Thinking About Chronology

  • Period: 3500 BCE to 3000 BCE

    Sumer (Mesopotamia)

    Earliest civilization in Sumer develops, and the formation of the first written language begins (cuneiform)
  • 3100 BCE

    Formation of Egypt

    Emergence of Egyptian civilizations along the Nile River Valley and smaller Nubian civilization
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 2000 BCE

    Indus Valley

    Indus Valley civilizations begin to thrive with the development of planned cities, standardized measures, and script
  • Period: 3000 BCE to 1800 BCE

    Norte Chico

    In coastal Peru emerges and develops 25 urban centers, along with strong fishing and agriculture industries
  • 2350 BCE

    Mesopotamian City

    Environmental degradation and endemic warfare caused conquest by outside forces
  • 2200 BCE

    China's First Civilization

    China was a centralized state from the start, and the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties expanded the Chinese state. The first written written language and Chinese culture emerged
  • 2200 BCE

    Oxus

    Central Asian civilization formed; fortified centers, irrigation + stock raising, distinct culture
  • 2000 BCE

    Egyptian Anarchy

    The Egyptian state was restored and pharaohs never regained their old power
  • 1700 BCE

    Indus Collapse

    The Indus Civilization collapses, influences later nations such as Iran, India, and the eastern Mediterranean
  • 1650 BCE

    Nile Migration

    An influx of foreigners migrated into the Nile Valley. Egypt adopts chariot technology, new armor, + improves spinning and weaving
  • 1595 BCE

    Babylon Conquest

    Indo-Europeans bring horse-and-chariot-based armies into Mesopotamia, and conquers Babylon
  • 1500 BCE

    Egypt Imperialism

    Egypt becomes and imperial state that gains authority over non-Egyptian people in Africa and Asia, and has diplomatic relations with Middle Eastern empires
  • Period: 1200 BCE to 900 BCE

    Olmec

    The Olmec emerges on the Gulf of Mexico around 1200 BCE, develops first written language in the Americas around 900 BCE
  • 1 BCE

    Legacies of the First Civilizations

    The states, hierarchies, architecture, trade, and writings of the first civilizations become the foundation for later empires