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Period: 750 BCE to 500
Western Roman Empire
The period of Roman history following the end of the Roman Republic. This era was defined, initially, by territorial expansion, advanced engineering, large-scale city living, and cultural and social development and growth. Latin was spoken all over the Empire, spread by trade (which was enhanced due to Roman roads and safe passage between regions). The decline of the Roman Empire was constant, and finally led to the fall of the Western Empire around 500 CE. -
285
Split into Eastern and Western Roman Empires
The Roman Empire had become too large to administer and rule effectively, so the leaders decided to split it into the Eastern and Western Empire, with Rome as the capital of the west, and Byzantium (then Constantinople) as the capital of the east. -
Period: 375 to 1453
Eastern Roman Empire - a.k.a. Byzantine Empire
The Eastern Roman Empire is known as the most opulent and affluent of the Medieval Era, experiencing a Golden Era during the time that Western Europe was experiencing what was popularly known as the "Dark Ages". It ended when its crowning jewel and capital, Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Turks. -
Period: 500 to 1500
Middle Ages or Medieval Age - Europe
The time period following the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Also known as the 'Dark Ages', the first part of this era was marked by smaller kingdoms and territories emerging, decentralization of government and law, as well as more repressed cultural and social practices (due to the control wielded by the Roman Catholic Church). Feudalism became the standard socioeconomic system, agricultural lifestyle became more common than a city-based one and art and literature were dominated by religion. -
Period: 618 to 907
Tang Dynasty - China
The Tang Dynasty was a time of cultural, economic and political growth for China. Emperors were autocratic and supreme leaders, however, ministers and politicians were elected based on education and merit. Religious freedom (with preference given to Confucianism) existed, and art (especially poetry and sculpture) blossomed. Technological advances (including wooden printing presses) abounded. There were various rebellions, causing fractured regions, however, these were mostly overcome. -
Period: 622 to 1258
Caliphate - Muslim Empire
The Caliphate is the period of Islamic expansion, following the death of the Prophet Mohammed in 622 CE. The dynastic expansion can be divided into three different periods: the First (four) Caliphs (successors of the Prophet); the Umayyad Caliphate and the Abbasid Caliphate. The Caliphate ended due to various external pressures, the final being the Ottoman Turks. The latter claimed the caliph tradition, but by that time (1362 CE) most Muslims did not acknowledge this claim. -
800
Charlemagne - Holy Roman Emperor
Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the pope. He ruled over the Franks in what is now France and Germany. -
Period: 960 to 1279
Song Dynasty - China
The Song Dynasty followed the Tang, and started after the region was once again unified under General (later Emperor) Taizu. Initially the military was directly under the emperor's power, but lost power. The civil service, on the other hand, became even more structured and sophisticated. The Song Dynasty is divided into the Northern and Southern Song, because towards the end, the two could not be united. The era is also marked by extensive artistic expansion and development. -
Period: 1206 to 1368
Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty - China
While the Song Dynasty slowly fell apart, the Mongols expanded their territory, establishing their Yuan Dynasty under Genghis Khan in 1206 in Northern Song, finally overthrowing Southern Song by 1267. Even though trade and territory was expanded in the subsequent years of Mongol rule, the Chinese despised them, as they did not conform to Chinese language or culture, keeping their own. Weak leaders following Kublai Khan, and a rebellion, finally led to the end of the dynasty. -
1455
Invention of printing press - Gutenberg
Seen as one of the main events which led to the Modern Age (introduced by the Renaissance), the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg was an unbelievably important event in Western history. His introduction of mechanical movable type revolutionized people's access to information, as it allowed for the mass publication of books, pamphlets, etc. This invention allowed new ideas and research to spread faster and more thoroughly across borders. -
Period: 1500 to
Renaissance
Mostly associated with Art and the development of the Humanities, the Renaissance originated in Italy because the Italian city-states were wealthy enough to patronize the arts, leading to the development of new ideas, as well as the "rebirth" of others. Europeans began to look back to the Greek and Roman (Classical) ideals of beauty and curiosity. The Roman Catholic Church was still important, but superstition did not overwhelm all aspects of life as it had done during the Middle Ages. -
1543
Heliocentric Model - Copernicus
Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus came up with the theory that the earth and other planets in our solar system revolve around the son - as opposed to Ptolemy's accepted theory that other solar bodies revolve around the Earth. This made a huge impression on the way Europeans thought of their role and place in the universe - not at its center as believed before, but just a part of a larger system.
