Unit 1 History Timeline

  • Settling in the Nile Valley
    11,000 BCE

    Settling in the Nile Valley

    People begin to settle in the Nile valley. They started off by hunting and gathering food. Later, they begin to grow crops, keep animals and build homes on the banks of the river Nile.
  • Egypt is united
    3100 BCE

    Egypt is united

    Narmer is the first Egyptian king to conquer and rule over both Upper and Lower Egypt.
  • The Great Egyptian pyramid
    2500 BCE

    The Great Egyptian pyramid

    Three large stone pyramids are built at Giza. The pyramid is built for the king Khafre and is guarded by a huge stone sphinx with the body of a lion and the king's head.
  • Journey to the underworld
    2100 BCE

    Journey to the underworld

    Coffin texts are used for the first time. These spells help dead people travel through the underworld to the afterlife. They are written on the coffins of wealthy ancient Egyptians.
  • Upper and Lower Egypt are united
    2055 BCE

    Upper and Lower Egypt are united

    The government in Egypt collapses and Upper and Lower Egypt have different rulers. In 2055 BC, Mentuhotep II became king of Upper Egypt. He later then takes control of all of Egypt.
  • Peace and Prosperity
    1860 BCE

    Peace and Prosperity

    Senusret III rules as king. He expands the territory controlled by Egypt and, during his 39-year reign, ancient Egypt is wealthy and powerful.
  • A woman is on the throne
    1795 BCE

    A woman is on the throne

    Queen Neferusobek became one of the first female rulers of Egypt. She is the first ruler associated with the crocodile god known by Sobek.
  • Provisions for the dead
    1650 BCE

    Provisions for the dead

    Around the time of the Middle Kingdom, wealthy people have wooden models of people preparing food or sailing on a boat put in their tombs to ensure good meals and safe travel for them in the afterlife.
  • Expelling the enemy
    1525 BCE

    Expelling the enemy

    Ahmose rules as king. Ahmose defeats the foreign Hyksos rulers, who control Lower Egypt, and becomes king of all Egypt.
  • Magical afterlife assistance
    1500 BCE

    Magical afterlife assistance

    Some ancient Egyptians have small figures called shabtis placed in their tombs to magically work for them in the afterlife. From about 1500 BC onwards, the number of shabtis in royal tombs increases. By 1000 BC, many wealthy people are buried with hundreds of them.
  • The female pharaoh
    1458 BCE

    The female pharaoh

    Hatshepsut rules Egypt, initially because her stepson Thutmose III is too young to rule. Her most famous monument is a funerary temple opposite Thebes (present day Luxor).
  • The rise and fall of the Aten
    1336 BCE

    The rise and fall of the Aten

    Akhenaten is king. He believes that the sun disc, Aten, should be worshipped as the only Egyptian god, and he discourages the worship of other gods and goddesses – particularly Amun. Many people do not agree and, after Akhenaten dies, his monuments are destroyed, his name is removed from statues, and the original religion is restored.
  • Tutankhamun – the boy king
    1327 BCE

    Tutankhamun – the boy king

    Tutankhamun becomes king at the tender age of nine years. In 1922, the archaeologist Howard Carter discovers Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
  • Ramses the Great
    1213 BCE

    Ramses the Great

    Ramses II rules for 66 years. He builds temples everywhere and has many statues of himself put up within Egypt and in conquered lands.
  • New embalming techniques
    1000 BCE

    New embalming techniques

    The mummification process changes and instead of placing the internal organs into special canopic jars, the organs are put back into the body after being dried. However, the ancient Egyptians continue to put empty or solid 'model' canopic jars in tombs.
  • Kushite strength
    728 BCE

    Kushite strength

    Kings from a region to the south called Kush conquer Egypt. Kushite kings rule Egypt until about 664 BC. The last Kushite king of Egypt is called Tantamani.
  • Emergence of demotic script
    698 BCE

    Emergence of demotic script

    Demotic script replaces hieratic script. Demotic script is faster and easier to write. It is used for business documents and everyday writing.
  • The end of Native rule
    628 BCE

    The end of Native rule

    Egypt is controlled by rulers from other countries. The Assyrians invaded Egypt in 673 BC and controlled local Egyptian kings. The Persians directly rule Egypt from 525 to 404 BC and again from 343 to 332 BC.
  • Legacy of Alexander the Great
    332 BCE

    Legacy of Alexander the Great

    After King Alexander of Macedon conquers Egypt, the country is ruled by his general, who becomes King Ptolemy I. His descendants continue to rule for 300 years. Greek becomes the main government language, and official documents are now written in Greek as well as Egyptian.
  • Invention of Writing

    Invention of Writing

    Writing using hieroglyphic signs is developed. The ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs for over 3,600 years to record important information.

Plan projects on a visual timeline

Map milestones, phases, deadlines, and key events in one place so the sequence is easier to see and share. Timetoast is a timeline maker for work, school, research, and stories.