AP World History Timeline Flashcards

Agricultural and Early Civilizations

• Beginning of agriculture around 8000 BCE marked a major transition to settled farming and a shift in human society.
• Bronze Age began around 3000 BCE, leading to early civilizations using metal tools and trade.

Major Eras and Philosophies

• Iron Age commenced around 1300 BCE, characterized by the use of iron tools and weapons.
• The 6th Century BCE saw the emergence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, significantly influencing Asian cultures and moral philosophy.

Classical and Hellenistic Periods

• The Greek Golden Age occurred in the 5th Century BCE, producing notable philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.
• Alexander the Great's death in 323 BCE marked the end of significant Hellenistic conquests.

Roman and Chinese Developments

• Qin Dynasty unified China in 221 BCE, establishing the first centralized imperial state.
• Christianity began around 32 CE, rapidly spreading through the Roman Empire.

Fall of Empires and Global Trade

• Pax Romana ended in 180 CE, leading to political instability in the Roman Empire.
• The Han dynasty in China fell around 220 CE, resulting in political fragmentation.

Cultural and Economic Changes

• Constantinople became the Roman capital in 333 CE, impacting trade and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean.
• The 4th Century CE marked the start of Trans-Saharan trade routes, facilitating trade between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

Medieval Events in Europe and Asia

• The fall of Rome occurred in 476 CE, leading to the rise of feudalism in Europe.
• Justinian's rule over the Byzantine Empire began in 527 CE, noted for legal reforms and architectural achievements.

Plagues and Global Exploration

• The Bubonic Plague swept through Europe during 1347-1348, drastically reducing the population.
• Marco Polo traveled from 1271 to 1295, increasing European interest in Asia and trade routes.

Crusades and Religious Schisms

• The First Crusade launched in 1095, propelled by Christian efforts to reclaim the Holy Land.
• The Great Schism in 1054 divided Christianity into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches.

Rise of Empires

• The rise of the Ottomans culminated in 1453 with their capture of Constantinople, ending Byzantine control.
• Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, opening new maritime trade routes.

Age of Exploration and Colonialism

• Columbus sailed to the Americas in 1492, marking the beginning of European colonization in the New World.
• The first African slaves arrived in the Americas in 1502, initiating a brutal transatlantic slave trade.

Reformation and Conquests

• Martin Luther's 95 Theses in 1517 sparked the Protestant Reformation.
• Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs in 1521, significantly expanding Spanish territories.

Important Battles and Treaties

• The Battle of Lepanto in 1571 marked a significant naval conflict between Christian and Ottoman forces.
• The defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 ended Spain's dominance at sea.

Shifts in Power

• The Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 established Tokugawa shogunate in Japan, leading to a long period of peace.
• Jamestown was founded in 1607, becoming the first permanent English settlement in North America.

Political and Economic Revolutions

• The Industrial Revolution surged from 1750 to 1914, fundamentally altering economies and societies.
• The American Revolution began in 1776, influenced by Enlightenment ideas of liberty and democracy.

Independence Movements

• The Haitian independence movement culminated in the declaration of 1804, becoming the first successful slave revolt.
• Latin American independence movements occurred in the 1820s, inspired by Enlightenment and revolutionary ideas.

Wars and Conflicts

• The 1st Opium War in China happened in 1839, leading to significant repercussions for Chinese sovereignty.
• The Russian and Japanese empires clashed in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, showcasing Japan's emergence as a world power.

Twentieth Century Shifts

• World War I began in 1914, leading to extensive global conflict.
• The Treaty of Versailles in 1919 formally ended World War I and imposed heavy reparations on Germany.

Post-war Changes

• The stock market crash of 1929 led to the Great Depression, affecting economies worldwide.
• The emergence of totalitarian regimes in the 1930s altered global political landscapes.

Cold War Tensions

• The Korean War (1950-1953) highlighted Cold War divisions between North and South Korea.
• The Cuban missile crisis in 1962 brought the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war.

Significant Historical Events

• The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 signaled the decline of communist influence in Eastern Europe.
• The attacks on September 11, 2001, profoundly impacted US foreign policy and global security.