The Silk Road opens
After Zhang Qian's missions to Central Asia, caravan routes linked Chang'an to the Mediterranean, moving silk, horses, faiths, technologies and plagues.
Humanity
115 events across three thousand years — chosen to be multi-regional and honest about uncertainty. Follow a thread to trace one capability through time, or filter by region and kind.
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Mansa Musa's hajj puts Mali on the map
The Mali emperor's pilgrimage to Mecca, with a caravan of gold and followers, was so lavish that it depressed gold prices in Egypt for years.
The Industrial Revolution
Machinery, factories, coal and canals reorganized production in Britain — then everywhere — moving work from home to mill and most people from field to town.
Chronology
The Silk Road opens
After Zhang Qian's missions to Central Asia, caravan routes linked Chang'an to the Mediterranean, moving silk, horses, faiths, technologies and plagues.
Mansa Musa's hajj puts Mali on the map
The Mali emperor's pilgrimage to Mecca, with a caravan of gold and followers, was so lavish that it depressed gold prices in Egypt for years.
The Industrial Revolution
Machinery, factories, coal and canals reorganized production in Britain — then everywhere — moving work from home to mill and most people from field to town.