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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~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans and cats begin living together, perhaps in Cyprus
We know that humans have lived with cats for at least 10,000 years€”there's a 9,500-year-old grave in Cyprus with a cat buried alongside its human, and ancient Egyptian art has a popular motif showing house cats eating fish under chairs.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans begin cultivating cinnamon for the first time, perhaps in modern-day Sri Lanka
Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and has been found in Ancient Egypt as early as 1500 BCE, suggesting early trade between Egypt and the island's inhabitants.
-
~8000 B.C.E.Humans in modern-day southern Mexico domesticate maize
Maize, also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans, probably in modern-day New Guinea, domesticate sugarcane for the first time
After domestication, its cultivation spread rapidly to Southeast Asia and southern China.
-
~8000 B.C.E ???
New Guineans begin practicing agriculture for first time
The oldest evidence for this is in the Kuk Swamp area, where planting, digging and staking of plants, and possibly drainage have been used to cultivate taro, banana, sago and yam.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???The ancient people of South America independently invent clothing
Guitarrero Cave has evidence of human use around 8,000 BCE. In the 1960s, archeologists discovered artifacts in an extraordinary state of preservation at the site. Remarkably, textiles, wood and leather tools, and basketry have been preserved intact.
-
~8,000 B.C.E. ???The Eldoradense culture emerges in modern-day Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, near Iguazú Falls
The area surrounding Iguazu Falls was inhabited 10,000 years ago by the hunter-gatherers of the Eldoradense culture.
-
~8000 B.C.E.The first bricks are invented and used, perhaps in modern-day West Bank
The first bricks that we know about were being made in Jericho as long ago as 8000 BC. The people there had discovered they could make simple bricks by leaving clay mud to dry in the sun.
-
~8000 B.C.E.The Al-Magar civilization emerges in modern-day Saudi Arabia
Al-Magar was a prehistoric culture of the Neolithic whose epicenter lied in modern-day southwestern Najd in Saudi Arabia. Al-Magar is possibly one of the first cultures in the world where widespread domestication of animals occurred.
-
~8000 B.C.E.Humans invent the fishing net
The oldest known fishing net is the net of Antrea, found with other fishing equipment in the Karelian town of Antrea, Finland, in 1913. The net was made from willow, and dates back to 8300 B.C.E.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans and cats begin living together, perhaps in Cyprus
We know that humans have lived with cats for at least 10,000 years€”there's a 9,500-year-old grave in Cyprus with a cat buried alongside its human, and ancient Egyptian art has a popular motif showing house cats eating fish under chairs.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans begin cultivating cinnamon for the first time, perhaps in modern-day Sri Lanka
Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and has been found in Ancient Egypt as early as 1500 BCE, suggesting early trade between Egypt and the island's inhabitants.
-
~8000 B.C.E.Humans in modern-day southern Mexico domesticate maize
Maize, also known as corn, is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Maize has become a staple food in many parts of the world, with total production surpassing that of wheat or rice.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???Humans, probably in modern-day New Guinea, domesticate sugarcane for the first time
After domestication, its cultivation spread rapidly to Southeast Asia and southern China.
-
~8000 B.C.E ???
New Guineans begin practicing agriculture for first time
The oldest evidence for this is in the Kuk Swamp area, where planting, digging and staking of plants, and possibly drainage have been used to cultivate taro, banana, sago and yam.
-
~8000 B.C.E. ???
The ancient people of South America independently invent clothing
Guitarrero Cave has evidence of human use around 8,000 BCE. In the 1960s, archeologists discovered artifacts in an extraordinary state of preservation at the site. Remarkably, textiles, wood and leather tools, and basketry have been preserved intact.
-
~8,000 B.C.E. ???The Eldoradense culture emerges in modern-day Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina, near Iguazú Falls
The area surrounding Iguazu Falls was inhabited 10,000 years ago by the hunter-gatherers of the Eldoradense culture.
-
~8000 B.C.E.The first bricks are invented and used, perhaps in modern-day West Bank
The first bricks that we know about were being made in Jericho as long ago as 8000 BC. The people there had discovered they could make simple bricks by leaving clay mud to dry in the sun.
-
~8000 B.C.E.The Al-Magar civilization emerges in modern-day Saudi Arabia
Al-Magar was a prehistoric culture of the Neolithic whose epicenter lied in modern-day southwestern Najd in Saudi Arabia. Al-Magar is possibly one of the first cultures in the world where widespread domestication of animals occurred.
-
~8000 B.C.E.Humans invent the fishing net
The oldest known fishing net is the net of Antrea, found with other fishing equipment in the Karelian town of Antrea, Finland, in 1913. The net was made from willow, and dates back to 8300 B.C.E.
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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.