Timeline of historical events -- The prehistoric past: the evolution of homo sapiens sapiens, 40,000 B.C. -- The agricultural revolution, 5000 B.C.+ -- The civilization of ancient Egypt, 3100 B.C.+ -- The iron age and the spread of Bantu speakers, 730 B.C.+ -- The rise of Kush and Aksum, 730 B.C.+ -- The Greeks and Romans in North Africa, 332 B.C.+ -- Ethiopia: the emergence of a Christian kingdom, 1250 A.D.+ -- The spread of Islam, 622 A.D. onward -- Kingdoms of West Africa: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, A.D. 1000-1600 -- The rise of the Swahili city-states of East Africa, tenth-fourteenth century A.D. -- The Atlantic slave trade, 1440-1870 -- The organization of societies, fifteenth century A.D. onward -- The outbreak of Islamic jihad, 1804 -- Wars and revolution among the Yoruba, 1817-93 -- The spread of Christianity, 1804 onward -- The rise of Muhammad Ali of Egypt, 1811-47 -- The Mfecane: Shaka and the Zulu kingdom, 1816-40 -- European conquest and African response, 1885-1900 -- The colonial experience, 1900-39 -- The entrenchment of Apartheid in South Africa, 1948 -- Africa drawn into the Second World War, 1940-45 -- The end of European rule, 1951-90 -- Violence to gain national liberation, 1952-62 -- Confrontation with the gains and pains if independence, 1958-70 -- The formation of the organization of African unity, 1963 -- Coups, counter coups, and military regimes, 1963 onward -- Ufamaa and policy choices, 1967 onward -- The creation of the economic community of West African states, 1975 -- Portuguese colonies attain freedom, 1975 -- Cultural revival and cultural inventory: the second world festival of African arts and culture, 1977 -- The women's decade, 1975-85 -- A continent in deep crisis, 1980 -- Environmental challenges, 1980 onward -- African refugees, 1980 onward -- Africa in world politics in transition, 1980s onward -- The fall of Apartheid and the advent of Nelson Mandela's government, 1994-99.