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800 BCE
The Odyssey- Literature
The Odyssey, one of the epic poems written by the Greek author Homer, is one of the most significant stories ever written. It is widely regarded as one of the best stories ever recorded and is still studied in the western world as a classic. The Odyssey influenced much of the literature in Europe during the renaissance, therefore shaping their culture, indirectly shaping western culture as well. -
384 BCE
Aristotle
Aristotle is credited for partially laying the groundwork for western philosophy. His works in the humanities and social sciences are considered by many to be unparalleled, as his quest for knowledge was never ending. His ideals of reason are still shaping the way society functions to this day. -
4 BCE
Birth of Jesus of Nazareth-Religion
Jesus of Nazareth is the center of Christianity, the largest religion in the world. He was a Jewish carpenter until his eventual baptism, after which he became a great teacher and healer. His teachings and stories of his life would eventually become the Bible, which is usually divided into two separate testaments; the Old Testament and the New Testament. -
Jan 1, 1440
Invention of the Printing Press- History
Before the invention of the Printing Press around 1440, all distributed literature and visual art had to be copied painstakingly by hand. A German man named Johann Gutenberg revolutionized the way the world received media with the printing press, making it faster, cheaper, and therefore easier overall for the spread of art and literature throughout the world. -
Jan 1, 1512
Michelangelo The Creation of Adam- Visual Art
One of the most recognizable works of art of all time, The Creation of
Adam by Michelangelo is dominated by God and his creation, man. This painting differs from almost all previous depictions of God, showing him as a gentle, almost elderly man dressed in simple clothing. God's touch is representative of the birth of mankind. -
John Locke's “Two Treatises of Government”- Philsophy
John Locke's “Two Treatises of Government” rejected the "Divine Right of Kings" theory of government that had governed the world at some point or another for the entirety of human history. Locke said that societies form governments by mutual agreement, and when a ruler loses the consent of the people, the people may remove him. This idea has since been used in a multitude of revolutionary documents, most famously in the Declaration of Independence. -
Frankenstein- Performing Arts
Frankenstein is a revolutionary film in several ways, as it was one of the first book-to-film adaptations, as well as being one of the first science-fiction/horror films respectively. This film is still a great example of a movie sticking to its source material, showing that some forms of the arts are indeed able to make transitions in ways that are enjoyable. -
Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans- Visual Art
Unveiled in 1962, Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans is credited by many as being the work that brought "pop art" to the west coast of the US. Each can is hand painted and all of the cans are different flavors. This piece was Warhol's favorite work and once stated "I should have just done the Campbell’s Soups and kept on doing them ... because everybody only does one painting anyway." -
Pulp Fiction- Performing Arts
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction is a strange, out of order, hit film starring multiple popular actors in which a large number of bizarre events occur. The main theme of the movie is pop culture, and it is represented by a multitude of different items, as well as the diversity of its characters. Pulp Fiction is recognized as one of the highest rated movies among critics of all time, making it must see classic. -
Harry Potter Series- Literature
The Harry Potter series is arguably the most popular book series in the modern era. Before the book series was adapted into a film series, Scholastic paid J.K. Rowling a record amount for publishing rights in the US. Quickly becoming well known, the first book in the series sold 300,000 copies in the UK alone, and spent 72 consecutive weeks in the top three of the New York Times bestseller list. The Harry Potter book series was a pop culture icon even before its big screen adaptations. -
Founding of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster-Religion
In 2005, an Oregon State University Student named Bobby Henderson wrote a letter to the Kansas State Board of Education describing his views on creationism and the theory of evolution. In this letter, he stated why it was important to teach intelligent design as well as evolution. He went on to explain that he personally believed that a Flying Spaghetti Monster created Earth and all of its creatures. This is important because people are members of this religion to poke fun of other religions. -
Invention of the iPhone- History
On January 9th, 2007, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled one of the most revolutionary products in history, the iPhone. The creation of the iPhone lead to a change in the world would operate. Suddenly anyone with $500 and the ability to read had the world at their fingertips and in their pockets. Smart phones had been around before the iPhone, but none had an easier, more sophisticated operating system than the Apple product.
