Ancient times

Upright man Homo erectus, ancestor of modern humans, developed longer legs and shorter arms, helping it to walk upright. Its brains and intelligence grew, allowing it to use finely crafted tools to catch food. BIRTH OF EARTH (4.6 billion years ago) planet Earth forms. STONE TOOLS (2.5 mya) Early human ancestors called Homo habilis (“able man”) make tools for the first time. Most are made of stone.

4.6 billion years ago

UPRIGHT MAN (1.8 mya) Homo erectus (“upright man”) appears. It is the first human ancestor that is similar to modern humans.

SOAP (2800 BCE) The first soap, made of oil and salt, is used for washing fabric, not people. »pp46–47

The Great Pyramid at Giza

THE GREAT PYRAMID (2500 BCE) The pyramid tomb of the pharaoh Khufu is completed in Giza, Egypt. »pp22–23; 44–45 ANCIENT EGYPT (3100 BCE) The civilization of ancient Egypt begins to grow around the Nile River. »pp22–23 BRONZE (3200 BCE) People in Egypt and Mesopotamia learn to make the durable metal bronze. »pp24–25

WHEELED TRANSPORTATION (3200 BCE) Two-wheeled carts—the earliest wheeled vehicles—are made in what is now Slovenia. »pp46–47

WRITING (3400 BCE) The first forms of writing are created in Sumer (in Mesopotamia) and Egypt. »pp20 –21

PACIFIC SETTLERS (2000 BCE) Lapita people become the first of five waves of settlers moving to islands in the Pacific. »pp42–43 OLMECS AND CHAVÍN (1200 BCE) The Olmecs are the first civilization in Mexico, while the Chavín culture dominates Peru. »pp26–27

Humans have come a long way since their ancestors walked the planet 2.5 million years ago (mya). For many thousands of years, people lived simple lives as huntergatherers, spending their time looking for food and defending themselves from wild animals. Then, with the advent of farming, civilizations grew. Inventions and discoveries—the wheel, irrigation, and writing— were slow at first, but progress has sped up ever since.

ANCIENT GREECE (700–400 BCE) The ancient Greek civilization becomes the most influential power in the Mediterranean region. »pp28–29

Greek vase showing a temple

MOCHE CULTURE (100 CE) The Moche people of northern Peru create sophisticated art and textiles. »pp26–27

600 CE

SPREADING CHRISTIANITY (60 CE) Paul the Apostle sets up churches across the Roman Empire. »pp40–41

FIRE! (790,000 years ago) The first evidence of humans using controlled fire dates to this time. »pp46–47

MODERN HUMANS (195,000 years ago) Modern humans, Homo sapiens (“thinking man”), evolve in Africa. »pp8–9

THE FIRST MIGRATION (100,000 years ago) The first modern humans leave Africa for the Middle East, but do not survive long. »pp8–9

GLASS (3500 BCE) People in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) make the first glass. »pp46 –47

CITY LIVING (4500 BCE) The world’s first cities are established, in Mesopotamia. »pp18–19 MEGALITHIC EUROPE (5000–2000 BCE) Now settled, people build huge stone temples, tombs, and ceremonial sites. »pp16–17

NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION (9000 BCE) People begin to settle in places and start to farm, leading to a change also known as the Agricultural Revolution. »pp14–15 THE SECOND MIGRATION (65,000 years ago) Modern humans leave Africa. They reach Asia and Australia 15,000 years later. »pp8–9

CAVE ART (40,000 years ago) The earliest known paintings are made in Spain, France, and Australia. »pp12–13

ICE AGE (20,000 years ago) The most recent of Earth’s ice ages reaches its peak. »pp10–11

Cave art of fish from Ubirr, Australia

EARLY MUSIC (40,000 years ago) The earliest known musical instruments—flutes crafted from animal bones—are made in what is now Germany. »pp46–47

COINS (610 BCE) The first coins are made in the kingdom of Lydia (in modern-day Turkey). »pp46–47 EXILE FROM ISRAEL (597–539 BCE) The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar exiles the Jews from the kingdom of Judah to Babylon. »pp40–41 ALEXANDER THE GREAT (334–323 BCE) Alexander III of Macedonia expands his Greek empire through Asia and northern Africa. »pp32–33

HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON (600 BCE) The spectacular stepped gardens in Babylonia are one of the wonders of the ancient world. »pp44–45 PERSIAN EMPIRE (550–330 BCE) Cyrus the Great establishes an Asian empire centered in Persia (modernday Iran). »pp30–31

DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST (c.30 CE) After Jesus is killed by the Romans, his followers call him Christ and establish the Christian religion. »pp40–41 GREAT WALL OF CHINA (221 BCE) Qin Shi Huangdi unites the states of China and joins their small defensive walls into one Great Wall. »pp34–35

ROMAN EMPIRE (27 BCE) Octavian declares himself “Emperor Augustus” and the Roman Republic becomes an empire. »pp38–39 PUNIC WARS (264–146 BCE) The Roman Republic expands after destroying the powerful state of Carthage during the Punic Wars. »pp36–37

Temple of Artemis The remains of this 2,000-yearold Greek temple to Artemis, the goddess of hunting, stand in modern-day Selçuk, Turkey.