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This page is about the history of humanity. For the entire history of Earth, see History of Earth. For a field of historical study, see World history. For other uses, see History of the world (disambiguation).

"Human history" redirects here. For humanity's evolutionary history, see Human evolution.

World population, 10,000 BCE – 2,000 CE (vertical population scale is logarithmic)

History of the world

The history of the world, or the history of humanity, is the combined stock of scientific knowledge, informed through the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, genetics, linguistics and other fields of study, pertaining to the history of the Human race. Since the beginning of written history in the 4th millennium BC, scholars have also been able to use primary and secondary sources, and studies, to inform their research.

The history of humanity properly began in the Paleolithic era, also known as the early stone age, with the first development of stone tools by ancient hominins roughly 3.3 million years ago. Through the process of Human evolution, the species Homo Sapiens emerged in the continent of Africa roughly 300,000 years ago and achieved behavioral modernity roughly 50,000 years ago.

Following the Paleolithic era was the Neolithic era, or new stone age, beginning about 12,000 years ago with the first development of farming. During this period of time, the Agricultural Revolution occured as humans began to form organised systems of animal husbandry. This transformed human society as more humans transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle of hunting and gathering, to a settled lifestyle, living in permanent settlements. The increased productivity and security that the development of farming, and the development of the wheel and other methods of increased efficiency in transportation, allowed societies to expand into larger units. The Neolothic era was marked by the use of stone tools and weapons. Around 5,500 years ago, the development of bronze technology began the Bronze Age.