World educational timeline: c. 3500 BCE: Sumerians in Mesopotamia invent writing, laying the foundation for formal education. c. 3000 BCE: Ancient Egyptians begin their education system based on reading, writing, and arithmetic. c. 2400 BCE: The Akkadian Empire establishes scribal schools to train future bureaucrats. c. 1900–1700 BCE: The Babylonian Empire's Code of Hammurabi highlights the importance of education. c. 1500 BCE: The Vedic period in ancient India marks the beginning of the Guru-Shishya tradition. c. 700 BCE: Ancient Greece develops formal education, including Socratic questioning and the Academy. c. 202 BCE–220 CE: China's Han Dynasty focuses on Confucianism, establishing an imperial examination system. c. 5th century CE: The Gupta Empire in India sees the development of universities, such as Nalanda University. 6th century CE: The Byzantine Empire establishes a comprehensive education system, including primary and secondary schools. c. 9th–10th centuries: Islamic Golden Age leads to the establishment of centers of learning in the Muslim world, including madrasas. 859 CE: The University of Al Quaraouiyine is founded in Fes, Morocco, becoming one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world. 12th century: European universities, like University of Bologna and University of Paris, emerge. 1440: The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg revolutionizes access to knowledge. 16th century: The Protestant Reformation emphasizes the importance of literacy and individual Bible reading. 17th century: The Age of Enlightenment promotes education, reason, and the scientific method. 18th century: The concept of compulsory education develops in Prussia and later spreads to other countries, marking the beginning of mass education. 19th century: Industrialization and urbanization lead to the expansion of public education systems, including the first public school systems. 19th-20th centuries: Centralized curricula become more common, as nations aim to standardize education for their populations. Late 19th-early 20th centuries: Progressive education movement, including the Montessori and Dewey methods, emerges. 20th century: Global literacy rates increase, and UNESCO is founded to promote education worldwide. 1969: The invention of the internet by ARPANET, laying the foundation for the future digital revolution in education. Mid-20th century: Desegregation efforts in the United States promote equal education opportunities. Late 20th century: The internet revolutionizes access to information and learning resources. 21st century: Emphasis on digital literacy, online learning, and personalized learning continues to grow.