3500 2500 1500

Stone Age hunter-gatherers and farmers live in much of the world. In one small The rise of civilization here has been astonishing. By this date, some of the most Great new centres of civilization have appeared, in China and the Mediterranean.
area, however, cities are appearing, literacy is developing, and civilization is spectacular structures in all world history have been built – the Great Pyramids of One major civilization has vanished, however, for reasons we still don’t understand.
emerging. Egypt.
275
100 230 farming is well established & spread to eastern USA.
Hunter-gatherer cultures cover most of North America. The ancestors of the Inuit are arriving in North America. construct pools and water-courses
Mexico, where maize is by now fully domesticated. large permanent villages to develop
rock artworks on canyon walls and rock outcrops 568
255 first pottery . complex commercial life, bureaucracies, and well-organised armies, chariot
Farming has been established for thousands of years in ancient formations
Mesopotamia ( first civilization) 505 powerful Bronze Age empires of Egypt, the Mitanni, the Hittites and
the first cities & techniques of writing influence of Mesopotamian civilization has spread far and wide, carried by Babylonia dominate the Middle East.
Ancient Egypt (chiefdom) the trade networks Hammurabi, first great law-giver
Mesopotamia: vehicle, administration, first literature, first organised
130 armies, systematic taxation and bureaucracies 335
Stone Age farming villages dot the landscape of Europe. bronze weapons and armour Bronze Age farming cultures cover most of Europe,
mixed economy of agriculture and hunting and gathering Egypt: paraoh, pyramid first European civilizations flourish in Crete and Greece.
powerful chiefs and warrior elites
245 most sophisticated palace-complexes in the world
150
 farming is well-established in the two great river valleys of ancient China still inhabited by Stone Age farming peoples.
domestication of horses by Indo-European languages 365
Long-range trade networks & copper coming into use first real cities
The first urban civilization under the Shang dynasty
287 finest bronzes ever produced
powerful chiefdoms
Trade routes cover the entire East Asia region
Metallurgy
small towns and villages dot the landscape
Chinese system of writing is gradually developing

1000 500
Game-changing innovations are appearing which will lead to massive population Some of the greatest thinkers in all world history are living at this time. Their
growth, greatly expanded trade, wider access to education, and other major teachings will have a lasting impact on the history of humanity, right up to the
advances. present day. 2500
The rise of civilization here has been astonishing. By this date, some of the most
372 450 spectacular structures in all world history have been built – the
Olmec civilization: elite groups stepped pyramids, complex pantheon of gods, mysterious ball-game arenas, Great Pyramids of Egypt.
Adena culture: construction of large earthworks for religious and basalt heads,
ceremonial Other centres of civilization with non-Olmec characteristics are also
ceremonial centres, superbly-crafted sculptures and other works emerging
Trade routes now span the region
794
698 Persian empire, the largest state Ancient World & new cities springing up
Phoenicians and Israelites (david) around the country
iron, the appearance of the alphabet, monotheistic religion Syria: leading trading powers of the Mediteranean Sea 230
camel has been domesticated Turkey: strategic location for trade, mineral deposits, have enabled its The ancestors of the Inuit are arriving in North America.
Trade routes across the Arabian peninsular cities to grow wealthy large permanent villages to develop
new civilization is emerging in south west Arabia kingdom of Lydia originated metal coinage rock artworks on canyon walls and rock outcrops
Arab: frankincense and myrrh, highly prized throughout the ancient world first pottery .
350
cultures have expanded out from their central Europe homelands
564
Greece was the centre of a trade network which dominated the eastern
Iron Age large growth in populations
Mediterranean
new trading networks across the Mediterranean Sea
knowledge of the great civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, important
380
new tool, alphabetic writing
Bronze technology reaches the Korean peninsula
brilliant civilizations ancient Greece: republican & democracy
Jomon people appear to be taking up farming as a minor part of their food
overseas colonies, Greek culture is now spread far and wide across the 255
culture
Mediterranean basin Farming has been established for thousands of years in ancient
Zhou dynasty
sophisticated civilization Etruscans has emerged, Mesopotamia ( first civilization)
Celt: chiefdom, beautiful jewellery. trade enhanced by the presence of the first cities & techniques of writing
Greek and Carthaginian colonies Ancient Egypt (chiefdom)

584
well-organized armies, sophisticated tax systems, Technological and
economic advances expansion of commerce, growth of towns, flourishing
merchant class, introduction of metal coinage, cast iron
The use of iron come in from western Asia, iron farming tools come into
widespread use & commerce and industry have also expanded
Confucius, meritocracy
Korea: aristocracies developed large stone-built graves (dolmens), 130
furnished with bronze weapons, fine ceramics & jade objects as burial goods Stone Age farming villages dot the landscape of Europe.
mixed economy of agriculture and hunting and gathering

150
 farming is well-established in the two great river valleys of ancient China