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3100 BCE
Hieroglyphics are invented
Northern and Southern Egypt unite. They come together to create a form of writing known as Hieroglyphics. They are led by Menes (Ancient Egypt Timeline: From the Pre-Dynastic to the Late Periods). -
2500 BCE
Pyramids of Giza
The Egyptians created the great pyramids of Giza. They were built as massive burials for their pharaohs. The pyramids were built on the backs of slaves, usually obtained through war (Ancient Egypt Timeline: From the Pre-Dynastic to the Late Periods). -
2000 BCE
North and South Split
Someone creates the "Book of the Dead" which sparks rebellion. This rebellion of the commoners against the Pharaohs caused Northern and Southern Egypt to split. This divide caused lots of conflict within the Egyptian society (Ancient Egypt Timeline: From the Pre-Dynastic to the Late Periods). -
753 BCE
Rome Founded
The city of Rome is founded. Legend has it that the twin sons of Mars named Romulus and Remus founded the city. Romulus killed Remus over a disagreement on the location of the city and Romulus became ruler of Rome and named the city after himself. Rome was ruled by kings for the next 240 years. -
600 BCE
The Invasion of Egypt
The Persians invade Egypt. The Pharaohs had raided major cities and taken resources from them, making it difficult for these cities to defend themselves. The Persians saw this and took advantage of the vulnerability and took most of Egypt. -
509 BCE
Roman Republic
Rome becomes a republic. The last king is overthrown and Rome is now ruled by elected officials called senators. There is a constitution with laws and a complex republican government. -
332 BCE
The Fall of Egypt
Alexander the Great moved in on the weakened Egypt. He aligned himself with Cleopatra and merged into the Egyptian culture. Cleopatra became the final Egyptian Pharaoh. -
45 BCE
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar becomes the first dictator of Rome. He made his famous Crossing of the Rubicon and defeated Pompey in a civil war to become the supreme ruler of Rome. This was the end of the Roman Republic. -
306
Christianity
Constantine becomes Emperor of Rome. He would convert Rome to Christianity and Rome would become a Christian empire. Prior to this Rome persecuted the Christians. -
476
The Fall of Rome
The end of the Western Roman Empire and the fall of Ancient Rome. The last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus is defeated by the German Goth Odoacer. This signals the start of the Dark Ages in Europe. -
541
The Plague of Justinian
A major pandemic that struck the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. It caused the estimated deaths of 25 million people. It continued to sweep through the area for the next 255 years. -
563
Development of Christianity
The Irish missionary Columba and 12 companions set up a monastery on the Isle of Iona. This event marks an important point in the development of Christianity in the British Isles. It also developed the rise of monasticism in Western Europe. -
618
Tang Dynasty
Li Yuan leads a rebellion against the Sui Dynasty in China and becomes the first emperor of the Tang. His descendants would rule China for nearly 300 years. This became an era that was noted for its prosperity and stability, and a high point in Chinese civilization. -
651
Islam Conquers Persia
After about 20 years of warfare, the Sassanian Empire collapses. This allowed the Islamic culture to take control of most its territory. This is one of the most important events in the expansion of Islam. -
919
Gunpowder
The Battle of Langshan Jiang was a naval conflict where gunpowder was used as a flamethrower. It proved to be very effective. It would mark the beginning of this technology in warfare. -
1347
The Black Death
The black death ravaged Europe, killing millions of people. Ironically, so much death led to a stronger economy. It also opened up more job opportunities for the poor to make a living. -
1454
Gutenberg Bible
Johannes Gutenberg published the Gutenberg Bible. He used a new printing press technology that would revolutionize European literacy. The book is famous for its artistic qualities as well as its historic significance. -
1485
Rebuilding Kremlin
Italian master architects traveled to Russia to aid in the rebuilding of the Kremlin in Moscow. The Kremlin's Dormition Cathedral was built by Bolognese architect Aristotel Fioravanti. This helped to spread the idea of unification of nations through the arts. -
Oct 31, 1517
95 Theses
Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. These theses supported the indulgence system, authority, and the existence of purgatory. Yet, it was the spark that led to the flames of revolution. -
1520
The Three Treatises
Martin Luther wrote three treatises to the German people. They included "Appeal to the German Nobility", "The Babylonian Captivity of the Church", and "The Freedom of the Christian." They all served as an urgent call for the reformation of the church, influencing the Protestant movement in Germany. -
1525
Battle of Pavia
The Battle of Pavia took place between France and the Holy Roman Empire. This ended French claims on Italy. The forces of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V then sacked Rome. -
1534
An Act of Supremecy
Henry VIII created his own church with him at the head. His institution of the Church of England was the beginning of a long and checkered history of Reformation in England. This "new" idea of religion only created more religious tension throughout the reformation. -
1555
The Peace of Augsburg
The peace of Augsburg temporarily eased the tensions arising from the Reformation. It allowed the legal co-existence of Protestants and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire. Charles V then abdicated the Spanish throne in 1556, and Philip II took over, which eventually led to the Golden Age of the Renaissance with the rule of Elizabeth I. -
1572
St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Several Catholics turned towards the violent extermination of the Huguenots in their area. The Catholic mob violence against the Huguenots that lasted for several months claimed the lives of thousands of French Protestants. This event was a turning point in the French Wars of Religion, as it radicalized the Huguenot movement. -
1573
Tycho Brahe’s "On The New Star"
Brahe was the official imperial astronomer in Prague in his time. He studied the paths of planets and other stars in our solar system. His discoveries destroyed previous understandings of stars and other celestial bodies. -
The Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in the nation, which was still considered essentially Catholic at the time.This event was one of the most hopeful signs that the Reformation would eventually end with different religious groups existing peacefully. This act of tolerance formed the basis for the modern-day idea of freedom of religion. -
Scientific Method
Francis Bacon started a revolution in the way experiments were conducted and scientific data was gathered. He used the ideas of observation and reasoning to support discoveries. This would become known as the Scientific Method, and is used today as the basis for any scientifically accepted experiment. -
Galileo’s "Dialogue Concerning The Two Chief World Systems"
Galileo's ideas, while controversial, spread across many fields of science. They were all revolutionary in a time where far too many were blinded by religious belief. He is most well known for his unwavering support of the Heliocentric Theory. -
Boyle's Law
Best known for Boyle's Law , Robert Boyle made breakthroughs in the field of chemistry and was a pioneer in using the Scientific Method. Boyle's Law described the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas. It stated that the pressure and gaseous volume had an inverse relationship. -
Isaac Newton
Newton is most famous for his three laws of motion and defining the Law of Universal Gravitation. Among his other work is building a refracting telescope of his own design. He also worked on developing a complex color theory based on observing light interacting with a prism. -
First Steam Engine
Thomas Newcomen created the first steam powered engine. It was originally used to pump water out of mines. It was the first external combustion engine to use a piston. -
Battle of Plassey
India was becoming a national powerhouse. They produced thousands of pieces of cloth from their cotton production. Britain took control at the Battle of Plassey which started the 100 year British occupation of India. -
Spinning Jenny
The Spinning Jenny was a multi spindle spinning frame invented by James Hargreaves. It was one of the first inventions of the First Industrial Revolution in Britain. It powered its cotton textile industry. The Jenny initially had 8 spindles doing the work of 8 workers at a time. -
Estates General
King Louis XVI called a meeting of the three estate generals. These three represented the three social classes. At this meeting the common people pushed hard for more equal rights and fair taxation. -
Third Estate Revolt
The non-aristocratic members of the Third Estate represented 98% of the people. However they could still be outvoted by the other two bodies. Third Estate began to mobilize support for equal representation and tried to get rid of the noble veto. -
Tennis Court Oath
By the time the Estates-General convened at Versailles, the debate over its voting process had transformed into hostility between the three orders. The result was the king locking the third estate out of the meeting. They then convened on a tennis court and made an oath to fight for the common peoples rights. -
Declaration
The document stated the Estates intentions to replace the ancien régime. This new System would be based on equal opportunity, freedom of speech, popular sovereignty and representative government. Creating a formal constitution proved to be a greater challenge for the Third Estate than they expected. -
Cotton GIn
The mechanization of spinning in England had created a vast market for raw cotton, a plant that was not native to Britain. The cotton gin pulled the cotton through a set of wire teeth mounted on a revolving cylinder. The cotton gin made the cotton industry in America sky rocket. -
Telegraph
The first commercial telegraph was built in by Friedrich Gauss and Wilhelm Weber. William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone managed to create the multi wire telegraph in 1837. The Whig Party’s nomination of Henry Clay for U.S. President was telegraphed from the party’s convention in Baltimore to the Capitol Building in Washington. The line was officially opened as Morse successfully sent the verse “What hath God wrought!“ in Morse code from Washington to Alfred Vail in Baltimore. -
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxers called themselves "I Ho Ch'uan," and their goal was the removal of foreign influence from China. The Boxers entered Peking and merged with the Imperial Army which declared war on all foreigners. The army, together with the Boxers, laid siege to the foreign legations in Peking. The European nations sent a force of 10,000 men, in an attempt to lift the siege. The force took 52 days to fight its way to Peking. -
Russia Mobilizes
Russia mobilizes its vast army to intervene against Austria-Hungary in favor of its ally, Serbia. This move starts a chain reaction that leads to the mobilization of the rest of the European Great Powers. This action led to the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. -
Germans Fire
The Germans fire shells filled with chlorine gas at Allied lines. This is the first time that large amounts of gas are used in battle, and the result is the near-collapse of the French lines. However, the Germans are unable to take advantage of the breach. -
Limiting Submarines
Reacting to international outrage at the sinking of the Lusitania and other neutral passenger lines, Kaiser Wilhelm suspends unrestricted submarine warfare. This is an attempt to keep the United States out of the war. However it severely hampers German efforts to prevent American supplies from reaching France and Britain. -
First Tanks
The British employ the first tanks ever used in battle. They were very useful at breaking through barbed wire and clearing a path for the infantry. However, tanks are still primitive and they fail to be a decisive weapon. -
Russia-German Peace
The Germans sign a peace treaty with the new Bolshevik government of Russia. The terms of the treaty give Germany huge tracts of land that had been the Ukraine and Poland. The peace on the Eastern Front allows Germany to shift soldiers to the Western Front, causing serious problems for the French, British, and Americans. -
Treaty of Lausanne
Turkey attempted, and failed, to take control of Greece. After the campaign they signed a peace treaty with the allies. Under this treaty, Turkey gave up all claim to non-Turkish territories lost in the course of World War I. However, they were given back Eastern Thrace. -
Japanese Revolt
An uprising was staged by young Japanese military officers . They managed to assassinate Japanese finance minister Takahasi Korekiyo. The officers held Tokyo for three days, but the rebellion was ultimately put down and seventeen of the rebel leaders were sentenced to death. -
USSR & China
Mao Tse-Tung signed a 30-year Treaty with the Soviet Union. The treaty agreed upon alliance and mutual assistance. It also included economic agreements followed. -
Reign of Terror
Following the king’s execution, conflict with various European powers and intense divisions within the National Convention ensued. The French Revolution into its most violent phase. The reign of terror was a period of time where the common people imprisoned many noblemen and executed many more. -
Illegal Congress
The British government declared the Congress Party illegal. This resulted in them arrested Gandhi, again. The government then took extremely defensive measures to crush the protests that followed.
