The first men and women came to Britain over two and a half million years ago. They were hunters and gatherers of food who used simple stone tools and weapons. Much of Britain was covered in forests`
| Year |
What happened in Britain |
The World |
| 700,000 BC |
People migrate to 'Britain' from Europe.
Britain is joined to Europe (no sea in between)
Mammoth, rhino and giant beavers live in 'Britain'
Date of earliest human tools found on Suffolk coast.
|
|
| 130,000
BC |
Neanderthal Britain
The dominate human species is Neanderthal.
|
|
| 25,000
BC |
Ice Age
Northern Europe and most of modern Britain is plunged into a deep Ice Age
|
|
| 12,000
BC |
Beginning of the end of the Ice Age
Re-colonization of Britain by home sapiens. |
|
| 8,500
BC |
Warmer climate led to the growth of forests all over Britain. |
|
| 6,000
BC |
Britain becomes an Island.
The land bridge joining Britain to Europe flooded as the sea level rose |
|
| 4,200
BC |
Farming people arrive from Europe.
First evidence of farming
Farming quickly spread all across the British Isles. Land is cleared, wheat and barley planted , and herds of domesticated sheep, cattle, and pigs raised. |
|
| 3,000
BC |
New Stone Age begins: farming people arrive from Europe.
First stone circles erected. |
|
| 2,800
BC |
First phase of building Stonehenge |
|
| 2,700
BC |
Tools and weapons made from copper |
|
| 2,100
BC |
Bronze Age begins
First metal workers
People learn to make bronze weapons and tools.
Introduction of cremation of the dead and burials in round barrows.
Beaker culture - their name is thought to originate from the distinctive beakers that accompanied their burials. They were farmers and archers. They lived in round huts (similar to the Celts) with a low stone wall for a base. The roof was made of thatch, turf, or hides. |
|
| 2,000
BC |
Stonehenge completed |
|
| 1650
BC |
Trade routes began to form |
|
| 1200
BC |
Small Villages were first
formed |
|
| 1136-1327 |
|
Pharaoh Tutankhamen rules Egypt |
| 753 |
|
Romulus and Remus found Rome. |
| 750
BC |
Iron Age began
Iron replaces bronze as most useful metal.
Population about 150,000. |
|
| 563 |
|
Birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. He later became Buddha |
| 509 |
|
Rome expels kings and becomes a republic. |
| 500
BC |
The Celtic people arrive
from Central Europe.
The Celts were farmers and lived in small village groups in the centre of their arable fields. They were also warlike people. The Celts fought against the people of Britain and other Celtic tribes. |
|
Project Britain
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