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Human history begins with hominin evolution in Africa and includes the development, migration, and cultural achievements of Homo sapiens.
Studying human history involves reconstructing the record of humankind from early hominin evolution to the present. Researchers combine evidence from history, archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, and genetics to understand biological evolution, migration, technology, social organization, belief systems, economic change, and interactions among societies. Major developments include the evolution of Homo in Africa, the spread of Homo sapiens across the world, the Neolithic transition to agriculture and settled life, and the emergence of cities, writing, states, and civilizations. To make this vast subject accessible, scholars use periodization, dividing history into broad periods based on significant technological, social, political, cultural, or economic changes. Common divisions include prehistory, the ancient period, the post-classical period, the early modern period, and the modern period. These boundaries are approximate and vary across regions: the Neolithic Revolution began at different times, civilizations developed independently, and changes such as industrialization and globalization did not occur simultaneously everywhere. Periodization is therefore a useful framework rather than a single, universally applicable chronology.
Human history begins with hominin evolution in Africa and includes the development, migration, and cultural achievements of Homo sapiens.
The Neolithic Revolution introduced agriculture, animal domestication, permanent settlements, population growth, cities, and more complex political systems.
Early civilizations emerged in river valleys and developed writing, centralized governments, social hierarchies, trade networks, technologies, and organized religions.
The ancient, post-classical, early modern, and modern periods are broad analytical categories defined by major changes in society and human interaction.
Periodization is not fixed or universal because historical developments occurred at different times and in different ways across regions.
Historians use evidence and methods from disciplines including archaeology, anthropology, linguistics, genetics, and written history.
The study and record of humankind from prehistory to the present.
The period before written records, reconstructed mainly through archaeological, biological, and environmental evidence.
The organization of history into chronological periods based on major patterns or turning points.
The Old Stone Age, when humans primarily lived as mobile hunter-gatherers and used rudimentary stone tools.
The transition beginning around 10,000 BCE toward agriculture, animal domestication, sedentary settlement, and more complex societies.
The period associated with the rise of early civilizations, cities, writing, states, and empires beginning in the 4th millennium BCE.
The period from approximately 500 to 1500 CE, characterized by expanding civilizations, trade networks, religions, and major empires.
The period from approximately 1500 to 1800 CE, marked by exploration, colonization, global exchange, and major intellectual and scientific changes.
The period beginning around 1800 CE, shaped by industrialization, globalization, rapid technological growth, and accelerating social change.
The period from roughly 800 to 200 BCE when influential philosophical and religious traditions emerged in several regions.
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