ignatius Loyola in Spain to defend Catholicism and the pope. Their goal was to set up schools that taught Catholicism, spread Catholicism to the world, and stop the spread of Protestantism. They were licensed by Pope Paul lll as the Society of Jesus.
  • 1540

    Francisco Vazquez Discovers the Southwest of America

    Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was the first European to discover the southwest of America. He explored the Grand Canyon and introduced Europeans to the natives of the southeast. He traveled farther inland than any other explorer of the New World in search of the Seven Golden Cities. The expedition lasted until 1542.
  • Period: 1543 to

    Scientific Revolution

    Predecessor to the Age of Enlightenment, it was a time when scientific ideas in Europe began to be used. It began with the publication of Copernicus' On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres, stating his belief in a heliocentric solar system rather than a geocentric one. Men like Galileo Galilei and Sir Isaac Newton, labeled heretics by the church, made many discoveries and inventions, like the thermometer and the telescope, and Sir Francis Bacon developed the scientific theory.
  • 1545

    The Council of Trent

    In responses to the Protestant Reformation, the pope, bishops, and cardinals met in the town of Trent to establish that the pope's interpretation of the Bible was final, Christians were saved by faith and works, the Bible and church tradition should steer a believer's life, and that the selling of indulgences would be banned. Part of the Counter-Reformation against Protestantism.
  • 1559

    Index of Forbidden Books is Created

    The Index Librorum Prohibitorum was a list books that were critical to the Catholic Church, and henceforth burned and banned. This was a part of the Counter-Reformation.

  • Sir Walter Raleigh Explores the New World

    Sir Walter Raleigh was a British explorer who set up colonies in Roanoke and Chesapeake Bay, and named the state of Virginia after Queen Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen. The Roanoke settlement simply disappeared, with the only clue being Croatan, the name of a Native American tribe, carved into a tree. He was later behead on accusations of treason.
  • Period: to

    The Tokugawa Shogunate

    Established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after defeating Hideyori loyalists at the the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. After Hideyoshi died, he named his son Hideyori his successor, but the Daimyo Ieyasu took power. Ieyasu was named Shogun by the emperor in 1603. The government was established in Edo, present day Tokyo, and the Tokugawa Dynasty went on to last over 250 years. Ieyasu established trade with the English and the Dutch, and the peace of the Edo Period allowed the samurai to study in the arts.

  • Samuel de Champlain Founds Quebec

    Samuel de Champlain, another French explorer, mapped the first accurate coastal map of Canada, and founded colonies such as Quebec.
  • Period: to

    The Enlightenment

    Also known as the Age of Reason this was an intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe, preceded by the Scientific Revolution. It produced thinkers like Voltaire and John Locke, and discoveries like Sir Isaac Newton's law of gravity and three laws of motion. These men and women were often opposed by the church, named as heretics. But this movement resulted in the Age of Revolutions, and profoundly impacted the American Revolution and the formation of the United States of America.
  • Period: to

    English Civil War

    A war fought between the Protestant Parliamentarians, also known as roundheads, and the Catholic Royalists, also known as Cavaliers, resulting in the temporary Commonwealth of England and Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell and the re-establishment of Charles ll in a limited monarchy with more balance of power between the monarch and Parliament. The war was caused by the arrogance of King Charles l and his enforcement of Catholicism and taxes on the population.
  • Period: to

    Qing Dynasty

    The Qing Dynasty was ruled by the Manchus of Manchuria. They ruled the Chinese while keeping themselves separate, forbidding intermarriage with the Chinese, speaking their own language, and even living in their home land in certain parts of the year. The second Qing emperor, Kangxi, was one of the greatest and longest-reigning emperors. He learned from the Jesuits, introducing European technology and legalizing Christianity, and was a hard-working and benevolent ruler.

  • Robert de La Salle Discovers Louisiana

    Robert de La Salle was a French explorer who traveled down the Mississippi River, explored the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. He discovered Louisiana on April 7, 1682 and claimed it for France along with the entire Mississippi River Basin. He also founded Fort Miami and Fort St. Louis.
  • Period: to

    The Industrial Revolution

    Began in England and resulted in the development of urban cities and factories, inventions such as the steam engine, and a rise in capitalism. Machines began to replace manual labor, and society changed as economic classes were introduced.
  • Period: to

    American Revolution

    The formation of the United States of America, when a cluster of British colonies rebelled against the tyranny of Britain and won under leaders like George Washington. It began with the Stamp and Sugar Act, unfair taxations on American citizens. The battles for freedom began with the battle of Lexington and Concord, and ended with British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown. These men and women believed in the rights of people and their right to overthrow a government who tried to take them.

  • James Cook Discovers Hawaii

    James Cook, an English explorer, is famous for his explorations in the South Pacific Islands, where he discovered Hawaii and was killed by native tribes. He also was the first European to make contact with the east coast of Australia and circumnavigate New Zealand. He made detailed maps of his explorations, most notably Newfoundland.
  • Period: to

    The French Revolution

    Unhappy with Louis XVI and the monarchy, the 3rd estate sought to overthrow the monarchy, resulting in a period of political upheaval and death. Began with the storming of Bastille by the National Assembly, and saw the rise and fall of leaders like Maximillian Robespierre and Napolean Bonaparte. The Assembly made mnay reforms to the government, and wrote A Declaration of the Rights of Man, greatly influenced by the Declaration of Independence. Slogan was "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."
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    Reign of Terror

    A time of great fear when neighbor suspected neighbor, and people were executed for simply not supporting the revolution enough. Over 40,000 people were executed, many by guillotine. Led to the downfall of Robespierre.

  • Napolean Becomes Emperor of France

    Made absolute ruler of France, Napolean began to dominate the surrounding nations and made many reforms. His Napoleanic Codes gave equal rights to all, and reconciled the Catholic Church to his regime. He was finally at Waterloo, Belgium on June, 18 1815 and exiled to the island of Saint Helena, where he died on May 5, 1821.
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    Latin American Revolutions

    Resulting in the consolidation of Latin America, this time period saw the imperialist dominated European colonies of Latin America successfully throw off European control. It began with the revolution in St. Domingue by slaves led by Toussant L'Overture, who threw off European control and established the republic of Haiti. Other revolutions ensued, greatly influenced by the American Revolution, and especially the French Revolution's Declaration of the Equal Rights of Man.
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    Opium Wars

    Two wars fought between Britain and Japan, it resulted in two Chinese defeats and forced open trade along with the ceding of Hong Kong to Britain with the Treaty of Nanking. The first war began with Britain attempting to force open trade with China by selling opium to them. The Chinese begged them to stop, but they refused resulting in war. The second war was inevitable, began with the Arrow Incident and resulted in another Chinses defeat. Both wars ultimately led to the Taiping Rebellion.

  • The Revolutions of 1848

    As nationalism swept through Europe, it was one of the most widespread series of revolutions in the history of Europe. Most were repressed, but nationalism continued to grow, resulting in the unification of countries such Germany and Italy.
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    Taiping Rebellion

    A massive rebellion, one of the largest in history between the Hakka-led Taipings and the Qing Dynasty, caused by the decline of authority due to the Manchus failure as leaders and loss of the Opium Wars. The Qing's corruption and the Opium Wars, along with several natural disasters, led to the overtaxation of peasants, who turned to banditry. The unsafety in the countryside and failure of authorities to protect led to local self-defense groups and secret societies who inspired the rebellion.

  • The Treaty of Kanagaw

    Commodore Matthew Perry sailed on an expedition to Japan in 1853 to negotiate trade with Japan. After much peaceful negotiations, Japan reluctantly opened the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to the U.S. The treaty was signed at the Convention of Kanagawa by Perry and the Shogunate representatives of the Japanese government.

  • Treaty of Kanagawa

    After Commodore Matthew Perry of Britain visited Japan in July of 1853, he convinced the Japanese of his friendliness and offered proposals of trade. He returned for an answer in February of 1854, and the Treaty of Kanagawa. was signed, opening only the ports of Simoda and Hakodate. Strict boundaries were placed, including the forbidding of permanent residence save for a consul, due to the Japanese's caution of change. This resulted in the modernization of Japan under the Meiji Restoration.
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    Meiji Restoration

    After the rapid modernization of Japan, nationalism began to grow in citizens, and the feudal system was overthrown and the imperial system restored under Emperor Meiji. Japan grew to become an imperialist country and a major global superpower.

  • Sun Yat-Sen Establishes the Republic of China

    The leader of the Chinese republican revolution, Sun's Kuomintang Party helped overthrow the Manchu dynasty and unify China. He became president of the provisional government, but was deposed in a second revolution in 1913. He made an alliance with the Communists in order to reunify China, and was succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek after his death as head of the Nationalist Party.

  • Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

    Killed by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip while on a visit to Sarajevo with his wife Sophie, this event sparked the war. The killing of the Austro-Hungarian heir blew up tensions between the country and Serbia, angered after Austria-Hungary's recent annexation of Bosnia. An ultimatum was sent to Serbia so harsh it couldn't accepted, and war was declared.
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    World War I

    Started by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo by the Serbian nationalist and member of the Black Hand Gavrilo Princip, the war would ravage Europe and redraw geographical lines. The Great War resulted in the death of over 8 million soldiers, and many more civilians. The war did not resolve all conflicts, but the Treaty of Versailles forced on Germany would lead to the rise of Hitler and WWII. The war was characterized by trench warfare and was one of the worst in history.
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    The Battle of Verdun

    The longest and bloodiest battle of the Great War, it lasted for ten months in the heavily fortified French town of Verdun. The Germans aim was to not completely capture the city so more troops could be sent and picked off, draining France of manpower. The Germans lost, however, but the total casualties for both sides was about 600,000 men.
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    The Russian Revolution

    Beginning with the February Revolution when citizens and soldiers alike marched on Petrograd, forcing the czar to abdicate, two revolutions occurred. The Bolshevik Revolution occurred later that year, followed by the Russian Civil War. The war between the Red and White armies saw the Bolsheviks under Lenin emerge victorious, and the establishment of the Soviet Union, Russia becoming the first communist state.
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    Bolshevik Revolution

    In two days, the Bolshevik Party under Vladimir Lenin launched an effectively bloodless coup on the Provisional Government of Russia that had been established earlier that year after the February Revolution. The establishment of the Bolsheviks in power would start a Civil War, and a Soviet government was put into place by Lenin, who became dictator of Russia.

  • The Treaty of Versailles

    Forced on Germany at the end of the war on threat of invasion, the treaty recognized Germany as solely responsible for the war, and exacted unfair terms. It demanded enormous reparations, the ceding of territory, and a limited military force. The treaty was written up "The Big Three," France, Britain, and the United States, though it was largely pushed by Clemenceau and condemned by Wilson who pushed for the League of Nations and his Fourteen Points.

  • Ataturk Signs Treaty of Laussane

    Mustafa Kemal Ataturk signed the Treaty of Lausanne, establishing the Republic of Turkey and becoming its first president. He had also helped the Young Turks depose the sultan in 1908, and led the Turkish War of Independence. He rapidly westernized and industrialized Turkey, creating equal laws between sexes, adopting the Gregorian calendar, and urging the wearing of Western clothing. His modernization and secularization of the nation was seen by many as the decimation of their culture.

  • Mussolini Becomes Dictator of Italy

    Benito Mussolini announces himself "Head of the Government." He was the leader and founder of the National Fascist Party, and turned Italy into a de facto dictatorship. He was the creator of fascism and allied himself with Hitler in WWII. He and Hitler also both backed Francisco Franco and the Fascist Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. Mussolini's rise of fascism ultimately led to the outbreak of WWII in many ways as Germany became a fascist dictatorship as well under Hitler in the 1930's.

  • Joseph Stalin Becomes Dictator of Russia

    After the death of Lenin, Stalin became dictator of Russia, the beginning of a terrible and horrific time in history for Russia. At the beginning of his dictatorship, he implemented his Five Year Plan, a forced communist industrialization of the Soviet Union. Stalin harshly squashed any dissent or opposition, starting the Great Terror. An estimated 20 million people were killed in this time.
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    The Great Depression

    On Black Friday, the stock market crashed as 16 million stocks were shared. Investors were wiped out, and billions lost. It added to the global economic collapse and the deepest, longest economic crash in history ensued. Many lost their jobs, and the "Dust Bowl," a major drought in the Midwest and Great Plains, further worsened the economic problem. Roosevelt's New Deals were introduced, and the economy gradually returned in his administration and manufacturing in WWll.
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    Spanish Civil War

    Under Francisco Franco, the right Nationalists revolted against the leftist Republicans. The war was largely a struggle between Fascism and Communism. The coup had support troops sent by Hitler and Mussolini, and resulted with victory of Franco and the Nationalists. The Republicans had been supported by Russia, the U.S., France, and even Mexico. Spain became a dictatorship under Franco who ruled until his death in 1975.
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    The Rape of Nanking

    After Japanese forces invaded Shanghai, they laid siege to Nanking when Chiang Kai-shek refused surrender. The battle was over in a few days, and the forces began looting, burning, raping, and killing after the city fell. About 200,000 Chinese people were killed in the following six weeks. Some non-Chinese, including missionaries, established the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, hiding some Chinese. The atrocity is still a source of hatred between the countries today.

  • Hitler Invades Poland

    Hitler's invasion of Poland would be the start of the World War II, Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declaring war on Nazi Germany two day later.
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    World War II

    The world war that inevitably resulted from the first one, World War II began with the rise of Hitler in economically ruined Germany and ended in America on V-J Day with the surrender of Japan. This war ushered in the atomic age with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the horrific Holocaust, a mass genocide of Jews and others.

  • Pearl Harbor

    The Japanese bombings of Pearl Harbor brought America into the war, simultaneously starting the way in the Pacific, and turning the tide in the war as American troops began to relieve exhausted and demoralized British and French troops.

  • D-Day Invasion

    Codenamed Operation Overlord, the landing of Allied troops on the beaches of German-occupied Normandy, France was the greatest and most ambitious amphibious military assaults in history. Referred to as the beginning of the end of the war, the D-Day landings led to entire liberation of France just a month later and paved the way for Allied victory, the Nazis surrendering the following spring after Hitler's suicide.
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    The Battle of the Bulge

    The last major German offensive against the Western Front before their surrender, the battle was fought in the Ardennes region of Belgium and was the costliest battle fought by the U.S. Army with over 100,000 casualties. The Nazis failed in their goal to split the Allies, and instead pave the way for Allied victory.

  • V-E Day

    Victory in Europe Day marked the end of the long war for Europe after Nazi forces surrendered unconditionally to the Allies the day before.

  • Bombing of Hiroshima

    The United States drops and atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, instantly killing 80,000 people.

  • Bombing of Nagasaki

    After Japan's refusal to surrender after the bombing if Hiroshima, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on the city of Nagasaki. Emperor Hirohito of Japan announced unconditional surrender via a radio broadcast August 15.

  • V-J Day

    Victory in Japan Day marked the end the war for the United States, who after Nazi surrender had still been fighting Japanese forces in the Pacific. Japan surrendered unconditionally on August 14 after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They signed the surrender agreement one month later.

  • United Nations is Formed

    Formed after WWII, the international organization or governments has members all around the world. It was formed in an effort to maintain international peace and security.
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    The Cold War

    A time of rising tensions between two global superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, was a war between communism and capitalism in many ways as the U.S. sought to contain the spread of communism throughout the world. This war that was never declared as an all out way brought fear of a nuclear war and divided the country between the free West and communist East.
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    Korean War

    A war between Soviet backed North Korea and U.S. supported South Korea, the war was a marker of the battles fought in the Cold War. The first battle of the Cold War, it began when North Korean troops invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel. It resulted in the death of millions of soldiers and civilians on both sides, and Korea is still divided today.
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    Vietnam War

    The north once again backed by the communist Soviet Union and the south supported by U.S. aide, the war was one of the most costly and controversial of the Cold War, maybe even in U.S. history. Fighting both the communist north under Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Cong, communist guerrillas in the south, the unpopular way was finally ended when the U.S. decided to sign a peace treaty. After the removal of U.S. troops, however, the capital city of Saigon was overrun by the communists.
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    The Cuban Missile Crisis

    The closest the world has ever come to a nuclear war, this 13-day standoff between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev made the world hold its breath. It began after a U-2 spy plan discovered ballistic missiles in Cuba, an ally of the U.S.S.R. It ended with the Soviets agreeing to remove the missiles and the U.S. in turn promising not to attack Cuba after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. They also secretly agreed to remove their missiles from Turkey and Italy.

  • Margaret Thatcher Becomes Prime Minister

    Margaret Thatcher, known as the "Iron Lady" for her harshness against communism, was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and was the longest-serving Prime Minister of the UK in over a hundred years. She led her country through a recession and a war in the Balkans that boosted national pride.

  • The Fall of the Berlin Wall

    One of the greatest moments in German history, the Berlin Wall that had separated free West Germany from communist-occupied East Germany, fell. Called the Iron Curtain, it had long been a symbol of the divide between the West and the East, the wall cutting straight through the middle of Berlin. With its fall came the reunification of Germany and the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union and the Cold War