Spreads around 5400 BC by cultural diffusion.

1. Spreads around 5400 BC by cultural diffusion. Allows for groups to establish permanent settlements. Leads to current issues such as deforestation, pollution and overpopulation.

2. Great philosophers such as Socrates and Plato develop ethics, the Socratic Method and logic that became the foundation for Western Philosophy.

3. From 27 BC – 276 AD At its territorial peak the empire spanned approximately 5,900,000 sq km. The Romans influenced language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law and government. Diocletion established the practice of dividing the empire by creating the Western Roman Empire and Eastern Roman Empire with two emperors. This process sometimes leads to one emperor taking complete control until Theodosis the Gret in 395 AD. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 AD and the Eastern Roman Empire lasted until 1453.

4. 400 – 476 AD This started with the sacking of Rome by the Visigoths. Led to the creation of fuedalism in which the Lords did not have much control and chaos was a result. King Charlemagne was the credited with expanding the empire and was the first king that formed a partnership with the Church. This period was also known as the Dark Ages.

5. Led to the Crusades where they came into contact with Muslims who were much more advanced, and came into contact with the teachings of the Ancient Greeks and Romans which would bring a revival of ideas.

6. Early 1500s This era brings back the ideas of thinking, science, art and poetry. Leaders of this movement were Da Vinci, Michaelangelo, and Galileo.

7. They used astronomy to navigate and stronger ships made longer journeys. They had better weapons and modes of transportation than other civilizations around the world.

8. Christopher Columbus reached the Caribbean in 1492. This led to numerous other European explorers reaching the Americas and other new regions of the world.

9. This movement questioned the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. It was started by Martin Luther and his 95 Theses. This movement was based on the concern that normal people would never be good enough and that you could talk directly to God. Also, priests were not at a higher power and had too many self indulgences.

10. Late 1700s Before this movement goods were manufactured by hand. Also, products were created in larger number and with greater variety. This began in Great Britain because of Geography and fertile land. Commercial farms emerged and many farmers moved to the cities (urbanization). The commercial farm growth was called the agricultural revolution which helped feed a growing population. This movement changed society from rural to urban. One reason it started here was that there was lots of coal, iron ore and fast flowing rivers (created power). This movement spread to the U.S. in the 1800s.

11. This age saw the emergence of worker’s rights in industry. Feudalism and Monarchies start to lose power and lead to democracies.

12. WWI – Allied Powers were US, Russia, Great Britain and France. Central Powers were Germany and Ottoman Empire. WWII – Allied Powers were US, Russia, Great Britain and France. Axis Powers were Germany, Italy and Japan. At end of WWII Germany was divided. Europe was divided into Western and Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe was the region controlled by the Soviet Union.

13. This conflict was between the communist Soviets and the democratic Americans. This period was very tense but there was no actual fighting between the United States and Soviet Union. Much speculation took place about spies and black lists.

14. The 1950s saw the start of the European Common Market by the joining of 6 countries. The Euro which was the common currency of the majority of the members of the European Union was introduced in 1999. The EU is expanding by including some Eastern European nations as their economies improve.