📖 Theory · Lesson 1
How do we divide up history?
History is everything that has happened in the past. We study history because it helps us learn and plan a better future. History is very long, so we divide it into periods. Usually, an important event marks the end of one period and the beginning of the next. There are five main periods.
1
Prehistory · begins more than 2 million years ago
when the first humans appear
2
Ancient History · begins around 3200 BC
when writing is invented in Mesopotamia
3
Middle Ages · begins AD 476
when the Western Roman Empire falls
4
Early Modern Age · begins 1453 (Spain: 1492)
when the fall of Constantinople (Spain: Columbus arrives in America)
5
Modern Age · begins 1789 (Spain: 1808)
when the French Revolution (Spain: the War of Independence)
📅 BC and AD
BC means before Christ: we count the years backwards, so 3200 BC is older than 2500 BC. AD comes after: AD 476, 1492, 2026… Historians do not always agree on exactly when each period begins and ends, and it can be different in each country.
🇪🇸 In the Iberian Peninsula
Ancient History began a bit later here: with the arrival of colonisers from the Mediterranean in the 12th century BC. You will learn about them in Unit 6!
📜 5 periods of history✍️ writing ends Prehistory