2.5 million B.C.E.
Emergence of more humanlike species, initially in eastern Africa.
750,000 B.C.E.
Further development of human species into Homo Erectus.
600,000 B.C.E.
Wide spread of human species across Asia, Africa, Africa; development of fire use.
240,000-100,000 B.C.E.
Apparent completion of basic human evolution; migrations from Africa begins; Homo sapiens displace other human species.
25,000 B.C.E.
Migration of people from Siberia to tip of South America.
14,000 B.C.E.
End of great ice age.
12,000 B.C.E.
Fashioning of stone tools; end of Paleolithic (Old Stone) Age.
10,000-8,000 B.C.E.
Development of farming in Middle East.
9,000 B.C.E.
Domestication of sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle.
8,000 B.C.E.
Transition of agriculture; introduction of silk weaving in China.
6,000 B.C.E.
First potter's wheel.
5,500 B.C.E.
Catal Huyuk at it's peak.
5,000 B.C.E.
Domestication of maize (corn) in Mesopotamia.
4,000 B.C.E.
Yangshao culture in China.
4,000-3000 B.C.E.
Age of innovation in Middle East; introduction of writing, bronze metalwork, wheel, and plow.
3,500-1800 B.C.E.
Civilization of Sumer; cuneiform alphabet.
3,100 B.C.E.
Rise of Egyptian civilization.
2,500 B.C.E
Emergence of Harappan (Indus) civilization
2,000 B.C.E.
Kotosh culture in Peru. Also, conversion to agriculture in northern Europe and southern Africa.
1,500 B.C.E.
Emergence of Shang Kingdom in China; writing develops.
1,200 B.C.E.
Jews settle near the Mediterranean; first monotheistic religion.
1,122 B.C.E.
Western Zhou Kings.
1,029-258 B.C.E.
Zhou Dynasty; introduction of a standard spoken language.
551-478 B.C.E.
Life of Confucius.
500 B.C.E.
Laozi and Daoism. Also, editing of the Five Classics.
450 B.C.E.
Development of Chinese calendar.
402-201 B.C.E.
Era of the Warring States.
221-201 B.C.E.
Qin Dynasty; the First Emperor, the Great Wall begun, a single basic language.
200 B.C.E.
Introduction of ox-drawn plow, horse collar, water mill.
141-87 B.C.E.
Reign of Han Wu Ti, increased bureaucracy; examinations, spread of Confucianism.
1,600-1,000 B.C.E.
Aryan invasions of India.
1,500-1,000 B.C.E.
Vedic Age.
1,200-700 B.C.E.
Sacred Vedas composed.
1,000-600 B.C.E.
Epic Age: Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Upanishads composed.
700-550 B.C.E.
Era of unrivaled brahman dominance.
546-483 B.C.E.
Life of the Buddha.
327-325 B.C.E.
Alexander the Great invades India.
322-298 B.C.E.
Chandragupta Maurya rules.
269-232 B.C.E.
Reign of Ashoka.
200 B.C.E. - 200 C.E.
Period of greatest Buddhist influence.
319 C.E.
Gupta Empire founded; one of world's first universities established.
535 C.E.
Gupta Empire Overturned by Huns.