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Period: 250,000 BCE to 10,000 BCE
Paleolithic (early Stone Age)
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Period: 10,000 BCE to 8000 BCE
Mesolithic (middle Stone Age)
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Period: 8000 BCE to 3000 BCE
Neolithic (late Stone Age)
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Period: 5000 BCE to 3500 BCE
Cooper Age
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Period: 3500 BCE to 539 BCE
Mesopotamia (Sumerians)
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Period: 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE
Indus Valley
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Period: 3100 BCE to 332 BCE
Ancient Egypt
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Period: 2070 BCE to 1200 BCE
Ancient china
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1800 BCE
Judaism
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Period: 1200 BCE to 500 BCE
Proto-Celtic and Hallstatt
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Period: 1070 BCE to 350 BCE
Kush
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Period: 1000 BCE to 300 BCE
Nok culture
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Period: 911 BCE to 609 BCE
Assyrian
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Period: 509 BCE to 27
Roman republic
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Period: 480 BCE to 404 BCE
Golden age Athens
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400 BCE
Buddhism
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Period: 336 BCE to 323 BCE
Empire of Alexander the Great
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Period: 323 BCE to 31 BCE
Hellenism
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Period: 27 BCE to 476
Western Roman Empire
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1 CE
Christianity
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Period: 250 to
Maya
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Period: 330 to 1453
Byzantine empire
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Period: 400 to 1400
Catholic Church (political economic power)
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476
Fall of the Western Roman Empire
Rome falls, marking the end of an era and the start of the Middle Ages -
493
Ostrogothic Kingdom Established
Theodoric the Great sets up his own kingdom in Italy after Rome’s fall -
493
Treaty of Verdun
Charlemagne’s empire gets split among his grandsons, setting the stage for modern Europe -
527
Justinian’s Ascension
Justinian I becomes Byzantine Emperor and starts big legal and building projects -
610
Islam
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732
Battle of Tours
Charles Martel stops Islamic forces from pushing further into Europe, keeping the region mostly Christian -
771
Islamic Conquest of Iberia Begins
Muslim armies cross into the Iberian Peninsula, starting centuries of Islamic influence -
800
Charlemagne’s Coronation
Pope Leo III crowns Charlemagne, uniting much of Europe under his rule -
Period: 800 to 1400
Feudal system
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962
Otto I Crowned Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I’s coronation revives the idea of a Western Empire with renewed authority -
Period: 1000 to 1200
Romanesque art
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1054
The Great Schism
Christianity splits into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches, changing the church forever -
1066
Norman Conquest of England
William the Conqueror defeats Harold II and dramatically reshapes England -
1095
Call for the First Crusade
Pope Urban II rallies people to reclaim the Holy Land, launching the Crusades -
1099
Crusaders Capture Jerusalem
Crusader forces take Jerusalem, flipping the region’s religious balance -
Period: 1100 to 1500
Gothic art
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1122
Concordat of Worms
A deal is struck that eases the power struggle between the church and the emperor -
1147
Launch of the Second Crusade
Another Crusade sets out to win back lands lost to Muslim forces -
1187
Battle of Hattin
Saladin wins a big victory at Hattin and reclaims Jerusalem from the Crusaders -
1190
Beginning of the Third Crusade
Leaders like Richard the Lionheart head out on a Crusade to fight back -
1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
English kings are forced to accept limits on their power, laying groundwork for modern rights -
1229
End of the Albigensian Crusade
The Treaty of Paris ends a Crusade aimed at wiping out heresy in southern France -
1241
Mongol Invasion of Eastern Europe
Mongol armies invade parts of Eastern Europe, shaking up local power -
1265
Simon de Montfort’s Parliament
An early form of a representative government starts to take shape in England -
1274
Second Council of Lyons
Church leaders meet to chat about reforms and try reuniting Eastern and Western Christianity -
1302
Unam Sanctam Issued
Pope Boniface VIII makes a bold claim about papal power with this decree -
1315
The Great Famine Begins
A massive famine hits Europe, causing widespread hunger and hardship -
Period: 1325 to 1521
Aztec
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1347
Black Death Outbreak
The bubonic plague sweeps through Europe, slashing the population dramatically -
1378
Start of the Western Schism
Rival popes split the Catholic Church, creating confusion and division -
1415
Execution of Jan Hus
Reformist Jan Hus is executed, sparking early calls for church reform -
1417
End of the Western Schism
The church finally comes back together by electing a single pope -
Period: 1438 to 1533
Inca
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1453
Fall of Constantinople
The Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire -
1455
Gutenberg’s Printing Revolution
Gutenberg’s Bible printed with movable type changes how ideas spread forever -
1492
Discovery of the Americas
Columbus’s voyage opens up a whole new world to European explorers -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Spain and Portugal agree to split the New World between them -
1517
Beginning of the Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to a door, sparking major changes in the church -
1521
The Diet of Worms
Martin Luther’s ideas get officially condemned, deepening the church split -
1527
Sack of Rome
Charles V’s troops sack Rome, signaling a decline in papal power -
1534
Establishment of the Church of England
Henry VIII breaks away from Rome and creates an independent church in England -
1543
Copernican Revolution
Copernicus publishes his theory that the Earth orbits the sun, changing how we see the universe -
1545
Council of Trent Commences
The Catholic Church gathers to reform itself and counter the Protestant Reformation -
1555
Peace of Augsburg
Rulers get to choose their state’s religion, easing some religious tensions -
Defeat of the Spanish Armada
England’s navy knocks back Spain’s powerful fleet, shifting the balance at sea -
The Defenestration of Prague
A window-throwing incident in Prague sparks the brutal Thirty Years’ War -
Outbreak of the English Civil War
Internal strife in England erupts into a civil war, reshaping the nation’s politics -
Peace of Westphalia
Treaties end the Thirty Years’ War and lay the foundation for modern nation-states -
The Glorious Revolution
A relatively peaceful coup in England replaces the king with a constitutional monarchy -
English Bill of Rights Enacted
New laws boost Parliament’s power and protect individual rights in England -
Acts of Union
England and Scotland join forces to form Great Britain, merging their political systems -
Treaty of Utrecht
The War of Spanish Succession ends with a treaty that rebalances power in Europe -
Death of Louis XIV
The long reign of the Sun King ends, signaling the move away from absolute monarchy in France -
Start of the Seven Years’ War
A massive global conflict kicks off, reshaping European and colonial power dynamics -
Battle of the Plains of Abraham
A key battle in New France sets the stage for major changes in North America -
Dawn of the Industrial Revolution
A huge shift in technology and society begins, changing everyday life and work -
American Revolutionary War Begins
Tensions with Britain boil over into war as American colonies fight for independence -
American Independence and Enlightenment Thought
The Declaration of Independence is signed, and new economic ideas start to spread -
Treaty of Paris Signed
The American Revolutionary War wraps up, and the United States is officially recognized -
Start of the French Revolution
Revolutionary ideas kick off major changes in France, shaking up the old order -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
France’s National Assembly proclaims key rights for its citizens, inspiring modern democracy -
Napoleon’s Rise to Power
Napoleon pulls off a coup and takes charge of France, changing European politics -
Napoleon Crowns Himself Emperor
In a dramatic move, Napoleon declares himself Emperor of the French -
The Battle of Austerlitz
Napoleon wins a huge battle, cementing his reputation as a top military leader -
Abolition of the British Slave Trade
Britain passes a law to end the slave trade, marking a big step for human rights -
Mexican War of Independence Begins
Inspired by revolutionary ideas, Mexican rebels rise up against Spanish rule -
Napoleon’s Russian Campaign
Napoleon’s ill-fated invasion of Russia weakens his forces and shifts his fortunes -
Napoleon’s Abdication and the Congress of Vienna
Facing defeat, Napoleon steps down while European powers meet to redraw borders -
The Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon suffers his final defeat at Waterloo, ending his era of domination -
Climax of Independence Movements
Key independence battles in Greece and Mexico pave the way for modern nation-states