Prehistory and Ancient Civilizations

Prehistory (Before 3000 BCE)

• Emergence of humans: Homo sapiens evolved in Africa around 300,000 years ago
• Early human societies: Nomadic hunter-gatherers, development of language and social structures
• Neolithic Revolution: Transition to agriculture and settled communities around 10,000 years ago

Ancient Civilizations (3000 BCE - 500 CE)

• Mesopotamia: Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians in modern-day Iraq; developed writing (cuneiform) and cities
• Ancient Egypt: Pyramids, pharaohs, and hieroglyphics; lasted from around 3100 BCE to 30 BCE
• Ancient Greece: City-states like Athens and Sparta; developed democracy, philosophy, and theater
• Ancient Rome: Republic and Empire; expanded through conquests, established law and governance systems

Medieval Period (500 - 1500 CE)

• Fall of the Roman Empire: Fragmentation into smaller kingdoms and the rise of Christianity
• Feudalism: System of lords, vassals, and serfs; characterized by localized power and limited social mobility
• Crusades: Series of military campaigns to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule

Early Modern Period (1500 - 1800 CE)

• Renaissance: Revival of classical learning and cultural achievements in Europe
• Age of Exploration: European powers like Portugal, Spain, and England established colonies and trade routes
• Reformation: Protestant movement challenged Catholic Church authority, leading to religious divisions

Modern Period (1800 - 2000 CE)

• Industrial Revolution: Transition from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing and significant economic growth
• Nationalism: Rise of nation-states and nationalist movements, leading to conflicts and reorganization of global politics
• World Wars: Global conflicts in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, resulting in massive loss of life and reshaping of global politics

Contemporary Period (2000 CE - present)

• Globalization: Increased interconnectedness and interdependence of economies, cultures, and societies
• Digital Age: Rapid development of technology, especially computing and communication systems
• Ongoing conflicts and challenges: Terrorism, climate change, and social inequality continue to shape global politics and society

Prehistory (Before 3000 BCE)

• Homo sapiens evolved in Africa around 300,000 years ago
• Early human societies developed as nomadic hunter-gatherers, with the emergence of language and social structures
• The Neolithic Revolution occurred around 10,000 years ago, marking a transition to agriculture and settled communities

Ancient Civilizations (3000 BCE - 500 CE)

• The Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians developed writing (cuneiform) and cities in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq)
• Ancient Egypt lasted from around 3100 BCE to 30 BCE, during which pyramids, pharaohs, and hieroglyphics were developed
• City-states like Athens and Sparta in Ancient Greece developed democracy, philosophy, and theater
• Ancient Rome expanded through conquests, established law and governance systems, and transitioned from a Republic to an Empire

Medieval Period (500 - 1500 CE)

• The Roman Empire fell, leading to fragmentation into smaller kingdoms and the rise of Christianity
• The feudal system characterized by localized power and limited social mobility emerged, with lords, vassals, and serfs
• The Crusades were a series of military campaigns to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule

Early Modern Period (1500 - 1800 CE)

• The Renaissance revived classical learning and cultural achievements in Europe
• European powers like Portugal, Spain, and England established colonies and trade routes during the Age of Exploration
• The Reformation, a Protestant movement, challenged Catholic Church authority, leading to religious divisions

Modern Period (1800 - 2000 CE)

• The Industrial Revolution transitioned from manual labor to machine-based manufacturing, leading to significant economic growth
• Nationalism led to the rise of nation-states and nationalist movements, resulting in conflicts and reorganization of global politics
• The World Wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945) resulted in massive loss of life and reshaped global politics

Contemporary Period (2000 CE - present)

• Globalization has increased interconnectedness and interdependence of economies, cultures, and societies
• The Digital Age has been marked by rapid development of technology, especially computing and communication systems
• Ongoing conflicts and challenges include terrorism, climate change, and social inequality, which continue to shape global politics and society