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3200 BCE
Cuneiform
The ancient Sumerians invented one of the first true systems of writing, Cuneiform. Previous writing systems, called proto-writing, could only convey simple ideas through images. Cuneiform was one of the first true writing system that recorded an actual language. True written language was of the most important inventions ever because of how it allowed information to be preserved and spread. -
3200 BCE
Egyptian Hieroglyphics
Egyptian hieroglyphics was one of the earliest true writing systems. It is unclear whether Egyptian hieroglyphics or Cuneiform came first, but it is generally agreed that hieroglyphics came shortly after Cuneiform, but they developed independently of each other. Just like Cuneiform, Egyptian Hieroglyphics were incredibly influential because they revolutionized how people spread and preserved information. -
1800 BCE
Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem written in ancient Mesopotamia, and it is the oldest known work of literature. It influenced future authors by setting the precedent for storytelling. It was the first work of fiction to use themes that are still common in literature today, such as the human condition and confrontation of death. -
1050 BCE
Phoenician Alphabet
The Phoenicians created one of the first phonetic alphabets, which meant that each character represented a single sound. It only had 22 characters in contrast the other common alphabets of the time, like Chinese and Cuneiform, which had thousands of characters. The ease of learning Phoenician let it spread rapidly, and it would evolved into Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew. -
700 BCE
Latin Alphabet
The Latin alphabet was created by the Romans and developed from the Greek and Etruscan alphabets. It is one of the most influential writing systems of all time, with at least 100 languages and 70% of the world population using it. -
600 BCE
Arabic Numerals
The Arabic numerals system is the first 10 digits 0-9. It first created in India and then expanded by Arabs to include decimals and fractions. The base-10 number system was a huge advancement because it made writing large number and doing math much easier compared to systems like Roman numerals. Arabic numerals were so influential that today they are used by almost every country in the world. -
400 BCE
Torah
The Torah is the main religious text of Judaism and comprises the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It was written by different people over a long period of time and was finished sometime around 400 BCE. It is one of the most influential works of literature of all time because it inspired the three most important religions to western civilization, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. -
100
New Testament
The New Testament is the second division of the Christian Bible and details the life and teachings of Jesus. Christianity would not spread without the creation of the New Testament. Since Christianity is the world's largest religion, and the most influential to the development of western civilization, the New Testament is one of the most important works of literature ever written. -
650
Quran
The Quran is the main religious text of Islam. It was written shortly after the prophet Muhammad's death by his followers. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, and it was incredibly important to development of Western Civilization. The Quran has directly influenced all Muslims and many important historical events like the Arab conquest. -
1450
Printing Press
The printing press was one of the most important inventions ever created. It revolutionized the way ideas were written and spread. The printing press was also used by Martin Luther to spread his message during the reformation. The printing press directly influenced how books were written, and it indirectly influenced the Protestant Reformation. -
1500
Thesis Statement
These events show these show continuity in language and writing because some themes that have always been common in literature, including life, death, and religion. They also show change because of how languages have evolved over time. There are many languages, such as Sumerian and Latin, that have died and been replaced by new languages. How languages have been written has also changed over time, from complex glyphs written by a scribal class, to simple letters that can be printed by anyone.
