The Evolution of the Hominids: 5,000,000 to 25,000 BC

5,000,000 -1,000,000 BC: Australopithecus
2,200,000 - 1,600,000 BC: Homo habilis
1,600,000 - 500,000 BC: Homo erectus

Stone artifacts and weapons

500,000 - 80,000 BC: Homo sapiens
100,000 - 33,000 BC: Homo neanderthalensis

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Ice Ages - Stone tools

125,000: Homo sapiens sapiens

Foraging Societies: 30,000 to 8,000

c. 30,000 to 25,000 BC: Woman of Willendorf
c. 27,000 to 23,000 BC: Dolni Vestonice
25,000 - 12,000 BC: Venus Figures
18,000 BC: Chauvet cave, France
15,000 BC: Lascaux cave paintings
c. 14,000 to 10,000 BC: Altamira Cave Paintings
12,000 to 8,000 BC: The Ice Age

Settled Agricultural Societies:10,000 to 3,500

c. 10,000 BC: Beginnings of Settled Agriculture
10,000 BC: First agricultural villages
10,000 BC: Invention of the bow and arrow
10,000 BC: Dogs and reindeer are domesticated
10,000 BC: Beginnings of settled agriculture
10,000 BC: Earliest pottery (Japan)
c. 8,000 to 6,500 BC: Settled Agriculture in Mesopotamia
c. 7,000: Beginning of Settled Agricultural Revolution
c. 6,500-5,650 BC: Catal Hulyuk
c. 6,000 BC - c. 2,000 BC: Settled Agriculture in Africa
6,000 BC: Beginning of Settled Agriculture in the Nile River Valley
2,000 BC: Beginning of Settled Agriculture in the Niger River Valley
200 BC: Height of Nok culture
c. 6,000 to 3,000: Settled Agriculture in India
c. 5,000 to 3,000 BC: Settled Agriculture in China
10,000 to 4,000 BC: Painted Pottery Bowl (China)
5,0000 to 2,700 BC: Yangshao culture
3,5000 to 2,000 BC: Longsham culture
6, 000 BC: Village of Ban Po in China
c. 4,000 to 1,000 BC: Settled Agriculture in Europe
ca. 4000 BC: The Culture of Vra
ca. 2000 BC: Stonehenge
c. 3,000 BC to AD 700: Settled Agriculture in the Americas
c. 500 BC to AD 400: Adena and Hopewell Cultures

Primary Urban Societies: From 3500 BC

3,300 BC: First Sumerian cities
3100 BC: Beginnings of Egyptian civilization
2500 BC: Harappan Civilization
1800 BC: Shang dynasty in China
1200 BC: Olmec culture in Mesoamerica
AD 400: Jenne-Jeno in Nigeria

River Valley Empires From 3200 BC to AD 200

Mesopotamian Empires: 2340 -1600 BC

2340 BC: Sargon Akkad takes Sumer, establishing the first empire.
c. 2125-2027 BC: The Third Dynasty of Ur
1900-1600 BC: The First Babylonian Empire
c. 1900 BC: Ammorites establish Babylon
1792-1750 BC: Reign of Hammurabi
c. 1600 BC: Invasions by Hittites and Kassites destroys the empire

Egyptian Civilization: 3100 BC - 332 BC

3100-2686 BC: Archaic Period
2686-2181 BC: Old Kingdom
1991-1636 BC: Middle Kingdom
1578-1085 BC: New Kingdom
1085-332 BC: Late Dynastic Period
332 BC: Alexander the Great conquers Egypt

Harappan Civilization: 2600 -1300 BC

2600-2500 BC: Harappan Civilization is at its height
2000-1900 BC: Harappan Civilization collapses
c. 1300 BC: Aryans migrate into the Indus Valley
c. 1000 BC: Aryan migrate into the Ganges Valley

The Early Chinese Civilization: 2205 BC- AD 220

221-207 BC: Qin dynasty.
206 BC- AD 9: Former Han dynasty
AD 25--220: Later Han dynasty

The Mesoamerican Civilizations: 2000 BC- AD 925

2000 BC-AD 925: Mayan Culture
2000 BC: Beginnings of Mayan culture
AD 325-925: Mayan culture at its peak

The Andean Civilizations: 600 - 1538

600-800: Huari and Tiahuanaco empires
1438-1538: Inca Empire.

The Niger River Civilizations: 200 BC - AD 400

c. 500 BC: Nok culture
c. 500-450 BC: Development of iron smelting
500 BC - AD 500: The Bantu migrations
200 BC: Jenne-jeno founded
AD 400: Height of the Niger River city-states
 

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Expansion and Contraction of Mesopotamian Empires: 1400 -600 BC

1400 BC: Weakening of central authority in Assyria and Egypt
1020- 586 BC: The Kingdom of Israel
745 BC: Restoration of Assyria
625 BC: Rise of Babylon

Egyptian Civilization: 3100 BC - 332 BC

3100-2686 BC: Archaic Period
2686-2181 BC: Old Kingdom
1991-1636 BC: Middle Kingdom
1578-1085 BC: New Kingdom
1085-332 BC: Late Dynastic Period
332 BC: Alexander the Great conquers Egypt

Harappan Civilization: 2600 -1300 BC

2600-2500 BC: Harappan Civilization is at its height
2000-1900 BC: Harappan Civilization collapses
c. 1300 BC: Aryans migrate into the Indus Valley
c. 1000 BC: Aryan migrate into the Ganges Valley

The Early Chinese Civilization: 2205 BC- AD 220

221-207 BC: Qin dynasty.
206 BC- AD 9: Former Han dynasty

The Mesoamerican Civilizations: 2000 BC- AD 925

2000 BC-AD 925: Mayan Culture
2000 BC: Beginnings of Mayan culture
AD 325-925: Mayan culture at its peak

The Andean Civilizations: 600 - 1538

600-800: Huari and Tiahuanaco empires
1438-1538: Inca Empire.

The Niger River Civilizations: 200 BC - AD 400

c. 500 BC: Nok culture
c. 500-450 BC: Development of iron smelting
500 BC - AD 500: The Bantu migrations
200 BC: Jenne-jeno founded
AD 400: Height of the Niger River city-states

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Cosmopolitan Empires in the Eastern Mediterranean:
550 BC-AD 1453

550-323 BC: Persian Empire
250 BC-AD 225: Parthian Empire
323-146 BC: Hellenistic Kingdoms
146 BC-AD1453: Rome and Byzantium
AD 226-642: Sassanid Persia

Indian Empires: 322 BC-AD 540

ca. 322-185 BC: Mauryan Empire
AD 320-540: Gupta Empire

The Classical Imperial China: AD 25- AD 1279

AD 25--220: Later Han dynasty
581-618: Sui Dynasty
618-907: Tang Dynasty
960-1126: Northern Song Dynasty
1127-1279: Southern Song Dynasty

African Kingdoms and Empires: AD 300-1500

300-700: The Kingdom of Axum
c. 900: Beginnings of the Sudanese kingdoms.
c. 900-1100: The Kingdom of Ghana
c. 1200-1450: The Kingdom of Mali.
900s-1400s: Great Zimbabwe
c. 1450: Oyo Empire is founded.
1460-1591: Songhai Empire.

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Unification and Interaction in the Eurasian Ecumene 200 to 1500
130 BC- AD 200: Formation of the Eurasian Ecumene
200-900: Barbarian Invasions and internal turmoil
630-725: The Age of Islamic Expansion
1200-1350: The Age of Mongol Dominance
1350-1700: The Second Age of Islamic Expansion

Unification and Interaction between the Hemispheres 1500 to 1800

1400-1650: Voyages of Discovery.
1500-1800: The Age of Chinese Dominance
1500-1900: Unification of the Hemispheres
1500-1700: The First Period of European Imperialism
1850-1920: The New Imperialism

The Formation of World Culture 1800 to The Present
The Development and Spread of Western Civilization
The Development of the Nation-State
The Development of Scientific Culture
The Industrial Revolution
The New Imperialism
The World Wars
The Cold War
Decolonization
 

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Barbarians Invasion

220-265: Three Kingdoms Period in China
ca. AD 200-370: Roman Empire invaded by the Goths
370: The Huns invade Eastern Europe.
558: Avars invade the Byzantine Empire.
c. 450: Anglo-Saxons invade England.
711-715: Moslem conquest of Spain.
732: Battle of Tours
756-1031: Omayyad Dynasty of Cordova
c. 1126-1198: ibn Rushd (Averroes)
768-814: Reign of Charlemagne
800-900: Viking raids against European mainland

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907-960: Collapse of Central Government in China
 

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The Empires

550 BC to AD 642: Cosmopolitan Empires develop in Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean
c. 130 BC: Expansion of Han China to the Parthiam Empire
c. 130 BC: Rome establishes its dominance in the Mediterranean
140-87 BC: Han China at its largest territorial extent under the Emperor Wu Ti
98-117: Roman Empire at its largest territorial extent under the Emperor Trajan
180-284: Crisis of Third Century Rome
220 The End of the Han Dynasty

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Mongol dominance

1206: Temujin is proclaimed "Jenghiz Khan"
1258: Baghdad is sacked
1260-1368: Yuan Dynasty governs China
1275-1292: Marco Polo travels in China

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Islamic Expansion

630-640: Conquest of the Near East and Egypt
690-710: Conquest of North Africa and Spain
717-718: Attempt to conquer Constantinople.
750: The Abbasid Dynasty is established.
751: Battle of Talas
750-850: The Four orthodox schools of law are established.
768-814: Reign of Charlemagne
800-900: Viking raids against European mainland
1055-1250: Expansion of Islam under the Seljuks and Christian responses.
1258: Mongols sack Baghdad. Abbasid Caliphate ends.
1350: Rise of Ottoman Turks
1325-1354: The travels of ibn Battuta
1453: Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople.
1492: End of the Reconquista in Spain.
1526: Battle of Mohacs
1529: First Siege of Vienna
1571: Battle of Lepanto
1683: Final Siege of Vienna

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Voyages of Exploration

Chinese Treasure Fleet: 1405-1424
1405-1407: Zheng He's first voyage
1412-1415: Zheng He's third voyage reaches Hormuz
1421-1422: Zheng He's fifth voyage reaches Mogadishu

Portuguese explorers seek a route to India and China: 1415-1510

1415: The Portuguese capture Ceuta.
1433: Cape Bojador is rounded by Gil Eannes.
1482: Elmina Castle is built.
1484: Diogo Cao discovers the Congo estuary.
1488: Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope.
1494: Treaty of Tordesillas.
1497-1498: Vasco da Gama sails to India.
1500: Pedro Cabral discovers Brazil.
1510: The Portuguese capture Goa.

The Spanish colonization of Central and South America: 1492-1540

1492: Christopher Columbus discovers islands in the Caribbean.
1513: Nunez de Balboa is the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas.
1519-1538: Hernan Cortes conquers Mexico.

British and French colonization of North America: 1497-1600

1497: John Cabot makes his voyage to North America.
1534-1535: Jacques Cartier explores the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
1585: The First English colony in North America is established on Roanoke Island.
1600: The English East India Company is founded.

Global Exploration: 1500-1650

1519-1522: The first circumnavigation of the global is begun under the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Sebastian del Cano.
1553: Richard Chancellor sails to Archangel seeking a Northeast Passage.
1576-1578: Martin Frobisher sails in search of a Northwest Passage.
1596: Willem Barents sails to Novaya Zemlya.
1606: Willem Janszoon discovers Australia.
1642: Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania and New Zealand.

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Age of Chinese Dominance 1500-1800

The Height of Chinese Culture under the Ming and Qing: 1368-1911
1514: The Portuguese arrive in South China
1661-1722: Reign of Kang-xi
1736-1795: Reign of Qianlong

Political and Religious Change in Europe: 1517-1789

1517-1598: The Reformation
1598-1698: The Consolidation of State Power
1789: The French Revolution

Competing Muslim Empires: 1450-1757

1450-1550: Height of Ottoman Power
1501: Ismail becomes shah of Persia, founding the Safavid Empire
1483-1757: The Mughal Empire
1483-1530: Babur founds the Mughal Empire
1556-1605: The Reign of Akbar

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The New Imperialism 1800-1925

1795: The Dutch abolish slave trade in Africa
1798: Napoleon invades Egypt
1808: Great Britain abolishes the slave trade
1820s: British-Ashanti War
1830: The Great Trek of the Boers begins
1835: English is adopted as the official language of Indian law courts
1840: The Sultan of Omar establishes his capital at Zanzibar
1841: David Livingstone begins his missionary work in Africa
1853: First railway line is built in India
1857-1858: The "Sepoy Mutiny" or "Great Rebellion" in Northern India
1858: The British Parliament takes control of India from the British East

India Company

1863: The United States abolishes slavery
1869: The Suez Canal is completed
1873: Zanzibar closes its slave market
1874: Britain establishes Gold Coast colony
1881: Britain establishes a protectorate over Egypt
1884: The Berlin Conference on Africa
1885: Charles Gordon is killed at Khartoum
1885: The India National Congress Party is founded
1898: Showdown between Britain and France at Fashoda
1899-1902: The Boer War
1910: Union of South Africa is formed

The Development of Modern Western Civilization 1712-1914

The Development of the Nation-State: 1789-1914
1789-1815: The French Revolution
1815-1848: An Age of Revolutions
1848-1871: The Consolidation of National States

The Industrial Revolution: 1712-1905
The First Industrial Revolution: Textiles and Steam: 1712-1830
The Spread of the Industrial Revolution: 1830-1875
The Second Industrial Revolution: Electricity and Chemicals: 1875-1905
The Development of Scientific Culture: 1800-1914

1819: Oersted discovers electromagnetism
1859: On the Origin of Species is published
1905: Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity

The Development of Mass Society: 1789-1914

1793: The Revolutionary government in France issues the levee en masse
1832: The Great Reform Bill reorganizes Parliament in Great Britain
1884: The Third French Republic legalizes trade unions
1894: The Dreyfus Affair begins in France

The World Wars 1900-1989

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The Road to War: 1900-1914

1898: Germany begins its naval buildup
1905: First Morrocan crisis
1912: The First Balkan War

World War I: 1914-1918

1914: The Battle of the Marne
1916: The Battle of Verdun
1917: The United States enters the war
1917: The Russian Revolution

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The Road to War: 1890-1914

1898: Germany begins its naval buildup.
1902: Britain and Japan conclude a naval alliance
1905: The First Moroccan Crisis.
1907: Anglo-Russian treaty over Persia.

Triple Entente is completed.

1911: Italy annexes Tripoli
1912: The First Balkan War Balkans Chronology
1913: The Second Balkan War
1914: The Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated in Sarajevo

World War I begins

The Course of the War: 1914-1918

1914: The Battle of the Marne

The Ottoman Empire enters the war

1915: The Armenian Massacre
1916: The Battle of Verdun.
1917: The February Revolution in Russia

The United States enters the war on the Allied side

The Balfour Declaration on Palestine

1918: Germany and the Soviet Union conclude the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.

President Wilson's Fourteen Points

Armistice ends the war

The Aftermath

1918: Revolutions in Germany, Austria and Turkey.
1919: Allied governments intervene in Russia

The Treaty of Versailles is ratified.

The League of Nations is founded.

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The Interwar Years: 1918-1936

1919: The Treaty of Versailles
1929: The Great Depression begins
1933: The Nazis take power in Germany

World War II: 1931-1945

1931: Japan invades Manchuria
1939: Germany invades Poland
1941: Pearl Harbor is attacked
1943: The Battle of Stalingrad

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Attempts to Maintain the Peace: 1922-1933

1922: The Washington Conference presents a treaty on naval disarmament.
1924: The Dawes Plan ends the crisis in the Ruhr.
1925: The Lacarno Pact
1928: The Kellogg-Briand Pact
1929: The Young Plan

The Road to War: 1933-1939

1933: Germany withdraws from the League of Nations.
1935: Hitler denounces the disarmament clauses of the Treaty of Versailles.

The Nuremburg Laws

Italy invades Ethiopia.

1936: Germany remilitarizes the Rhineland.

The Spanish Civil War begins.

The Rome-Berlin Axis is formed.

1938: The Anschluss: Germany annexes Austria.

The Munich Conference: The Sudetenland is awarded to Germany;

Chamberlain announces "Peace in Our Time."

The Second World War: European Theater: 1939-1945

1939: Germany invades Czechoslovakia.

Germany and Italy create the Pact of Steel.
Germany and the Soviet Union form a Nonaggression Pact.
Germany invades Poland.

1940: Germany conquers Denmark and Norway.

Germany conquers the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Italy enters the war as Germany's ally.
France signs an armistice with Germany.
The Battle of Britain begins.
Italy invades Egypt and Greece.

1941: Germany conquers Yugoslavia and Greece.

Hitler begins Operation Barbarosa and invades the Soviet Union.

1942: British and American forces begin attacking in North Africa
1943: Roosevelt and Churchill meet at Casablanca.

The Battle of Stalingrad ends with a German defeat.
German and Italian forces in Tunisia surrender.
American and British troops invade Sicily and Italy.

1944: D-Day invasion of Normandy opens up a second front.

The Battle of the Bulge

1945: The Yalta Conference.

Germany surrenders.
Potsdam Conference.

The Second World War: Pacific Theater: 1931-1945

1931: Mukden Incident: Japan invades Manchuria.
1937: Japan attacks China.
1941: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
1942: Japan conquers the Philippines.

American forces take Guadalcanal, beginning American island hopping across

the Pacific.

1944: American troops under MacArthur land in the Philippines.
1945: Atomic bombs are dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Japan surrenders.
 

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The Cold War: 1945-1989

1945-1961: The Yalta System Breaks Down
1956-1975: Towards peaceful Coexistence
1975-1989: The End of the Soviet System

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Decolonization 1917-1970

Decolonization in Asia
1931- Gandhi leads Salt March
1935: Government of India Act
1942: Quit India movements begins
1947: India and Pakistan are independent of Great Britain

Decolonization in Africa

1948: First apartheid legislation in South Africa
1957: Ghana is first independent African nation
1960: Congo is granted independence from Belgium
1962: Algeria gains independence from France
1963: Organization for African Unity is formed

Decolonization in the Middle East

1917: Balfour Declaration
1922: Britain receives League of Nations mandate for Palestine
1936-1939: Arab uprisings in Palestine
1948: Partition of Palestine and First Arab-Israeli War
1952: King Farouk is overthrown in Egypt
1956: Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal
1958: United Arab Republic is formed
1964: The Palestine Liberation Organization is formed.