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4004 BCE
The Six Day Creation
"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" -Genesis 1.1, ESV
While it's uncertain what year exactly God created the world, genealogical evidence in Genesis suggests that around 4000 B.C. is a suitable time. -
Period: 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE
Indus River Valley
Hinduism and Buddhism find their origins here. There is no evidence of any wars, and technology was very sophisticated. -
2910 BCE
The Flood
"The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth..."
"For behold, [the LORD] will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you..." -Genesis 6:5, 17 -
Period: 2660 BCE to 671 BCE
Egypt
Egypt's 2,000-year dynasty was divided into five epochs: The Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, The Hyksos Rule, the New Kingdom, and the Late Period. The last Pharaoh, Cleopatra, killed herself and brought the Pharaonic dynasty to an end -
Period: 2310 BCE to 1950 BCE
Sumerians
After the Tower of Babel, different language groups formed the first real civilizations. The Sumerians were among the first of these. While supporting a polytheistic theocracy and a caste system, commoners had a decent amount of rights, including women. -
Period: 2100 BCE to 409
Dynastic China
Sixteen Dynasties over 2500 years. Notable dynasties include the Qin dynasty, which saw the Great Wall of China built, and the Han dynasty, which opened the Silk Road. -
Period: 2000 BCE to 300 BCE
Greece
The Greeks were an island nation composed of city-states. Their most iconic epoch was under the reign of Alexander the Great, during which they became a world power. After Alexander died, democracy ruled and Greece promptly fell apart because of it. -
Period: 1700 BCE to 586 BCE
The Hebrews (Israelites)
God's chosen people. Also known as the Jews later in their history. Enslaved by the Hyksos for 400 years until they were freed by the unleashing of 10 plagues on Egypt. Many of the pyramids and other Egyptian architecture of that time were built by Hebrew slaves. -
Period: 1070 BCE to 324
Kush
Credited with being the first major empire of Sub-Sahara Africa. They conquered Egypt and adopted many of its ways. Many historians agree the rise of Axum (Ethiopia) was a factor in Kush's downfall. -
Period: 1000 BCE to 1521
The Mayans
The Mayans were a Mesoamerican society that made themselves home in the Yucatan Peninsula. They created a 365-day calendar, an accurate star map, and elaborate temples and pyramids. -
Period: 753 BCE to 476
Rome
Rome became a superpower shortly after Alexander the Great died. The romans were feared for their unbeatable military and world dominion. Most accredit Rome's fall to economical depression and the rise of Christianity. -
30
The Death of Jesus of Nazareth
On the 14th day of the 4th month, Jesus of Nazareth suffered an illegal night trial under false witnesses and was crucified as a rebel between two thieves. -
Period: 311 to 1453
The Byzantine Empire
Founded by Constantine, the Byzantine Empire was a Christian supplanting of Rome. It is well known for its preservation of Greek and Roman culture and its cockroach nature, being beat down time after time, yet getting back up until the Ottoman Turks razed it. -
312
Constantine founds the Byzantine Empire
Emperor Constantine the Great defeats his rival emperor Maxentius and claims Rome. -
324
Constantine founds Constantinople
Renames the city of Byzantium after himself. The old name is the namesake of the Byzantine Empire. -
325
Constantine achieves domination
Even though he claimed dominion in 312, it wasn't until he beat Licentius, the runner-up of Maxentius, that Constantine truly had Rome in his power. -
610
Islam initiated
Muhammed claims to have received a vision from Gabriel giving instructions to write a new holy book. The resulting religion is Islam. The exact date of when he claimed to receive the vision is unknown, but tradition places it at 610. -
Period: 1000 to 1500
The Swahili Coast city-states
Swahili was a merging of Islamic and Bantu traditions. They made their home on the east coast of Africa. -
Period: 1100 to 1532
The Incas
The Incas were a Mesoamerican society that made itself at home on the southern coast of South America. They are known primarily for Macchu Picchu and their extensive road systems. -
Period: 1100 to 1521
The Aztecs
The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican society that made themselves home in Central America. They invented a calendar and some other things, but are infamous for their human sacrifices. -
1206
Genghis Khan Unites the Mongols
This hailed the beginning of the Mongol Empire. -
Period: 1206 to 1368
The Mongol Empire
Beginning as a small nomadic tribe in the late 12th century, a poor boy became a military leader called Genghis Khan. His empire essentially formed "Eurasia," as commerce and trade became a regular thing between Europe and Asia under his rule. His sons ruled after him until civil war broke it apart. -
Jun 15, 1215
The Magna Carta is signed
The Magna Carta was a document written by a group of barons during the War of the Barons. The war was between King John I and his barons, who were being taxed larger amounts so King John could pay some debts. The Magna Carta was the peace treaty, more accurately a list of demands King John had to meet before the barons would return to England. King John was forced to sign the highly disadvantageous set of laws and now the document is considered and important democratic document. -
Period: 1270 to
The Ethiopians
An Eastern African Empire. Their capital, Axum, was Christian, and remained undefeated when Islam tried to conquer it. -
Period: 1300 to
The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a revolution of art, science, and philosophy from the 14th century to the 17th century. It was mostly inspired by Greek culture, and much of the works of the Renaissance reflect this. The renaissance also saw the rise of humanism. -
Period: 1337 to 1450
The Hundred Years' War
Although this wasn't a period of nonstop fighting, it is nonetheless considered one war. This was between England and France over heirs, since England's king was legally heir to the French throne. However, by the time the war ended, the king was long dead, so the war was really for nothing much. -
Period: 1346 to 1351
The Black Death
Known also as the Bubonic Plague, the Black Plague, and the Fourth Horseman, the Black Death was a plague that swept much of Europe during the Dark Ages. It consisted of large, black cysts, internal and external bleeding, and death. The Black Death was disastrous in a world with a population of only around 300 million. Contrary to popular history, the disease was spread by Chinese soldiers in biological warfare, not rats at first. -
Aug 13, 1520
The Spanish Conquest Ends
The Spaniards succeed in conquering South America and Mexico, besting several civilizations. -
The Reformation Begins
Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the doors of Wittenburg Chapel. Among the theses are complaints against indulgences, counterarguments against purgatory, and denial of papal authority. This event sparked the Reformation. -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was a period of knowledge around the world. It was more an epoch of thinking, rather than a set period of time. During this time, the thinking of the Greeks and Romans were brought back, and believed and refined as so. The Enlightenment brought new technology, philosophy, and literature into the world. The Enlightenment ended with the Industrial Revolution. -
Period: to
The French Revolution
The French Revolution was a war for democracy similar to that of America. The French plebeians, who were being overtaxed and underpaid, rose up against King Louis XVI and ran him out of his city into Paris, and eventually to the guillotine. In his place was formed a shaky democracy that has been adhered to since then and has partially denied France being a world power. -
Period: to
The Latin American Revolution
The Latin American Revolution was a period of time when many people in Spanish and Portuguese America revolted and shook the monarchies off their shoulders. Pretty much the whole of Central and South America gained their liberty. -
Commodore Perry's visit to Japan
Per the request of the United States, Commodore Matthew Perry sets sail for Japan to establish a treaty with them. During his long visit, he sees and receives samples of much of the things Japan prides themselves in. The treaty was less successful, being ratified only by engendering distrust between the two countries that climaxed in Pearl Harbor a hundred years later. -
Commodore Perry Visits Japan
Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrives in Japan with four warships and several American inventions. He came to pick up the American prisoners held by Japan, hostages taken when they washed up on shore from shipwrecks. While he was there, Perry received many Japanese gifts and signed a treaty with Japan opening the country to trade. -
Adolf Hitler is Born
Adolf Hitler is born to Alois and Klara Hitler in Braunau, Austria -
Period: to
World War I
World War I, or the Great War, was a four-year war that happened as the result of centuries of tension and discord. The war introduced many new methods of warfare, such as poison gas, flamethrowers, machine guns, tanks, fighter planes, and trench warfare. Although the war is the fifth deadliest in all of history, it solved nothing and only left innocent bystanders itching for change, leading to WWII. -
Period: to
The Spanish Civil War
A three-year war between the Nationalists (better known as Francoists, or Spanish Nazis) and the Republicans (Loyalists). Death count over 200,000, ended in Francoist victory. -
Period: to
World War II
World War II was a direct effect of uninspired leadership and the Treaty of Versailles, among other things. World War I had left many people feeling dissatisfied or bruised. The German people, especially, were longing for a change, which came in the form of Hitler. Hitler's demands, and the League of Nation's unintelligent approach to them, started World War II. -
Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister of Britain
Winston Churchill, nicknamed "the Prophet of War" had been dismissed a few years earlier for predicting a world war with the Nazis. After Neville Chamberlain's (pitiful) appeasement didn't work, they brought in Churchill to lead them. -
The Battle of Britain
The world's first aerial battle, between the German Luftwaffe and the RAF. Despite being severely outnumbered, the Royal Air Force won the battle and thoroughly enraged Nazi Germany. -
The Founding of Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol was formed by volunteer civilians, private Cessna owners who patrolled the East Coast, looking for U-boats. Since it was formed before the Air Force, some consider CAP the original Air Force. -
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor
The Japanese military, fearing an assault on Japan through the Pacific, secretly dispatched a carrier with a squad of heavy bombers, and launched them on Pearl Harbor. War had technically been declared 30 minutes prior to the bombing, but the message took longer to arrive than intended. This led to Germany and Japan declaring war on the U.S., and America entered the war. -
D-Day
Also known as Operation Overlord and the Invasion of Normandy, this large-scale offensive was the largest fight America had fought yet in WWII, and the first major offensive they fought in Europe. Over 150,000 soldiers from both America and Britain, under the leadership of Gen. Eisenhower, invaded the coasts of Omaha and Utah and pushed the Germans back until they were almost completely out of France. -
Period: to
The Cold War
The Cold War was a nuclear arms race/space race between the United States and the USSR. The war was "cold" in the sense that neither country was directly attacked with nuclear weapons, though several conflicts arose during the war. It ended with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the USSR.