The world’s largest database of social change milestones from throughout human history
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
Filter by era, country, topic, actor, source, and more. Submit your own milestones!
3899
social change milestones archived
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Era
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
- Today (2017 C.E. - ???)
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Era
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
- Today (2017 C.E. - ???)
Year
Topics
Region
Countries
State/Province
Institution
Sources
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~1300 C.E. ???Humans discover the islands currently known as New Zealand
An international team of researchers spent 4 years on a study which shows conclusively that the earliest evidence for human colonization is about 1280-1300 AD.
-
~1300 C.E. ???Humans of Holland invent wooden clogs
Wooden clogs originated in Holland, eventually spreading to France, England and Scandinavia. The clog shoe became the most common work shoe in Europe throughout the Industrial Revolution era.
-
1299 C.E.The Ottoman Empire begins in modern-day Turkey
During the 16th and 17th centuries, at the height of its power under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire was a multinational, multilingual empire controlling most of Southeast Europe, parts of Central Europe, Western Asia, parts of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa.
-
1298 C.E.Marco Polo publishes his tales of his journey to China
The Travels of Marco Polo, is a 13th-century travelogue describing Polo's travels through Asia between 1271 and 1295, and his experiences at the court of Kublai Khan.
-
1297 C.E.Scottish army, led by William Wallace, defeats the English at the Battle of Sterling Bridge
The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallacedefeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth.
-
1279 C.E. October 12Nichiren, founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon
The Dai Gohonzon is a venerated Mandala image inscribed with both Sanskrit and Chinese logographs on a median log trunk of Japanese camphorwood. It is worshipped in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
-
~1250 C.E. ???The TaÃno people settle Cuba
At the time of European contact in the late fifteenth century, the TaÃno were the principal inhabitants of most of Cuba.
-
~1250 C.E. ???Mariche culture thrives in modern-day Venezuela
Mariche is the name of a former native Venezuelan tribe. Not much information from them as a tribe has survived to the present day. One of their more celebrated chiefs was Tamanaco who led them in the fight against the Spanish conquistadors during the 1560s and 1570s.
-
1245 C.E.Construction begins at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in London. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for monarchs.
-
~1230 C.E.The Mali Empire comes into power in West Africa
The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centred around the town of Niani (the empire's namesake in Manding).
-
~1300 C.E. ???
Humans discover the islands currently known as New Zealand
An international team of researchers spent 4 years on a study which shows conclusively that the earliest evidence for human colonization is about 1280-1300 AD.
-
~1300 C.E. ???
Humans of Holland invent wooden clogs
Wooden clogs originated in Holland, eventually spreading to France, England and Scandinavia. The clog shoe became the most common work shoe in Europe throughout the Industrial Revolution era.
-
1299 C.E.The Ottoman Empire begins in modern-day Turkey
During the 16th and 17th centuries, at the height of its power under the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire was a multinational, multilingual empire controlling most of Southeast Europe, parts of Central Europe, Western Asia, parts of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa.
-
1298 C.E.Marco Polo publishes his tales of his journey to China
The Travels of Marco Polo, is a 13th-century travelogue describing Polo's travels through Asia between 1271 and 1295, and his experiences at the court of Kublai Khan.
-
1297 C.E.
Scottish army, led by William Wallace, defeats the English at the Battle of Sterling Bridge
The Battle of Stirling Bridge was a battle of the First War of Scottish Independence. On 11 September 1297, the forces of Andrew Moray and William Wallacedefeated the combined English forces of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, and Hugh de Cressingham near Stirling, on the River Forth.
-
1279 C.E. October 12Nichiren, founder of Nichiren Buddhism, inscribes the Dai-Gohonzon
The Dai Gohonzon is a venerated Mandala image inscribed with both Sanskrit and Chinese logographs on a median log trunk of Japanese camphorwood. It is worshipped in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
-
~1250 C.E. ???The TaÃno people settle Cuba
At the time of European contact in the late fifteenth century, the TaÃno were the principal inhabitants of most of Cuba.
-
~1250 C.E. ???Mariche culture thrives in modern-day Venezuela
Mariche is the name of a former native Venezuelan tribe. Not much information from them as a tribe has survived to the present day. One of their more celebrated chiefs was Tamanaco who led them in the fight against the Spanish conquistadors during the 1560s and 1570s.
-
1245 C.E.
Construction begins at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in London. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial site for monarchs.
-
~1230 C.E.The Mali Empire comes into power in West Africa
The empire began as a small Mandinka kingdom at the upper reaches of the Niger River, centred around the town of Niani (the empire's namesake in Manding).
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Submit a Milestone
Did we miss a social change milestone? What social progress have you seen around the world that I should include? Let us know!
NOTE: We cannot guarantee we will post all stories submitted here. We only post stories that represent milestones in human development (as opposed to “feel good” stories). We want something that would make sense to put on a timeline of human progress. For example, a story like “Random customer leaves a huge tip” isn’t a great fit. “Country X passes economic inequality reform bill” is a great fit.