A Brief Timeline of European History

Prehistory

1.8 million years ago

• The first human-like beings in Europe arrived from Africa.
• Homo sapiens developed cultures in Central and Southwest Europe
.
27th century BC –
• The Minoan civilization began flourishing in the Crete as a literate society.
• The Minoans had a system of administration and built elaborate palaces for it

16,000 BCE
• The Mycenaean civilization followed the Minoans
• They built cities and had a system of warrior aristocracy.

Classical Antiquity
Man had already advanced to form educated societies, with arts, science, and social studies.

Roughly 7th century BC (Greek)

• This civilization brought forth great minds
 Socrates
 Plato
• King Philip II united the Greek states, and his son,
• Alexander the Great, extended the great culture to other states.

1st century BC (Rome)

• suffered civil wars

year 313, Emperor Constantine officially embraced the Christian Church.

800 (year)
• Empire had been weakened by various conflicts
• Charlemagne( Frank ruler)
• became the Roman Emperor.

Middle Ages
The Middle Ages were filled with even more conflicts and dark times.

500
 continually weakened
 initiated the Dark Ages( deteriorated culture and economy. )

1054
• East-West Schism
o splitting Christian leaders and ending in a divided Church
• Other forces, such as the Roman Catholic Inquisition, took place.

1300
• Many of the conflicts had ended, and Europe showed signs of recovery.
• But catastrophes struck, in the form of the
o Great Famine
o Black Death
Early Modern Europe
After the darkest night comes the bright morning. This was the rise of a modern continent.

14th century –
• Renaissance (Awakening)
• It was a period of philosophy, arts, science, and social studies.
• Great men came from this era
o Michelangelo
o Da Vinci
o Machiavelli, to name some. The Renaissance spread to many countries and
• lasted until the 17th century.

15th century
• Trade and mercantilism greatly prospered.
• Revolutions, Wars, and Europe Today

18th century
• Industrial Revolution
• brought significant changes in manufacturing and other processes.
• This revolution spread across the globe until the 19th century.

1914
• First World War erupted.
• Russian forces were defeated
• Soviet Union was formed

1939
• Adolf Hitler initiated World War II
• Holocaust for the Jews in Poland.
• Hitler's Germany was defeated after
• invaded by the Soviet Union and the Allied Forces.

1946
• Cold War
• political conflict and 'silent' battles.

1993
• establishing the European Union.
• more European countries enlisting as members.