The history of humanity covers a long period of time. It began with the appearance of humans and continues to the present day. To make it easier to understand, historians have divided this long history into different historical periods, or eras.
History is said to begin with the appearance of writing in 3,300 BC. The period before this date is called Prehistory. These two periods are divided into different historical periods.
Prehistory is divided into 2 historical periods:
History is divided into 4 historical periods:
Historians do not all agree on the exact dates of the beginning and end of each historical period. The dates of historical periods may therefore differ from one textbook to another. This is the case, for example, with the date that marks the beginning of Prehistory.
Prehistory began with the appearance of the first humans. The precise moment when the first humans appeared is difficult to determine, since it took place millions of years ago.
Some experts believe that the first humans appeared 7 million years ago, while others believe that they appeared around 2.5 million years ago.
In this concept sheet, we consider that the Prehistory period began 2.5 million years ago and ended in 3300 BC with the invention of writing. Prehistory is divided into two periods, the Paleolithic and the Neolithic.
The Paleolithic period, also known as the Stone Age, began around 2.5 million years ago and ended 10,000 years ago. During these hundreds of thousands of years, humans were nomadic, meaning that they were constantly on the move to find food by hunting and gathering. This is why they are called hunter-gatherers.
The Neolithic period, also known as the Age of Polished Stone, began around 10,000 years ago. It was at this time that agriculture and livestock farming began to appear. Humans began to sedentarise, i.e. to settle permanently in a particular area. This was made possible by the invention of new tools and techniques.
The Neolithic period ended in 3,300 BC with the appearance of writing. This also marked the end of Prehistory and the beginning of History.
History begins with the appearance of writing and lasts until the present day.
Antiquity began with the appearance of writing around 3,300 B.C. This period was also marked by the emergence of various civilisations, including :
- Mesopotamian civilization, which developed in the region of the Fertile Crescent,
- Greek civilisation, which gave rise to the first form of democracy,
- Roman civilisation, which formed one of the most powerful empires in history, the Roman Empire.
Antiquity ended with the fall of the Roman Empire in 476.
The Middle Ages, which began with the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, marked the rise of Christianity throughout Europe. It was also during the Middle Ages that medieval towns and commerce flourished.
The end of this historical period was marked by the beginning of the Renaissance, a social and cultural movement characterised by a number of innovations in the sciences and the arts. The Renaissance marks the transition between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of Early Modern times, since it straddles both periods.
Historians do not agree on when the Middle Ages ended. Some consider that the arrival of Christopher Columbus in America in 1492 marks the end of this period. Others believe that it was the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453.
The Early Modern period began in 1453 or 1492, depending on the interpretation. The Early Modern period was marked by the Age of Exploration, the Enlightenment, the American Revolution and the beginnings of industrialization in Europe.
The French Revolution in 1789 marked the end of this historical period.
The Modern Era began in 1789 and continues to this day. Europe was rapidly becoming industrialised, and this had a major impact on society. Imperialism encouraged the European powers to colonise new territories in search of natural resources.
The struggle of the European powers for control and separation of the world's colonies eventually led to 2 world wars. At the same time, several groups began to fight for recognition of their rights and freedoms.