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38,000 BCE
The Americas- The Bering Land Bridge Migration
The Paleo-Indians migrated across the Bering Land Bridge from Asia, during the Ice-Age where the water froze and the sea level dropped. -
Period: 1500 BCE to 1300
North-American Southwest- Anasazi
The Anasazi lived in the North American Southwest. Because of the dry climate, the Anasazi grew maize, beans, and squash, using irrigation to increase crop production. They were also skilled potters and weavers. They lived in pueblos which were houses made of a clay called adobe; often made in canyon walls or cliffs. This gave them a strong defense. Along with this, they built underground rooms called kivas for religious ceremonies. -
1450 BCE
Northeast America- Formation of the Iroquois League
The Iroquois tribe create an alliance with the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Seneca tribes. Their main goal was to strengthen themselves against invasion. This helped to make the Iroquois one of the most powerful tribes in North America. -
Period: 1200 BCE to 1534
Mesoamerica- The Mesoamaricans
The Olmec developed the first known civilization in Mesoamerica, known for their stone architecture and sculpture. The Mayans were similar to the Olmec grew corn and other crops, living in small villages. They grew through trade and were known for palaces, plazas, and canals. The Aztecs were warriors that conquered much of Mesoamerica. They built their capital on the island in Lake Texcoco. The Inca expanded from the Andes Mountains. They had a strong government and king with paved roads. -
Period: 1000 BCE to
Eastern North America- Mound Builders
The Hopewell lived along the Ohio, Mississippi, and lower Missouri river valleys. They were skilled farmers and traders who built large burial mounds to honor the dead. After the decline of the Hopewell in 700 AD, the Mississippians began to develop. Like the Hopewell, they were skilled farmers and traders, who built mounds for burial and religious ceremonies. These mounds were often in the shape of birds or snakes. -
509 BCE
Greece & Rome- Establishment of Governments
The Greeks created a democratic government during the classical period. This democracy was a government where the people ruled themselves. All citizens could participate in the assembly to vote on important issues/laws. The Romans created a government that was very similar, but instead had the people elect officials who would vote on issues for the people. This government was split into three parts and the representatives would spend their one year in power protecting the city and residents. -
Period: 300 to 1060
West Africa- Ghana
Ghana was an empire that started along Niger River when the Soninke farmers banded together against nomadic herders. They grew as a result of their gold and salt trade. Eventually they equipped their armies with iron weapons and took over trade. Traders paid special taxes for entering or leaving Ghana with trade goods, building Ghana's wealth. -
Period: 500 to 1500
Europe- The Middle Ages
The fall of Gaul marked the start of the Middle Ages. Later invaders caused the beginning of feudalism. As the kings could not defend their empire, nobles defended their own lands by giving lands to knights in exchange for loyalty and protection. Peasants could live on the land, in exchange for a percentage of food grown. Feudalism died when the Balck Death killed most of the population. Peasants were needed more and began demanding wages. Eventually they left for the towns where they were free. -
600
West Africa- Emergence of the Slave Trade
The Arab Muslims and Europeans establish the slave trade on a larger scale. People captured in battle or raids, criminals, people in debt, and relatives of people in debt were often sold as slaves. This became important to the West African economy as they would sell slaves for horses from the Middle East and weapons from Europe. This also helped increase the power of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. -
750
Southwest America- Pueblos
The Anasazi build massive multi-storied complexes with up to several hundred rooms and a capacity to hold 1000 people. These house were called pueblos and were made of a heavy clay called adobe. -
1000
Europe- The Crusades
When the Turks captured Palestine, the European Christians went to war in order to reclaim what they thought of as the Holy Land. These Crusades failed in the end, but the result was increased trade with Asia. As a result, Europe received rice, apricots, cotton cloth and the works/ideas of Muslim thinkers. -
Period: 1235 to 1500
West Africa- Mali
Mali grew as a result of their control over river trade. This trade made them wealthy and eventually Sundiata liberated them from Ghana, while also conquered several neighboring kingdoms. Their most famous ruler was Mansa Musa who went on a hajj to Mecca, spreading stories of Mali and it's wealth. He eventually got his scholars to study in Morocco and set up schools to teach the Qur'an. He promoted education and created an organized government with a huge trade expansion. -
1324
West Africa- The Hajj of Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa left on a hajj to Mecca, spreading tales of Mali's wealth and religion. He ended up inflating the value of gold as he spent excessive amounts of it during his travels. A result of this however was that he spread Islam throughout much of West Africa. He went on to set up schools to teach Islam in Mali. -
1400
Europe- Advances in Sailing
Prince Henry the Navigator started a school for navigation. He never went on a single voyage, but was largely responsible for the advancement of Portugal's exploration efforts. He taught better methods of sailing, funded mapmakers and shipbuilders as well as the exploration of Africa's coast. Not long after this, the magnetic compass, astrolabe, and the caravel was invented. The astrolabe helped with navigation and the caravels used triangular sails to help sail against the wind. -
Period: 1400 to
West Africa- Songhai
The Songhai began in the 1400's. Their greatest ruler, Askia the Great or Muhammad Ture was a Muslim who promoted education. He built universities, mosques, schools, and libraries in Gao and Timbuktu making them flourish tremendously. People from across West Africa came to study mathematics, medicine, and science. He also created a powerful army and government, separating Songhai into five provinces and created specialized departments to oversee different parts of the government. -
1492
America/Europe- Columbus Sails to America
King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain sponsored Christopher Columbus who then sailed to America in 1492. He later came back with many new plants and animals to show King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. This discovery caused a dispute between Spain and Portugal who both wanted the new world. As a result, the Pope placed a Line of Demarcation, which was later moved 800 miles west with the establishment of the Treaty of Tordasillas. -
1497
Europe/Africa/Asia- The Sea Route to Asia
In 1488, Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Horn of Africa on an exploration trip, proving that there was a sea route to Asia. In 1497, Vasco Da Gama left for India and sailed around Africa, being the first to find a sea route to Asia. This route resulted in the beginning of the slave trade as the Portuguese explored Africa. It also resulted in a new source of wealth as the Portuguese had monopoly on the new trade routes. -
1500
Europe- The Renaisance
New ideas sparked the Renaissance in Europe, as the Europeans received an influx of scholars from the Byzantine empire. This led to a revival of the arts, ranging from science, political thought and literature. The most famous contributors are Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante Alighieri and Johannesburg Gutenberg. -
1501
Europe/America- Other Voyages and Explorers
Amerigo Vespucci sailed to America, saying it was not Asia as Columbus said it was. News got back to Europe and a mapmaker labeled the continent America after Vespucci. Vasco Balboa traveled across America to chase down rumors of another ocean in 1513. He eventually reached it and 'discovered' the Pacific Ocean. In 1519, another explorer, Ferdinand Magellan sailed south around South America and across the Pacific. He was killed in battle but his crew was the first to circumnavigate the globe. -
1510
The Americas- The Slave Trade
As the Native Americans were dying of the European diseases, there was a need for labor in the Americas. The Europeans solved this problem by sending Africans, who were immune to the diseases, across the Middle Passage as slaves. The Africans were shipped across in spaces about the size of a coffin per person. The height between the floor and roof of each deck could be as low as 18 inches. Many suicided, or died of diseases and malnourishment. A sixth of the Africans died on the journey. -
1510
The Americas- The African Diaspora
The African Diaspora was the dispersal of the African slaves across the colonies, separating families. These slaves were sent from places like the sugar plantations of Brazil, to the mines of Peru. Slaves had little to no rights, while owners could be allowed to kill a slave during a beating or punishment without going to court. Torture, murder, whippings and branding were very frequent with a very small minority of slaves being treated well. -
1517
Europe- The Protestant Reformation
The Protestant reformation was were Christian reformers spoke out against the Catholic Church. It began when Martin Luther said the Church abused it's power and nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Church. As a result, the printing press was invented as a means to mass produce Bibles. This split caused a civil war in France, and caused King Henry VIII of England to start the Anglican Church. Religious issues often became entangled with political struggles. -
1519
America- The Conquest of The Aztecs and Incas
During the 1500s, two conquistadors took over the Aztecs and Incas, two powerful and wealthy Native American empires. The empires fell as a result of the superior weaponry and tactics of the Spanish. The leaders were captured and then killed. This resulted in new Spanish settlements, where the natives were forced to work the plantations or pay a tax under the Encomienda System established by the Crown. -
1524
The Americas- Spanish Settlements
The Spanish settled in New Spain, with most emigrants being Spanish. Non-Christians, Muslims, and Jews were barred from settling in New Spain. A council and two governors were appointed to govern the Americas in 1524. The settlements mainly consisted of trading posts or government centers (pueblos), military bases (presidios) and missionary posts. However, the natives were forced to work as slaves in the fields, raising animals and mining. The labor and harsh treatment killed thousands. -
North America- The Settling of Virginia
Jamestown was founded by the London company on May 14, 1607 and was the first permanent English settlement. Most of the settlers were adventurers with no useful skills and died because of diseases. John Smith took control in 1608 and made them build more housing, rewarding hard work. The natives taught them how to grow corn and also brought many gifts of food. John Rolfe introduced tobacco to the Jamestown economy which boosted their profits. He also married a native woman called Pocahontas. -
Period: to
North America- The Pilgrims
The Pilgrims were a group of extremist Protestants who wanted to separate from the Church of England. Persecution from the Anglicans began to get worse and so moved to the Netherlands. However, the children were picking up the Dutch language and customs, so they moved to America to keep their English traditions. Eventually, they founded the colony of Plymouth and had friendly relations with the natives which lead to a harvest celebration now called Thanksgiving. -
North America- The Mayflower Compact
The Pilgrims were a group that traveled to America to avoid persecution back in England. They had a very hard time crossing the Atlantic and signed a contract that basically dictated fair laws to protect the general good of the colony. Their establishment of their colony was not easy but they had a lot of help. The natives who spoke some English taught them how to farm and established peaceful relations. -
Period: to
North America- The Puritans
The Puritans were a group of Protestant Christians who wanted to reform the Anglican Church. They were persecuted, with many of them leaving to America in 1629. Most went to New England or the Caribbean. Those who went to New England formed the colony of Massachusetts. They were friendly with the local Indians, growing due to help from the natives, as well as trade with Boston and Plymouth. Their government was a bicameral legislature, with church leaders and members having a lot of power. -
North America- New England
New England was established in 1630 by the Puritans who had come over from England. They had come well prepared, bringing equipment and animals to help them produce food and build housing. The settlement experienced little to no hostilities with the natives which also helped them grow, as well as their trade with the Plymouth colony. -
North America- New York & New Jersey
New York was originally the New Netherlands which was founded in 1613, as a trading post with the Native Americans. The capital was New Amsterdam, which became New York City when the British captured the colony in 1644 and renamed the colony New York. A new colony was started after the British occupation of New York, between the Delaware and Hudson rivers, owned by Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley. The main source of profit for New York and New Jersey came from the fur trades. -
North America- The Carolinas & Georgia
Much land to the south of Virginia was given to 8 of Charles II’s supporters. The first colony was originally Carolina but split into North and South as the long distances between settlements made governing difficult. The Crown seized the South Carolina after an uprising due to bad management. Georgia was found in 1733 but the Crown seized after an uprising. Slavery became legal and thousands of slaves worked plantations. along the coast of the colony not long afterward. -
North America- Penn's Colony (Pennsylvania)
William Penn, a Quaker from New Jersey, started a colony with the permission of King Charles II. The colony was later known as Pennsylvania. The colony became a home for the Quakers, a religious group who promoted equality and nonviolence, as well as religious tolerance. The colony grew Establishing a self government with an elected assembly. The Duke of York sold Penn a chunk of land south of the colony called Delaware. It split off into it’s own colony/state in 1776. -
England- English Bill of Rights
The English Bill of Rights was passed by the Parliament to reduce the powers of the English rulers. This helped Parliament replace King James II, as he was trying to control England. -
England/North America- Taxation Without Representation
The Parliament of England began raising taxes on the colonies and came down hard on smugglers. Smugglers were treated as guilty until proven innocent which was completely opposite to the court system in England. The majority of the colonist found the taxes unfair and hurting business. Colonists began boycotting British goods. This all led to the many different taxation laws and Parliament declaring authority over the colonies. Tensions grew when British soldiers fired into a crowd. -
North America- The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party happened after Parliament abolished the taxation acts besides the tea tax, before passing the Tea Act that let the East India Trading Company sell tea directly to the colonist. This sparked fear from the smugglers and merchants who were worried that they would be put out of business as the East India Trading Company could sell tea at very low prices. This ended with the colonists dressing as Indians and tossing tea from the cargo ships into the harbor. -
Social Studies- US Government
The Greeks and Romans established two kinds of government. The Greeks established a democracy where everyone can vote. The Romans established a republic where people were elected for one year to represent the people. The American government was very similar to both of these types of governments and was set up with representatives voting in the Congress and all American citizens voting for individual laws. -
Social Studies- Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, it was basically a race around the world and could not have been accomplished without the knowledge gained by Magellan's crew when they circumnavigated the globe. -
Social Studies- Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a holiday where people remember how the colonist of Plymouth received help God when founding their colony. It is also a time where people celebrate how much God has helped them. This holiday came about when the colonists of Plymouth invited natives to celebrate their harvest in 1621. They thanked God for all his helped and killed wild turkey for the feast. This is similar to modern day Thanksgiving, where we thank God for all his provision and we eat turkey for dinner.