Thinking About Chronology

  • 4000 BCE

    Start of First Civilizations

    The timeline should span from 4000 B.C.E. to 0 C.E.
  • Period: 4000 BCE to 3500 BCE

    Uruk Civilization (Largest City in Ancient Mesopotamia)

    This was the first civilization of Mesopotamia and the largest city within it since it is one that led to the Sumerian and other Mesopotamian civilizations. The estimated population of this civilization was 50,000 people.
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 3000 BCE

    Egyptian Civilization Emerged + (Nubia)

    This was the civilization known for the pharaohs and pyramids that we all have learned in our lives at some point. This civilization was more of a joined territory rather than several cities that Sumer had.
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 3000 BCE

    Sumerian Civilization Emerged

    In present-day Iraq, the Sumerian civilization has brought forth the earliest written language that Historians and Archeologists could find. Afterward, these Sumerian groups were joined with larger empires in Mesopotamia.
  • Period: 3400 BCE to 3200 BCE

    Nubian Civilization (Ta-Seti)

    This civilization was Independent but had a continuous relationship with the Egyptian Civilization but was a far smaller civilization that flourished separately.
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 1800 BCE

    Norte Chico Civilization + (Caral)

    The largest center of this civilization was the Caral. In modern-day Peru, they used the water around them and fished for economic specialization. They lacked warfare and showed a lack of economy based on anything other than the fishing industry.
  • Period: 2700 BCE to 1600 BCE

    Xia Dynasty (Chinese Early Civilization)

    The monarch of this civilization created great channels to allow water to flow through them. So basically the monarch fixed the water flooding issue.
  • Period: 2663 BCE to 2195 BCE

    Egypt's Old Kingdom

    They believed that due to the sun being reborn every day and the Nile river being reborn every year that life would live on. They believed that the Pharaohs ad other higher-ranked people would be successful on their journey for eternal life in the west.
  • 2500 BCE

    Minoan Civilization Emerged on The Island of Crete

    This civilization has shown a significant influence of Egypt that can be seen through their Art and other ways.
  • 2400 BCE

    Power of The Pharaoh Diminished

    Local authorities assumed greater power and took over giving land to their children and reduced the amount of power that the Pharaoh's had due to ideals not matching.
  • 2350 BCE

    End of The Sumerian Civilization

    Other cities that were stronger took over the Sumerians which led to the end of the Sumerian civilization of Mesopotamia.
  • Period: 2350 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Akkadian Empire

    Sometimes known as the first empire the Akkadian Empire brought the Sumerian and Akadians together and unified their people. The Akkadian Empire overthrew the Sumerian CIvilization to be in power.
  • 2300 BCE

    Indus Valley Traders

    The Sumerian Civilization had already made contact with the Indus Valley Civilization and due to that the Indus Valley traders had taken up space in Mesopotamia and created trade routes with other civilizations as well.
  • Period: 2250 BCE to 1950 BCE

    Low Floods of The Nile

    Egypt had a drastic decline in agriculture and had an increase in starvation due to the low floods of the Nile.
  • 2200 BCE

    Pharaoh's Discredited Due to Nile

    The Nile River had been declining and not flooding as per usual every year so this discredited the Pharaoh's power and Egypt slowly dispersed among locals.
  • Period: 2200 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Indus Valley Civilizations

    This civilization had no political hierarchy compared to the Sumerian and Egyptian civilizations. This civilization was far larger than the Sumerian, Egyptian and, Norte Chico civilizations. The earlier form of the caste system stems from this civilization due to the ruling of priests at the time.
  • Period: 2200 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Oxus Civilization (Central Asian)

    This civilization had an aristocratic political hierarchy that was brought forth through depictions of gods and men that were doing various tasks yet the civilization developed no literate culture. This civilization was culturally stylistic through architecture and ceramics. They would also usually have products from other civilizations such as China and Mesopotamia.
  • 2000 BCE

    Epic of Gilgamesh

    A poem that was created to describe the Uruk civilization in the second millennium B.C.E.
  • 2000 BCE

    "The Earth Turned White"

    Salt had gathered on top of the soil which led to the Sumerians believing that the Earth had turned white. this changed agriculture since Wheat could not grow in such salty soil so then Barley became the most widely growing plant. which led to the popularity of the Sumerian states to move up North.
  • 2000 BCE

    Ruling Was Restored In Egypt

    The Ruling of Egypt got better but the Pharaoh's never regained any power such as before. It was also said that everyone would be accountable for their actions on the Day of Judgement.
  • Period: 2000 BCE to 1700 BCE

    Mohenjo Daro + Harappa

    Sister cities with luxurious indoor bathrooms and indoor plumbing that also include 2-3 story buildings. This flourished on the banks of the Inus River around the time of the Indus Valley Civilization and had a population of 40,000 people in Mohenjo Daro.
  • Period: 1900 BCE to 1500 BCE

    Babylonian Empire

    Was the last Mesopotamian civilization to exist. It was the last empire in Mesopotamia to be ruled by monarchs. In this civilization, the Code of Hammurabi was used which basically enforced punishment based on social status.
  • 1850 BCE

    A Hymn to the Pharaoh

    The Egyptians wrote a hymn which is a song or poem that praised their Pharoah.
  • 1775 BCE

    Code of Hammurabi

    In the Babylonian Empire, this punishment based on social status was the main way of punishing for crimes. This code showed that social status mattered when ranking a punishment of a person of that empire and that the higher classes were treated better than the lower classes based on it. Depending on what class you belonged to your class had a consequence.
  • 1700 BCE

    The Abandonment of Indus Valley and Oxus civilization

    Indus Valley was abandoned due to the vast deforestation and soil erosion. Whereas the Oxus just faded away similar to the Indus Valley civilization. The imprint on culture still thrived in other parts such as India, Mediterranean, and even in Iran.
  • Period: 1600 BCE to 1046 BCE

    Sanxingdui Civilization (Small Civilization in China)

    They were well-known for their rich bronze and vast amounts of other things but were a far smaller civilization that flourished alongside the Shang Dynasty.
  • Period: 1600 BCE to 1046 BCE

    Shang Dynasty (Chinese Early Civilization)

    This civilization led to the expansion of the Chinese state and they buried thousands of human sacrifice victims and buried their rulers in lavish tombs so that the ruler can be accompanied to the afterlife.
  • 1595 BCE

    Hittites Took Over Babylon

    They took over Babylon and had some conflict with the Egyptians over Syria which they resolved using the first-ever peace treaty in existence. The fearsome technology that they had provided reached the Shang Dynasty in 1200 B.C.E. making it one of the Strongest ruled Chinese states.
  • 1500 BCE

    Africa and Asia Bridged Through Egypt

    To keep the diplomatic peace between the civilizations they would send gifts whether that be by marrying their daughters and establishing connections.
  • Period: 1500 BCE to 1100 BCE

    Assyrian Law Code

    This code made it so that a Mesopotamian respectable woman that was under the protection of a man was required to veil herself outside of the home whereas nonrespectable women such as slaves and prostitutes were forbidden to wear veils. If nonrespectable women tried to wear a veil they were then given severe punishments.
  • Period: 1472 BCE to 1457 BCE

    Egypt's Queen Hatshepsut

    She was Egypt's most famous Queen but was portrayed as a male in her statues. She was wearing male clothing and had a beard similar to those of the pharoahs.
  • Period: 1200 BCE to 400 BCE

    Olmec Civilization (Mesoamerica)

    This civilization came to be through competing Chiefdoms that eventually blended together to create this civilization. This brought forth new cultural styles such as art, games, and even new types of ritual sacrifices.
  • Period: 1046 BCE to 771 BCE

    Zhou Dynasty (Chinese Early Civilization)

    This civilization brought forth a new way of ruling and power. They had a monarch that was the "son of heaven". Therefore this monarch would only govern based on the Mandate of Heaven and this dynasty led to the first form of written Chinese.
  • Period: 900 BCE to 612 BCE

    Assyrian Empire

    The Assyrian Empire was a warrior empire. They had a strong warfare practice and fighting was a common part of their life.
  • 760 BCE

    Kush Invaded Egypt

    The kingdom of Lush that belonged to the Nubian Civilization invaded Egypt and had gained control of Egypt for about 100 years or so.
  • 500 BCE

    Nubia Civilization Advancements

    The Nubians had advanced in ironworking and even created their own alphabet through scripture. The civilization had also achieved its own independence politically and became distinct.
  • Period: 221 BCE to 210 BCE

    China's First Emperor Qin Shihuangdi

    The first so-called Emperor to China supposedly buried 460 scholars and burned all of their written work due to them being against him. Basically, they challenged his efforts to unify all of China's Civilizations.
  • 1 BCE

    The Current Civilizations

    The timeline should span from 4000 B.C.E. to 0 C.E.