The Classical Period

  • 13,000 BCE

    Western Hemisphere

    Western Hemisphere
  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1500 BCE

    Mayan Civilization

    -The Maya Empire, centered in the tropical lowlands of what is now Guatemala, reached the peak of its power and influence around the sixth century A.D.
    -The Maya excelled at agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making and mathematics, and left behind an astonishing amount of impressive architecture and symbolic artwork.
  • Period: 1300 BCE to 1521 BCE

    Aztec Civilzation

    -The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th centuries.
    -Like most European empires, it was ethnically very diverse, but unlike most European empires, it was more of a system of tribute than a single system of government.
  • Period: 1022 BCE to 265 BCE

    Chinia, Zhou Dynasty

    -The Zhou Dynasty originally was a co-dynasty with the Shang Dynasty but due to warring states and rebellion the Zhou Dynasty eventually reigned all of China.
    -The longest dynasty of China's history.
  • 1000 BCE

    East Asia

    East Asia
  • 1000 BCE

    AfroEurasia

    AfroEurasia
  • Period: 911 BCE to 612 BCE

    Neo-Assyrian Empire

    -The Neo-Assyrian Empire that reestablished stability in Southwest Asia and North Africa around 950 BCE subordinated and exploited peoples living in distant lands, establishing a regional empire.
    -The Assyrians perfected early techniques of imperial rule, which later became standard in empires to come.
  • 600 BCE

    The Classical Period begins

    The Classical Period begins
  • Period: 550 BCE to 330 BCE

    The Achaemenid Persian Empire

    -Under Cyrus the Great, the Persians of the Iranian Plateau united together and defeated their rivals the Medes, establishing an empire that stretched from Anatolia to the Indus Valley. The Persians relied upon persuasion, backed by force, to dominate subject populations and formed an empire by modifying the institutions and ideology of local peoples to their own customs.
  • Period: 320 BCE to 550

    India, Gupta Dynasty

    -Much of the Gupta dynasty's income came from trading agricultural goods. Although the Gupta were generally an agriculture society, they also exported works made of fine metal and textiles.
    -Scientifically and mathematically the Gupta excelled. By the end of the dynasty, the Gupta people had calculated the formula for the number pi, discovered metallurgy, and advanced greatly in astrology.
  • 300 BCE

    South Asia

    South Asia
  • Period: 300 BCE to 180 BCE

    India, Mauryan Empire

    -Due to the silk trade roads the Mauryan empire is very distinctively known for its trade. It's major exports were silk, other textiles, and spices.
    -Chandragupta Maura also established a centralized government. In the Mauryan empire there where four provinces of government reign, a spy system, and a council of ministers to advise the emperor.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 207 BCE

    China, Qin Dynasty

    -This dynasty was ruled by Qin Shihuangdi,who's name literally means "first emperor"
    -Using a legalism style reign, Shihuangdi established a powerful army with advanced iron weapons, took on the project of connecting the Great Wall, and standardized weights, roads, currency, laws, scripts, and measurements.