PREHISTORY: -15bn to -1000

-13,700,000,000 -4,600,000,000 -3,800,000,000 -1,000,000,000 -540,000,000 -450,000,000 -350,000,000 -300,000,000 -230,000,000 -200,000,000 -150,000,000 -70,000,000 -65,000,000 -15,000,000 -4,000,000 -2,500,000 -1,500,000 -200,000 -40,000 -25,000 -25,000 -15,000 -11,000 -8,000 -6,000 -3,000 -1,800 -1,000 Beginning of the universe: "Big Bang" Age of Sun and Earth Earliest single-celled life appears on Earth First multi-cellular plants (algae) appear Start of Cambrian Period, life proliferates in the sea Vegetation colonizes land, and Arthropods first land animals Formation of Pangaea supercontinent First amphibians and reptiles First dinosaurs and early mammals appear Continents begin to split into present configuration Archaeopteryx earliest known bird First primates and other modern mammals appear Dinosaurs die out Great apes speciate from other apes and monkeys Bipedal ape-like hominids first appear in Africa Australipithecus and Homo Habilis start to make tools Homo Erectus and Homo Ergaster control fire Homo Neanderthalensis and Homo Sapiens appear "Great Leap Forward" in human cognitive development Cro-Magnon Man reaches Europe - earliest Paleolithic art Neanderthals die out and Homo Sapiens dominates First Asian migrants cross Bering Straits to North America End of last "ice age" and start of current interglacial period Extinction of mastodons and other megafauna New Stone Age (Neolithic) in Europe - settled agriculture Bronze Age in Europe Main circle built at Stonehenge, Britain Iron Age in Europe

ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST: -7000 to 600

-7000 -4000 -3500 -3500 -2500 -2100 -2000 -2000 -2000 -2000 -1800 -1600 -1400 -1300 -1250 -1200 -1020 -1000 -970 -940 -800 -720 -620 -600 -580 -540 -530 -525

Founding of Jericho - world's earliest known city Early Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia Sumerian cuneiform (picture-writing) developed Sumerians invent wheel Early Hebrew civilization in Israel area Babylon established by the Chaldeans Abraham migrates from Ur to Canaan Hittite empire established in Asia Minor Gilgamesh Epic (heroic poem) written in cuneiform Phoenicians trading in Eastern Mediterranean Babylonian king Hammurabi codifies laws Phoenicians develop phonetic alphabet Hebrews invade Canaan (Joshua) Hebrew Exodus from Egypt under Moses Israelites invade Palestine Hittites overthrown by Assyrians Saul becomes King of Israel David becomes King of Israel - Philistines defeated Solomon becomes King of Israel Death of King Solomon - kingdom split into two Phoenicians establish colony at Carthage, North Africa Assyrians invade Palestine Ninevah sacked by Medes - end of Assyrian empire Hanging Gardens of Babylon built by Nebuchadnezar Nebuchadnezar takes Hebrews into captivity in Babylon Medes and Persians under Cyrus control most of Asia Minor Jews freed after Cyrus the Persian conquers Babylon Persians expand into Egypt, Asia Minor and towards India

-486 -165 -87 -63 -4 33 67 70 135 600

Xerxes becomes King of Persia Jewish kingdom revived under Hasmoneans and Maccabees Babylonian tablet records passage of Halley's Comet Romans under Pompey conquer Palestine Birth of Jesus Christ Death of Jesus Christ Death of St Paul Jerusalem destroyed by Romans after rebellion Emperor Hadrian completes destruction of Palestine Jewish Talmud written

ANCIENT EGYPT: -5000 to -30

-5000 -3400 -3100 -2800 -2600 -2500 -2040 -1500 -1500 -1327 -725 -700 -500 -450 -400 -270 -51 -30 Earliest Egyptian settlements Hieratic writing developed by Egyptians First Egyptian dynasty under Pharoah Menes - Memphis built Papyrus used as writing material by Egyptians Old Kingdom of Egypt - first pyramid built at Saccara Pyramid of Giza built Middle Kingdom of Egypt - reunification under Theban kings New Kingdom of Egypt - civilization peaks First alphabet developed in Egypt Death of Tutankhamun Nubians from present-day Sudan conquer Egypt Assyrians invade Egypt Persians invade Egypt End of Pharoahs' rule in Egypt - 30th Dynasty Egypt independent of foreign domination Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria built Cleopatra becomes Queen of Egypt Cleopatra commits suicide - Egypt ruled by Romans for 7 centuries

ANCIENT GREECE: -4400 to +267

-4400 -2700 -1600 -1400 -1200 -1200 -776 -700 -700 -540 -510 -490 -490 -460 -450 -450 -430 -430 -406 -400 -399 -385 -348 -340 -330 -320 -320 -300 Minoan (or Aegean) culture established in Crete First settlement at Troy Greek tribes settle in Greece and Asia Minor Knossos sacked - end of Minoan civilization Siege of Troy, and adventures of Iliad and Odyssey Mycaenean civilization starts to decline First Olympic Games held in Greece Death of Homer (writer) Lydians introduce metal coinage Death of Croesus, fabulously rich king of Lydia Democratic constitution established in Athens Death of Pythagoras (mathematician and philosopher) Greeks defeat Persians under Darius and Xerxes Golden Age of Greece under Pericles Death of Aeschylus (dramatist) Great statue of Zeus built at Olympia Death of Hippocrates (physician) Peleponnesian Wars between Athens and Sparta Death of Sophocles and Euripides (dramatists) Death of Democritus (philosopher) Death of Socrates (philosopher) Death of Aristophanes (comic dramatist) Death of Plato (philosopher) Greece reunited under Philip II - second flowering of arts Alexander the Great defeats Persians - expands towards India Alexander the Great dies and Greek empire is split Death of Aristotle (philosopher) Euclid develops geometry

-250 -210 120 200 267

Parthians control much of Eastern Greek empire Death of Archimedes (mathematician and scientist) Death of Plutarch (biographer and writer) Death of Claudius Galen (physician) Goths overrun Greece, capture Athens and sack other cities

EARLY INDIA: -3000 to +1556

-3000 -2500 -1000 -540 -528 -480 -330 -240 320 550 1206 1398 1509 1519 1526 1556 Advanced civilization (Dravidians) in Indus Valley Tribes of Aryans (Indo-Europeans) gradually move into India Rig Veda (first Indian sacred text) written Magadha kingdom in Northern India becomes dominant power Enlightenment of Gautama Buddha Death of Gautama Buddha and spread of his teachings Alexander the Great makes incursions into India King Asoka extends his empire to cover most of India Gupta dynasty reunites India and arts flourish White Huns from the north west destroy Indian empire Turkish Sultanate established in Delhi - power centralized Mongols under Tamerlaine invade Northern Indian and sack Delhi Portuguese trading empire established at Goa, South India Sikhism founded in India Babar (Babur), descendent of Mongol leader Tamerlaine founds Mughal (Mogul) Empire in India Mughal leader Akbar comes to power - controls most of India

EARLY CHINA AND JAPAN: 2500 to 907

-2500 -1600 -1030 First Golden Age of China under Yao, Shun and Yu Shang Dynasty - advanced civilization and literature Chou Dynasty - feudal system established

-660 -530 -500 -500 -480 -220 -210 -200 -140 200 220 400 400 520 581 600 600 618 683 710 794 868 907

Japanese Empire established by Jimmu Death of Lao-Tsu, founder of Taoism Wars between rival Chinese kingdoms Confucius preaching in China Ch'in Dynasty - standardized language and administration Shih Huang Ti first emperor of united China Great Wall of China built to keep out Mongolians Han Dynasty - Mandarin bureaucracy and invention of paper Emperor Wu Ti expands Chinese Empire Silk, porcelain and tea exported to west on Silk Road End of Han Dynasty - China divided for 3 centuries Japanese states united by Yamato clan Shinto cult in Japan Zen form of Buddhism introduced to China from India Sui Dynasty - China reunited China's Grand Canal (longest canal system in world) rebuilt Khmer Empire established in Indo-China T'ang Dynasty in China - arts and literature thrive Empress Wu becomes first and only Chinese woman ruler Japanese capital established at Nara Kyoto becomes capital of Japan during Heian period First book printed in China "Five Dynasties" and partition of China

EARLY AMERICAS: -2000 to 1490

-2000 -1500 -900 -400 150 Neolithic cultures in Peruvian desert Olmecs settle on Gulf Coast of Mexico Chavin culture predominates in northern Peru Mayan civilizations develop in Central America High Mayan society in Guatemala and Mexico

250 650 700 900 1000 1100 1200 1470 1490

Classic period of Mayan civilization Zapotec civilization of southern Mexico at its zenith Widespread pre-Inca culture develops around Lake Titicaca, Peru Mayan Empire mysteriously collapses Viking Leif Erikson "discovers" North America Inca tribes move into Cusco valley, Peru Cahokia capital of Mississipian cultures of North America Centralized Incan empire stretches from Ecuador to Argentina Aztec Empire covers much of Mesoamerica by this time

ANCIENT ROME: -1000 to 476

-1000 -750 -510 -490 -280 -260 -200 -140 -71 -63 -55 -54 -48 -44 -43 -31 Early Roman tribes settle around Rome Foundation of city of Rome Republic of Rome declared Romans free themselves from Etruscan domination Romans control most of Italy Start of Punic Wars against Carthage Scipio defeats Hannibal and the Carthaginians Romans finally destroy Carthage Death of Spartacus (Thracian rebel and insurrectionist) Romans under Pompey conquer Palestine Julius Caesar takes Britain after annexing Gaul for Rome Death of Catullus (poet) Julius Caesar becomes Roman leader after defeating Pompey Julius Caesar assassinated and Augustus takes over as leader Death of Cicero (orator and dramatist) Augustus defeats his rival Marcus Antonio and Cleopatra

-27 -19 -8 18 60 65 68 70 79 113 117 122 135 140 150 180 300 315 410 430 446 476

Augustus becomes first Roman emperor Death of Virgil (poet) Death of Horace (poet) Death of Ovid (poet) Boadicaea and Iceni tribe's revolt against Rome fails Death of Seneca the Younger (philosopher and dramatist) Death of Emperor Nero Jerusalem destroyed by Romans Destruction of Pompei by Vesuvius volcano Death of Pliny the Younger (writer) Roman Empire at greatest extent under Hadrian Hadrian's Wall built in Britain Emperor Hadrian completes destruction of Palestine Death of Juvenal (poet and Stoic) Roman-Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy describes motions of stars and planets Death of Marcus Aurelius and beginning of the decline of the Roman Empire Ambrosian Chants one of earliest forms of Western music Under Diocletian, Roman Empire split into East (Byzantine) and West Rome sacked by Alaric the Visigoth Death of St. Augustine (philosopher and theologian) Romans pull out of Britain Romulus Augustulus, last Western Roman Emperor, deposed

EARLY AFRICA: 800 to 1652

-800 -500 Phoenicians establish colony at Carthage, North Africa Iron Age Nok culture thriving in Nigeria

-200 50 100 400 1000 1050 1230 1325 1340 1483 1493 1516 1571 1592 1652

Axum Kingdom established in Ethiopia Aksum line of Ethiopian kings start rule Bantu people of West Africa start to spread south and east Ghana controls important African gold trade Zimbabwe culture influencial in East Africa Islamic Berber dynasties established in Sahel Ghanaian Empire replaced by Mali, centred around Timbuktu Zenith of Mandingo Empire in Mali Songhai Empire replaces Mali rule Portuguese travellers discover Congo River Songhai Empire reaches height of power under Sonni Ali Algiers taken by pirate Barbarossa for Holy Roman Empire Bornu Empire in Central Sudan at its zenith under Idris III Moorish conquest of African Songhai Empire Dutch establish first colony in South Africa

BARBARIAN INVASIONS: 214 to 1000

214 267 367 372 410 415 429 452 550 793 862 1000 Goths from Baltic infiltrate as far south as Black Sea Goths overrun Greece, capture Athens and sack other cities Picts, Scots and Saxons invade Britain Huns from Asia penetrate into Europe Rome sacked by Alaric the Visigoth Visigoths invade Spain Vandals invade North Africa and Spain Attila the Hun invades Gaul, Italy and Balkans White Huns from the north west destroy Indian empire Vikings invade Britain Vikings under Rurik invade Russia and establish state Viking Leif Erikson "discovers" North America

BYZANTINE EMPIRE: 315 to 1453

315 330 527 537 552 627 1018 1261 1453 Roman Empire split into East (Byzantine) and West Emperor Constantine builds Constantinople (Byzantium) Accession of Emperor Justinian - Code of Civil Law Hagia Sophia cathedral built in Constantinople Byzantines complete conquest of Italy and Spain Byzantines under Heraclius defeat Persians Bulgars subjected by Byzantine Emperor Basil 11 Constantinople restored to Byzantine rule after 4th Crusade Constantinople taken by Turks - end of Byzantine Empire

EARLY SPAIN AND PORTUGAL: 415 to 1433

415 711 1085 1094 1118 1212 1266 1385 1433 Visigoths invade Spain Moors (Muslims) invade Spain Kingdom of Castile re-conquers Toledo from Moors Spanish knight El Cid takes Valencia from Moors Kingdom of Aragon captures Santiago from Moors Decisive victory of Spaniards over Moors Spain and Portugal finally throw off Moorish domination Portugal achieves independence from Spain Portuguese Henry the Navigator makes his first explorations

EARLY BRITAIN: 446 to 1042

446 492 Romans pull out of Britain St Patrick completes Christian conversion of Ireland

500 597 663 735 793 795 825 843 866 871 899 937 1013 1016 1018 1040 1042

King Arthur and Knights of Round Table (legendary) Pope Gregory the Great sends St Augustine to convert Britons Roman Christianity accepted in Britain Death of Venerable Bede (scholar and historian) Vikings invade Britain Death of King Offa - end of Mercian domination of England Wessex under Egbert becomes dominant in England Kenneth McAlpin becomes first king of Scots and Picts Much of England occupied by Viking Great Army Alfred the Great defeats Danish invaders in Britain Edward the Elder succeeds Alfred the Great West Saxons under Athelstan now masters of England Ethelred the Unready flees to Normandy before the Danes Danish King Canute comes to English throne Scotland under Malcolm II annexes Strathclyde and Cumbria Macbeth becomes king of Scotland Edward the Confessor becomes king of England

EARLY FRANCE: 451 to 1589

451 481 732 751 771 800 814 843 Attila the Hun invades Gaul - repelled by Romans Francs under Clovis found Merovingian Kingdom in Gaul Charles Martel halts Muslim advance into France Pepin founds Carolingian line Charlemagne becomes king of Francs - expands into Germany and Italy Charlemagne crowned Emperor Death of Charlemagne and division of Frankish Empire Treaty of Verdun - seperate France and Germany established

876 910 987 990 1142 1215 1223 1285 1309 1312 1328 1337 1358 1415 1431 1453 1461 1477 1515 1521 1525 1553 1562 1572 1576

Charles the Fat inherits Frankish Empire Abbey of Cluny founded - monastic reforms begin Hugh Capet made King of France Rollo the Viking rules Normandy (as a fiefdom of France) Death of Peter Abelard (theologist and romantic) Dominican Order of monks founded in Languedoc Franciscan Order of monks founded France under Philp IV extends French influence Papacy moves to Avignon for over a century France and Papacy suppress Knights Templar Valois Dynasty takes over from House of Capet in France Beginning of Hundred Years' War between England and France "The Jaquerie" - French peasant revolt Battle of Agincourt - Henry V of England victorious in France Joan of Arc burnt at stake after military campaigns against England English finally defeated in France at Castillon - end of Hundred Years' War Louis XI becomes king of France Charles the Bold defeated at Nancy - end of Rise of Burgundy Francis I of France takes Milan and much of Northern Italy Death of Josquin de Pres (composer) Charles V of Hapsburg retakes Northern Italy from France Death of Franois Rabelais (writer and satirist) Huguenots fight for right to follow Calvinism in France Massacre of St Bartholemew - Huguenots routed French Catholic League formed by Guise family

1589

Death of Catherine de Medici ("Queen Mother of France")

EARLY ITALY: 489 to 1380

489 529 586 840 1109 1169 1176 1321 1337 1378 1380 Ostrogoths, under Byzantine rule, govern Italy Monte Cassino, main monastery of Benedictine order, established German Lombards divide Italy with Byzantine and Papacy Muslims occupy much of Southern Italy Death of St. Anselm (Italian theologian and philosopher) Eruption of Mount Etna, Sicily (15,000 killed) Barbarossa defeated by Lombards - state of Italy founded Death of Alighieri Dante (poet) Death of Giotto di Bondone (artist) Death of Francisco Petrarch (poet and scholar) Venice victorious over Genoa at Battle of Chioggia

RISE OF ISLAM AND PERSIA: 622 to 1587

622 624 638 669 711 732 762 809 840 945 1037 Hejira - Mohammed's flight from Mecca to Medina Jihad - Mohammed and his followers subdue Mecca Jeruslam captured by Muslims Muslims halted by Byzantines at Constantinople Muslims invade Spain Muslim army stopped by Charles Martel in France Baghdad becomes centre of Arab/Muslim golden age of arts Death of Harun-ar-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad Muslims occupy much of Southern Italy Persian Muslims capture Baghdad Death of Avicenna (Persian philosopher and physician)

1099 1123 1187 1198 1272 1291 1502 1587

First Crusade retakes Jerusalem from Muslims Death of Omar Khayyam (Persian poet and mathematician) Muslims under Saladin destroy Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem Death of Averroes (Arab philosopher) Last Crusade (Ninth) ends in failure Acre recaptured by Muslims (end of Christian influence in area) Fanatical Shi'ite Islam develops under Safavids of Persia Shah Abbas the Great becomes rules of Persia

EARLY NORTHERN EUROPE: 680 to 1417

680 850 893 896 929 1000 1230 1256 1415 1417 Bulgar Empire established in Balkans Slavs inhabit most of Eastern Central Europe Bulgar Empire in Balkans expands under Simeon Magyars rule area around Hungary Death of Wenceslas, King of Bohemia Stephen I becomes King of Hungary Teutonic Knights established in Prussia Hanseatic League formed around Baltic - trade flourishes Jan Hus, Bohemian religious reformer, martyred First Hohenzollern Margrave of Brandenburg (Prussia)

EARLY GERMANY AND HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE: 843 to 1273

843 936 962 1077 1122 1152 Treaty of Verdun - seperate France and Germany established Otto I expands German Empire to Poland and Austria Otto I crowned Emperor of Holy Roman (German) Empire Emperor Henry IV forced to yield to Pope Gregory VII Concordat of Worms established papal right to invest bishops Frederick II (Barbarossa) becomes Holy Roman Emperor

1176 1273

Frederick II defeated by Lombards - state of Italy founded Rudolph I first Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor

EARLY RUSSIA: 862 to 1584

862 1119 1241 1246 1363 1380 1462 1471 1481 1533 1556 1584 Viking state founded in Russia by Rurik - Slavs united Kiev sacked by Slavs and kingdom split Mongols invade Russia and Central Europe Alexander Nevsky becomes Grand Duke of Vladimir Mongol leader Tamerlaine starts conquest of Russia Muskovite Russians defeat Mongols Muskovite Ivan III first to adopt title of Tsar Ivan III takes Novgorod and extends influence Final defeat of Mongol forces by Russians Ivan IV (the Terrible) crowned Tsar of Russia Ivan the Terrible increases Russian territory in south and east Boris Godunov temporarily takes control of Russia

MEDIEVAL CHINA: 960 to 1751

960 1100 1141 1279 1295 1368 1400 1433 1556 1557 Northern Sung Dynasty in China - paper money introduced Angkor Wat temple built by Khmers in Cambodia Barbarian Chin Dynasty takes over Northern China Kublai Khan's Mongol Dynasty in China and Asia Reports of China brought back to west by Venetian Marco Polo Ming Dynasty replaces Mongol rule after native rebellion Muslim-influenced Malacca state dominant in South-East Asia Chinese explorer Cheng Ho reaches East African coast Shaanxi earthquake kills 830,000 Portuguese have trading monopoly in China through Macao

1644 1751

Manchu Dynasty seizes power and extends Chinese influence further Chinese conquer Tibet

MEDIEVAL ENGLAND: 1066 to 1476

1066 1071 1080 1086 1106 1119 1135 1154 1154 1169 1170 1189 1199 1205 1215 1226 1249 1265 1272 1274 1284 1294 1295 1296 1308 1314 Norman Conquest of England under William I ("the Conqueror") Saxon leader Hereward the Wake finally yields to Normans Death of Lady Godiva (benefactress) Domesday Book compiled by William I Henry I of England recaptures Normandy Knights Templar Order founded in Britain Stephen takes English crown, and Anarchy begins Henry II (of Anjou) becomes first Plantagenet King of England Death of Geoffrey of Monmouth (historian) Henry II sends Strongbow to subdue Ireland Thomas Beckett murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on Henry II's orders Richard I (the Lionheart) becomes King of England John takes English throne while Richard away on Crusades English under John driven out of Normandy and France King John forced to sign Magna Carta "Summer is icumen in": one of first examples of written music First college founded at Oxford (University College) Simon de Montford establishes Parliament in England Edward I becomes first true "English" King of England Death of Thomas Aquinas (theologian and philosopher) First college founded at Cambridge (Peterhouse) Death of Roger Bacon (philosopher and scientist) "Model Parliament" established Edward I makes incursions into Scotland Death of Duns Scotus (Scottish scholar and philosopher) Scots under Robert Bruce defeat English at Bannockburn

1328 1337 1348 1349 1381 1384 1398 1399 1400 1400 1415 1450 1453 1455 1470 1476

Treaty of Northampton - full Scottish sovereignty recognized Beginning of Hundred Years' War between England and France Black Death plague reaches Britain Death of William of Occam (philosopher) Wat Tyler's Peasant Revolt in England crushed John Wycliff killed for his Lollard heresies Dick Whittington becomes Mayor of London Henry IV II deposes Richard - Lancastrian rule in England Owen Glendower revolts in Wales Death of Geoffrey Chaucer (writer) Battle of Agincourt - Henry V victorious in France Popular discontent erupts in Jack Cade's Rebellion Battle of Castillon - English finally defeated in France Wars of the Roses begin between Houses of Lancaster and York "Kingmaker" Warwick turns Lancastrian and deposes Edward IV William Caxton sets up first printing press in London

FEUDAL JAPAN: 1185 to 1694

1185 1191 1274 1336 1549 1585 1597 1603 1640 1694 Start of feudal epoch (Shoguns) of Kamakura period in Japan Zen movement from China becomes popular in Japan Mongol attacks on Japan repulsed Ashikaga period in Japan - feudal lords and Samurai warriors Spanish Jesuit Francis Xavier tries to convert Japanese to Christianity Japan unified under dictator Hideyoshi Christian converts persecuted in Japan Tokugawa period - feudal Japan finally unified and pacified Japan excludes all foreigners Death of Bash (haiku poet)

MONGOL EMPIRE: 1206 to 1481

1206 1231 1240 1241 1279 1363 1380 1398 1402 1481 Ghengis Khan, King of Mongols (Tatars), starts conquests Mongol attacks on Japan repulsed Batu establishes Mongol "Empire of the Golden Horde" Mongols under Ghengis Khan invade Russia and Central Europe Kublai Khan continues Mongol Dynasty in China and Asia Mongols re-united under Tamerlaine Muskovite Russians defeat Mongols Mongols under Tamerlaine invade Northern India and sack Delhi Tamerlaine overthrows Turks in Asia Minor Final defeat of Mongol forces by Russians

COLONIAL INDIA: 1600 to 1930

1600 1639 1648 1707 1739 1756 1757 1765 1774 1857 1876 1877 1913 British East India Company founded East India Company establishes city of Madras Taj Mahal built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan Death of Aurangzeb, Emperor of Mughal India at its height Persian army sacks Delhi and all but ends Mughal power Atrocities of the Black Hole of Calcutta Robert Clive ("Clive of India") conquers Bengal for British Mughals recognize British control over Bengal and Bihar Warren Hastings appointed Governor General of India Sepoy Rebellion - Indian army mutinies against British Great Famine in Southern India kills over 5 million Queen Victoria proclaimed Empress of India Rabindranath Tagore receives Nobel Prize for Literature

1919 1919 1930

Start of "Indianization" of civil service Amritsar Massacre - beginning of limited self-rule Mahatma Ghandi leads Salt March in India

THE NEW WORLD: 1492 to 1763

1492 1497 1498 1500 1512 1513 1519 1521 1535 1538 1540 1607 1608 1620 1652 1664 1670 1682 1692 1713 1732 1759 1763 Genoese Christoher Columbus "discovers" West Indies for Spain John Cabot lands in Canada - later claimed for England Columbus briefly lands on South American mainland Pedro Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal Spaniard Vasco Nez de Balboa first to see Pacific Ocean (from Panama) Juan Ponce de Leon claims Florida for Spain Portuguese/Spaniard Ferdinand Magellan rounds South American mainland Mexico conquered for Spain by Hernando Cortes Peru conquered for Spain by Francisco Pizarro Colombia conquered for Spain by Gonzalo Jimnez de Quesada Spaniard Franciso de Coronado explores North America First permanent British settlement founded in Virginia, North America Permanent French colony founded in Quebec by Samuel de Champlain Puritan Pilgrim Father establish colony in New England Dutch establish colony (present day New York) in North America New York taken from Dutch by British Britain establishes Hudson Bay Company in Canada French claim large territories in Louisiana Witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts Spain grants monopoly of American slave trade to Britain Georgia, last of original American colonies, settled by British General James Wolfe takes French Quebec for Britain Treaty of Paris confirms British dominance in Canada

MODERN INDIA AND PAKISTAN: 1947 to 2000

1947 1948 1957 1958 1961 1964 1971 1971 1972 1974 1977 1978 1984 1984 1985 1991 1997 1999 British withdraw from India - Partition of India and Pakistan Mahatma Ghandi assassinated India claims state of Kashmir Ayub Khan becomes military leader of Pakistan Portugal loses its territories in Goa Indian Prime Minister Jahawarlal Nehru dies Indira Ghandi becomes Prime Minister of India Indo-Pakistan War - Bangladesh declared independent republic Ceylon becomes independent Republic of Sri Lanka India explodes first nuclear device Zulfikar Ali Bhutto executed after coup in Pakistan Muhammed Zia Ul-Haq becomes hard-line Muslim President of Pakistan Indira Ghandi assassinated by Sikhs - violence erupts in India Bhopal industrial disaster in Madhya Pradesh (4,000 - 25,000 killed) Tamil separatist resurgence in Sri Lanka Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandi killed by Tamil suicide bomber Catholic nun Mother Teresa dies after nearly 50 years work in India Military coup led by Gen. Pervez Musharraf overthrows Pakistani government

POST-WAR AMERICA & CANADA: 1947 to 2000

1947 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 US Marshall Plan aid spurs European economic recovery William Faulkner wins Nobel Prize for Literature US becomes involved in Korean War Dwight Eisenhower becomes US President Crick and Watson demonstrate double-helix structure of DNA Rock'n'Roll music becomes popular - Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, etc

1954 1956 1958 1961 1961 1962 1962 1963 1964 1964 1967 1968 1968 1969 1969 1971 1972 1973 1973 1974 1975 1979 1980 1980 1980 1987 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993

Anti-Communist McCarthyism censured in US "My Fair Lady" popular musical Oral contraceptive pill becomes available Death of Ernest Hemingway (writer) Cuban Missile Crisis after US-backed anti-Castro invasion Death of Marilyn Munroe (actress) Rachael Carson's book "Silent Spring" launches environmental movement US President John F Kennedy shot Civil Rights Act passed in US US becomes involved in Vietnam War "Flower Power" at its height in California Pierre Trudeau becomes Prime Minister of Canada Black rights campaigner Martin Luther King assassinated Neil Armstrong becomes first man to walk on Moon US involvement in Vietnam War peaks Rapprochement between US and China - Richard Nixon's visit "Detente" - Strategic Arms Pact with USSR US launches Pioneer II to explore outer planets Henry Kissinger becomes US Secretary of State Watergate Scandal - Richard Nixon quits as President US pulls out of Vietnam War Three Mile Island nuclear reactor incident in US Iranian Hostage Crisis - hostages held in US Embassy in Tehran Eruption of Mount St Helens (60 killed) Ronald Reagan becomes US President Iran-Contra Affair - arms for aid scandal US and USSR sign first of several treaties to reduce nuclear arms US and Canada sign free trade agreement Exxon Valdez oil-spill in Alaska Hubble Space Telescope launched US involvement in Persian Gulf War starts after Iraq invades Kuwait Bill Clinton elected US President

1993 1994 1994 1994 1997 1998 1999 1999

New York World Trade Center bombing Jean Chrtien becomes Canadian Prime Minister North American Free Trade Agreement between US, Canada and Mexico Sovereignty of Quebec narrowly defeated in referendum US spacecraft begins exploration of Mars Male impotence drug Viagra licensed for use in USA Bill Clinton acquitted in impeachment trial Columbine High School murders