Scroll Through Time

The Sumerians develop cuneiform, one of the earliest systems of writing, revolutionizing human communication and record-keeping.

The Great Pyramid is completed for Pharaoh Khufu, becoming one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the tallest man-made structure for 3,800 years.

King Hammurabi of Babylon creates one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes, containing 282 laws covering everything from trade to family law.

A mysterious period of collapse affects major civilizations around the Mediterranean and Near East, including the Mycenaean, Hittite, and Egyptian civilizations.

The first recorded Olympic Games are held in Olympia, Greece, marking a tradition that continues today. Initially featuring only a single sprint race, the Olympics grew to include various athletic competitions.

Siddhartha Gautama is born in Lumbini (modern-day Nepal). After witnessing suffering, he renounces his princely life to seek enlightenment.

Athens defeats the Persian Empire at Marathon, preserving Greek independence. The outnumbered Athenians used innovative tactics to defeat the Persians.

The Greek philosopher Socrates is executed in Athens, becoming a martyr for philosophy. Accused of corrupting youth and impiety, Socrates chose death over exile.

Alexander III of Macedon is born, destined to create one of history's largest empires. Tutored by Aristotle, Alexander conquered the Persian Empire and reached India before his death at 32.

Qin Shi Huang becomes the first emperor of a unified China, establishing the Qin Dynasty. The emperor ordered the construction of the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army.

Roman dictator Julius Caesar is assassinated by senators, ending the Roman Republic. Caesar was stabbed 23 times by a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius.

Traditional year for the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Jesus's teachings emphasized love, forgiveness, and salvation.

Mount Vesuvius erupts, burying the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The eruption killed thousands and buried the cities under volcanic ash.

Roman Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity and ending persecution of Christians.

The last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, is deposed by Germanic leader Odoacer, marking the end of ancient Rome.

Prophet Muhammad migrates from Mecca to Medina, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar and establishing the first Islamic state.

Charlemagne is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III, reviving the concept of empire in the West. His empire stretched from modern France to Germany and Italy.

William the Conqueror defeats King Harold II, beginning Norman rule of England. The battle lasted all day, ending with Harold's death allegedly from an arrow to the eye.

Pope Urban II calls for the First Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim control. Thousands of Europeans marched to the Holy Land.

Temüjin is proclaimed Genghis Khan, ruler of all Mongols, beginning the Mongol Empire. He conquered from China to Eastern Europe.

King John of England signs the Magna Carta, limiting royal power and establishing rule of law. Forced upon King John by rebellious barons.

The bubonic plague reaches Europe, beginning the deadliest pandemic in human history. The plague spread via trade routes from Asia.

Zhu Yuanzhang founds the Ming Dynasty, ending Mongol rule in China. The Ming Dynasty rebuilt the Great Wall and created porcelain masterpieces.

Johannes Gutenberg invents movable-type printing, revolutionizing the spread of information. The first mass-produced book was the Gutenberg Bible.

Christopher Columbus lands in the Caribbean, initiating permanent European contact with the Americas. Columbus believed he reached Asia.

Martin Luther publishes his 95 Theses, challenging Catholic Church practices. Luther's challenge to papal authority spread rapidly via printing press.

Nicolaus Copernicus publishes his heliocentric model, placing the Sun at the center of the solar system, contradicting Ptolemy's Earth-centered universe.

Isaac Newton publishes Principia Mathematica, laying foundations of classical mechanics with laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Thirteen American colonies declare independence from British rule. The Declaration, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, proclaimed that "all men are created equal."

The French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille. The revolution overthrew the monarchy and executed King Louis XVI.

Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species, introducing the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone, enabling voice communication over distance. Bell's first words were "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you."

The Wright Brothers achieve the first sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Orville Wright flew for 12 seconds covering 120 feet.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand triggers World War I. The 'Great War' involved industrialized warfare with trenches, machine guns, and poison gas.

Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin, the first antibiotic. Fleming noticed that mold killed bacteria in a petri dish.

Germany invades Poland, starting the deadliest conflict in human history. WWII involved most of the world's nations in total war.

The United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending World War II. The bombs killed over 200,000 people.

Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite. Sputnik's beeping radio signal shocked the world.

Apollo 11 lands humans on the Moon for the first time. Neil Armstrong's "one small step" was watched by 600 million people.

The Berlin Wall falls, symbolizing the end of the Cold War. The wall, which divided Berlin for 28 years, fell peacefully as East Germans demanded freedom.

Tim Berners-Lee releases the World Wide Web to the public, revolutionizing information access. The web grew from one website in 1991 to billions today.

Apple releases the iPhone, revolutionizing mobile computing and communication. The iPhone combined phone, computer, and internet in a pocket-sized device.

COVID-19 becomes a global pandemic, affecting every country on Earth. The pandemic led to unprecedented global lockdowns and rapid vaccine development.

Large language models and AI systems like ChatGPT demonstrate unprecedented capabilities, bringing AI to mainstream attention.