Saskatchewan Time Scale - Earth Science 30

Earth is Formed

4600 BCE

Earth is formed 4.6 billion years ago.
Eon: Archean

Saskatchewan is Part of One Giant Continent

2500 BCE

In the past, there used to be one giant continent called Pangaea, with a single ocean surrounding it called Panthalassa.
Eon: Proterozoic

Breakup of Pangaea

2100 BCE

Pangaea splits up and a larger ocean is created.
Eon: Proterozoic

Volcanoes form in Saskatchewan

1900 BCE

Eon: Mid Proterozoic

Wathaman Batholith

1850 BCE

The Wathaman Batholith is formed. It is a major element in the Trans-Hudson orogenic belt and has an exposed length of 900 kilometres.
Eon: Mid-Proterozoic

Mountain Building (Orogeny)

1800 BCE

Earth changes from an anoxygenic environment to an oxygenic environment. Martin Sandstone is deposited with Stromatolites.
Eon: Mid - Proterozoic

Erosion of Mountains

1700 BCE

Mountains begin to erode and shrink.
Eon: Proterozoic

Deposit of Uranium

1300 BCE

Uranium is deposited in Saskatchewan.
Eon: Proterozoic

The Sauk Sea

544 BCE

Saskatchewan is covered by the epicontinental Sauk Sea. The Sauk sequence was the earliest of the six cratonic sequences that have occurred during the Phanerozoic era in North America.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Cambrian

Meteorite Hits Saskatchewan

478 BCE

A meteorite hits Saskatchewan, creating the Carswell Meteorite Crater.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Cambrian

Tyndall Stone

470 BCE

Tyndall Stone is deposited as massive limestone.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Cambrian

Winnipegosis Reefs

390 BCE

Winnipegosis Reefs are deposited, later to become a trap for oil deposits.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Devonian

Potash in Saskatchewan

385 BCE

Potash is deposited into the sea that covers Saskatchewan.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Devonian

The First Amphibians

355 BCE

The first amphibians are alive during this time.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Paleozoic
Period: Carboniferous

Mass Extinction

248 BCE

Over 90% of species within the ocean disappear.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Triassic

The First Dinosaurs

245 BCE

The first dinosaurs make an appearance during the Triassic period.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Triassic

The First Mammals

220 BCE

The earliest known mammals were the morganucodontids, tiny shrew-size creatures that lived in the shadows of the dinosaurs roughly 220 million years ago.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Triassic

Saskatchewan is Covered by the Sea - Again

213 BCE

A shallow sea once again covers Saskatchewan.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Triassic

Diamonds!

100 BCE

Volcanic pipes bring diamonds to the surface in Saskatchewan.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Cretaceous

The Sea Retreats

75 BCE

The shallow sea on Saskatchewan begins to disappear.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Cretaceous

Formation of the Badlands

70 BCE

Lakes, rivers, and swamps start forming the badlands. Lignite is formed from the plants deposited in swamps.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Cretaceous

Triceratops in Saskatchewan

66 BCE

Triceratops roam the Saskatchewan landscape.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Mesozoic
Period: Late Cretaceous

Dinosaurs go Extinct

65 BCE

The dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Tertiary
Epoch: Paleocene

Climate Change

50 BCE

Climate changes and the Saskatchewan plateau develops.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Tertiary
Epoch: Eocene

The Ice Age

2 BCE

Ice age begins and covers everywhere in Saskatchewan; save for the Cypress Hills area. Diamonds are covered by glacial till.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Quaternary
Epoch: Pleistocene

Bison and Humans Come to North America - Saskatchewan Prairies Form

Period: 5 to 1 CE

Bison came over to North America .05 million years ago.
Humans came over to North America .02 million years ago.
The prairies formed .01 million years ago.
Eon: Phanerozoic
Era: Cenozoic
Period: Quaternary
Epoch: Holocene