Overview
This lecture provides a concise overview of human history, outlining major time periods, key turning points, and global developments using a timeline approach.
The Timeline of World History
- The vertical axis of the chart shows time (each white line = 100 years, spaced equally).
- The horizontal axis organizes world regions: Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
- Each culture, civilization, or empire is represented by a line whose width reflects its relative importance.
Time Period Labels and Dating Systems
- "AD" (Anno Domini) and "BC" (Before Christ) are traditional Western dating conventions.
- "CE" (Common Era) and "BCE" (Before Common Era) are modern, neutral terms.
- There is no year zero; 1 BC is immediately followed by 1 AD.
- The timeline begins at 3300 BCE with the invention of writing, marking the start of history.
Prehistory and Early Ages
- Prehistory is all time before written records; for Homo sapiens, about 200,000 years back.
- The Stone Age refers to the prehistory of humans.
- The timeline covers only historical periods, starting with written records.
The Six Major Historical Periods
1. Early Bronze Age (c. 3300 BCE)
- Characterized by the use of bronze and emergence of writing in Egypt, Sumer (Iraq), and the Indus Valley (Pakistan).
- Notable inventions: wheel, plow, sail, pyramid building, astronomy, mathematics.
- Norte Chico (Peru) and Stonehenge (England) represent large early structures without writing.
2. Bronze Age Proper
- Begins after the 4.2-kiloyear event (c. 2200 BCE), a century of drought leading to the collapse of early civilizations.
- Rise of new powers: Middle/New Kingdoms of Egypt, Babylonians, Indo-Aryans in South Asia, Minoans in Crete, Poverty Point culture in North America.
- Volcanic eruptions affected civilizations and possibly inspired Atlantis myths.
3. Iron Age & The Bronze Age Collapse
- Around 1200 BCE, the Bronze Age collapse saw rapid fall of major civilizations.
- Start of the Iron Age and Greek Dark Ages; period marked by oral legends and scant written records.
4. Classical Antiquity (c. 600 BCE - 500 CE)
- Records become richer, with the emergence of historical writings (e.g., Herodotus).
- Foundations of Western Civilization: Greek and Roman empires, rise of democracy, science, and philosophy.
- Major empires also flourished in India, China, Persia, Africa, and the Americas.
- The Silk Road connected East and West; key religious and philosophical texts appeared.
5. Middle Ages (500 CE - c. 1500 CE)
- Intervening period between ancient and modern history, sometimes incorrectly called the "Dark Ages" (this mainly applied to Western Europe).
- Large-scale migrations and plagues (e.g., Justinian Plague) affected populations.
- New powers rose: Barbarian kingdoms, Islamic caliphates, Mongol Empire, Mali Empire, Aztecs, Incas.
- Urban centers and trade networks grew in Africa and the Americas.
6. Modern Age (c. 1500 CE – present)
- Marked by the Black Death, Renaissance, European colonization, and scientific advances.
- Industrial and technological revolutions transformed societies worldwide.
- Modern era shaped by ongoing change, with parallels to prior historical turning points.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Prehistory — The period before written records existed.
- Bronze Age — Time when humans made tools/weapons from bronze and began writing.
- Iron Age — Period of widespread iron use following the Bronze Age.
- Classical Antiquity — Era of ancient Greece and Rome, and parallel civilizations globally.
- Middle Ages/Medieval Period — The era between ancient and modern history, c. 500–1500 CE.
- Silk Road — Major trade route linking East and West across Eurasia.
- Renaissance — Cultural rebirth in Europe after the Middle Ages, sparked by renewed interest in classical knowledge.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the six historical periods and their major characteristics.
- Explore further readings or resources on major civilizations mentioned.
- Consider the recurring factors (climate change, migrations, pandemics) that lead to major historical shifts.