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. - ???)
Year
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Institution
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Filters
Search
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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2021 C.E. October 4Canada celebrates first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The day, which honors the lost children and survivors of Indigenous schools, comes after more than 1,000 unmarked graves were discovered at former schools this year.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Germany elects first-ever transgender members of parliament
Tessa Ganserer and Nyke Slawik from the Greens part have made history in Germany as the first transgender women to win parliamentary seats in the recent national election.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Turkey ratifies Paris Agreement, becoming the last G20 country to join
Turkey's parliamentarians on Wednesday unanimously approved the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Tehran police will no longer arrest women for failing to observe Islamic dress code
For nearly 40 years, women in Iran have been forced to cover their hair and wear long, loose garments.
-
2021 C.E. October 6World Health Organization approves first-ever malaria vaccine
Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia. Now, children across much of Africa are to be vaccinated against malaria in a historic moment in the fight against the deadly disease.
-
2021 C.E. October 6Seattle decriminalizes possession and cultivation of psychedelics
The City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the non-commercial possession and cultivation of many psychedelics for “religious, spiritual, healing, or personal growth practices.”
-
2021 C.E. October 6Mongolia to spend no less than one percent of GDP to plant one billion trees
The goal is to create a legal environment in which at least 1% of Mongolia's GDP to be spent annually on combating climate change and desertification, and on increasing environmentally friendly and green facilities.
-
2021 C.E. October 4New iron-based batteries offer an upgrade to storing renewable energy
“Long-duration energy storage, like this iron-flow battery, [is] key to adding more renewables to the grid,” Venkat Viswanathan, a battery expert and associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.
-
2021 C.E. October 4Seven nations launch initiative to end new coal power
The Compact calls on nations to halt the construction of unabated coal-fired power generation projects by the end of this year. Initial signatories include Sri Lanka, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Montenegro, France, and the U.K.
-
2021 C.E. October 4Australia returns one of world’s oldest rainforests to Indigenous people
As BBC News reports, the historic handoff also includes the Cedar Bay (Ngalba Bulal), Black Mountain (Kalkajaka), and Hope Islands national parks, a combined area of more than 160,000 hectares.
-
2021 C.E. October 4Canada celebrates first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The day, which honors the lost children and survivors of Indigenous schools, comes after more than 1,000 unmarked graves were discovered at former schools this year.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Germany elects first-ever transgender members of parliament
Tessa Ganserer and Nyke Slawik from the Greens part have made history in Germany as the first transgender women to win parliamentary seats in the recent national election.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Turkey ratifies Paris Agreement, becoming the last G20 country to join
Turkey's parliamentarians on Wednesday unanimously approved the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
-
2021 C.E. October 7Tehran police will no longer arrest women for failing to observe Islamic dress code
For nearly 40 years, women in Iran have been forced to cover their hair and wear long, loose garments.
-
2021 C.E. October 6World Health Organization approves first-ever malaria vaccine
Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia. Now, children across much of Africa are to be vaccinated against malaria in a historic moment in the fight against the deadly disease.
-
2021 C.E. October 6Seattle decriminalizes possession and cultivation of psychedelics
The City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the non-commercial possession and cultivation of many psychedelics for “religious, spiritual, healing, or personal growth practices.”
-
2021 C.E. October 6Mongolia to spend no less than one percent of GDP to plant one billion trees
The goal is to create a legal environment in which at least 1% of Mongolia's GDP to be spent annually on combating climate change and desertification, and on increasing environmentally friendly and green facilities.
-
2021 C.E. October 4New iron-based batteries offer an upgrade to storing renewable energy
“Long-duration energy storage, like this iron-flow battery, [is] key to adding more renewables to the grid,” Venkat Viswanathan, a battery expert and associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.
-
2021 C.E. October 4Seven nations launch initiative to end new coal power
The Compact calls on nations to halt the construction of unabated coal-fired power generation projects by the end of this year. Initial signatories include Sri Lanka, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Montenegro, France, and the U.K.
-
2021 C.E. October 4Australia returns one of world’s oldest rainforests to Indigenous people
As BBC News reports, the historic handoff also includes the Cedar Bay (Ngalba Bulal), Black Mountain (Kalkajaka), and Hope Islands national parks, a combined area of more than 160,000 hectares.
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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.