Cultural Timeline for Western Civilization

Early Mesopotamian Civilization

3000 BCE

Mesopotamia developed a strong foundation for Western civilization as a whole. They created one of the earliest writing systems, cuneiform, which allowed for record keeping and allowed for laws to be written. They also introduced organized City-States and helped create political systems for early society.

The Rise of Greek City-States

800 BCE

Greek city-states were important to paths of learning and government. Democracy was pioneered in Athens and Athens was the first city-state to apply this method of government successfully. Western philosophy was also being built on by important Greek thinkers. Another big thing that was celebrated in Greece was individual achievement in the fields of art, literature, and sports. The city-states created the cultural groundwork for Western civilization.

Classical Greece

500 BCE

Vast improvements in learning were made in classical Greece. Science and math were having significant advances in geometry and engineering. Philosophy was beginning to rise and would later go on to influence politics, ethics, and science. The arts were also highly appreciated and would be seen through paintings, plays, and architecture.

The Era of Alexander the Great

336 BCE

Alexander the Great was a highly influential individual in culture in the West. He created the largest empire, which caused culture, language, and ideas to mix across the large land he controlled. This created the Hellenistic culture which helped bring new ideas and thoughts to new territories and helped the spread of Greek learning. This spreading of knowledge through Alexander helped the West make key improvements in learning.

Roman Empire

27 BCE

The Romans played a crucial role in shaping the West through multiple contributions. Engineering was a large improvement with building techniques being used, like the arch and the dome. These improvements helped create culturally significant buildings like the Colosseum and the Pantheon which are also key parts of Italy. Romans also helped preserve the cultural achievements of earlier civilizations. This process made later Western thoughts and ideas happen.

Spread of Christianity and Monasticism

30

Christianity had/has a strong cultural effect on the whole world, not just the West. Christianity quickly became the dominant religion in Europe because of the values of love and salvation it discussed. Monasticism helped organize the structure of medieval society which was heavily based on religion. Religious identity became a large part of the culture in the West.

Dark Ages/Early Middle Ages

500

The Dark Ages set the stage for the culture of many European systems and eras. The Christian Church and monasteries helped preserve classical-era knowledge that would have been lost with the fall of the Roman Empire. The social structure of the Middle Ages was based on a system of Feudalism which heavily influenced Western politics and class structures. This period also involved the blending of Roman, Germanic, and Christian cultures which led to the Renaissance.

The Great Schism

1054

The Great Schism was the division of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which caused cultural divergence. The simple religious division caused two different practices of the Christian faith to start. Different approaches to life were taken with the religious split and caused different traditions as well. The split also caused tensions between Catholics and Orthodox, eventually leading to the Crusades.

The Crusades

1096

The Crusades were a series of religious wars that wanted to reclaim the Holy Land. These Crusades led Christians to mix with the Islamic and Byzantine cultures, which led to an exchange of knowledge. This helped reintroduce classical Greece and Rome to the West, helping the Renaissance. The creation of the chivalric code also helped shape European cultures more positively and also helped decline feudalism.

Renaissance

1300

The Renaissance was one of the most pivotal periods for Western culture. The Renaissance marked the revival of art, science, philosophy, and literature, with new ideas to be created. With these systems and ideas back in place, new ideas and innovations were being fostered and inspired. Power also shifted away from religion and back to monarchs and rulers, which helped draw a line between religion and politics.