6776BC

First Hindu Kings recorded along banks of River Indus

4000

World created, according to Christian genealogies

2600

First Egyptian pyramid erected

2000

Aryan people start to inhabit Iran, Iraq and Western Indus-Sarasvati Valley frontier

Abraham and beginning of Judaism

1316

Mahabharata epic poem written by Sage Vyasa

1250

Moses leads the Jews out of Egypt and receives the Ten Commandments

1000

King David forms Jewish empire in present-day Israel and Lebanon

950

Time of King Solomon

600

Lifetime of Lao-tzu, founder of Taoism in China

586

Jerusalem destroyed and Jews exiled

563-
483

Lifetime of Gautama Buddha

551-
479

Lifetime of Confucius

273-
233

Mauryan Emperor Ashoka begins spread of Buddhism throughout SE Asia

231

Great Wall of China built, 2,600 miles long

140

Han Emperor Wu makes Confucian values intrinsic in Chinese society

4BC-
30AD

Lifetime of Jesus Christ

50-
100

New Testament of Bible written

60

Buddhism introduced in China

117

Height of Roman Empire

313

Christianity tolerated in Roman Empire

570-
632

Lifetime of Muhammed, founder of Islam

641-
645

Islam starts to spread in Arabia and Buddhism arrives in Tibet

653

Qur'an written

1054

Great Schism. East and West Christian churches separate

1096

First British Christian Crusade to Middle East

1200

All of North India under Muslim domination

1215

King John signs Magna Carta in England

1345

Aztec civilisation in Mexico

1391-
1475

First Dalai Lama in Tibet

1469-
1539

Lifetime of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism

1478

Spanish Inquisition begins

1492

Christopher Columbus discovers the Americas. Realisation that the Earth is not flat. Jews expelled from Spain

1517

Luther begins Protestant Reformation in Europe

1534

Henry VIII declares himself Head of the newly formed Anglican Church

1603-
1604

Guru Arjun compiles Adi Granth, Sikh Holy Scripture

1604

Sikh Golden Temple completed at Amritsar

1621

Christian Pilgrim Fathers land at Plymouth Rock, America

1735

Beginning of Hasidic Judaism

1789

French Revolution 

1801

Sikh state established in the Punjab

1844

Reform Judaism introduced

1849

British army defeats Sikhs and annexes Punjab

1911

Chinese Revolution 

1914

First World War begins

1917

Communist revolution in Russia

1918

First World War ends

1919

British army massacres 379 unarmed Sikhs at Amritsar

1939

Second World War begins

1945

Second World War ends. Six million Jews discovered to have died in Nazi concentration camps

1947

Partition of India following independence from Britain

1948

State of Israel declared

1949

Chinese Communist Revolution 

1959

Dalai Lama flees Tibet following Chinese invasion

1979

Islamic revolution in Iran

1996

Taliban take power in Afghanistan

2001

Taliban blow up 2,000-year-old statues of Buddha. Hijackers fly aircraft into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. US and allies defeat Taliban in Afghanistan.