5 Most Significant Dates in Human History
It’s hard to say exactly how long human history really is, but one thing is for sure, and it’s that there have been some very significant moments and days for humanity. Between wars, elections, sporting events, and everything else, there have been countless moments that have made news around the entire world.
Out of these many, many days, which ones have been the most significant? It’s hard to narrow it down to just five, but we’re going to do our best to highlight the key moments. For this list, we wanted to leave out religious dates and save that for a different time. Instead, the focus is on verifiable moments that 100 percent of people can agree with.
The Invention of the Wheel (4500 BCE)
We literally wouldn’t be anywhere close to where we are now in society without the wheel. While the internet, printing press, and air conditioner are all life-changing, none of those would be possible without the simplicity of the wheel. Though the whole trope surrounding the wheel is that it was invented during caveman times, the first documented instances of the wheel are as early as 4500 BCE.
The first uses of the wheel were used for pottery, and transportation wasn’t too far behind. Once humans realized that the wheel could be used along with horses, getting around became much easier. It was right around the same time that humans started domesticating horses, making it so that people no longer had to travel long distances on foot.
The Creation of Currency (3000 B.C.)
There was once a time when you would provide a service in exchange for another service or a tangible good. These days, almost everything that we do is in exchange for money, and that’s why the creation of currency was such a monumental change in human history. There had been some instances in ancient times of people exchanging items for bone chips, but the first actual money was the Lydia.
Used in the Iron Age Kingdom (now Turkey), the Lydia made things much easier for residents who wanted to exchange their services for something that they could exchange for just about anything. No longer did you have to hope that someone who was good at cooking needed their house painted. We still barter a bit these days, but cash is obviously king.
The Invention of Gunpowder (1240 AD)
Combat and war have been part of mankind since the beginning, but warfare changed forever with the advent of gunpowder. Though the first instances of gunpowder came in the second-century AD, it wasn’t until 1240 that the first documented formulas for modern gunpowder were created. This happened in the Middle East and was primarily used for throwing explosives, arrows, and of course, the first cannons.
Gunpowder evolved over the years to work in weapons that could be held by hand. During the 16th century, guns were used in war for the first time, and have been involved in every war since then. Those who have had the best guns have usually come out on top, even if it was a one-shot musket that needed a gunpowder refill.
The Founding of the United States (July 4, 1776)
While there are plenty of country founding dates that were monumental in human history, perhaps none was more world-changing than the United States. After being a large mass of land without a nation for centuries, North America was colonized by the British on the Atlantic coast. The Colonials then fought for independence, establishing the United States on July 4, 1776.
The United States quickly became one of the most powerful nations in the world and its natural resources and location in the western hemisphere made it perfect to establish a new nation. The United States became a global leader in economy, entertainment, military, and much more as the centuries have gone by. Even those outside of the United States know what day America celebrates Independence Day.
The Start of World War II (September 1, 1939)
World War I was a war like nobody had seen before, but it was truly just a sign of what was to come just a couple of decades later. After some time of peace, there were many in Germany who were upset with the result of World War I and the economic impact it had. This is how Adolf Hitler came into power, promising a Third Reich for the German Empire.
September 1, 1939, was the day that changed the world as Germany invaded Poland, causing France and Great Britain to declare war. WWII ended up being the deadliest war in human history, lasting for six years and a majority of the world’s nations. Just one day after the sixth anniversary of the war, it was officially over.
