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2100 BC: God promises Abraham many descendants
2000 BC: Jacob (Israel) is born
1910 BC: Joseph sold into slavery
1406 BC: Israel begins establishing itself as a country
1400 BC: Israel is ruled by judges - not kings
1050 BC: Saul becomes Israel's first king
1010 BC: David becomes King of Israel
970 BC: Solomon becomes king; builds Temple
926 BC: Israel becomes a divided kingdom
721 BC: Assyrians conquer northern kingdom of Israel
612 BC: Babylon conquers Nineveh (Assyrian Empire)
605 BC: Babylon exerts influence over Judah
586 BC: Babylon destroys Jerusalem and Temple
586-573 BC: Babylon king Nebuchadnezzar attacks Tyre
539 BC: Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
538 BC: Cyrus releases Jews from Babylonian Captivity
536 BC: Work begins to rebuild Temple
516 BC: Second Temple is dedicated
333 BC: Greeks begin rule over land of Israel
331 BC: Alexander conquers Tyre (Phoenician Empire)
250 BC: The Old Testament is translated into Greek
175 BC: Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes torments the Jews
164-63 BC: Jews regain independence for part of their homeland
63 BC: Romans take over land of Israel
About 5 BC: Jesus is born in Bethlehem
About 26 AD: Jesus begins his ministry
About 27 AD: Jesus explains what people need to do to be saved
About 26-30 AD: Jesus performs miracles
About 30 AD: Jesus is executed and resurrected
70 AD: Romans destroy Jerusalem and Temple
135 AD: Romans destroy and plow Jerusalem
1291: Tyre attacked and destroyed again
Late 1800s: Zionist Movement begins
1882-1903: Jews begin returning to homeland
1896: 'The Jewish State' is published; Zionism grows
1897: Jews unite in effort to regain homeland Israel
1917: The British gain control of Palestine
1933 - 1944: 6 million Jews killed by Nazis
1948 (May 14): Israel declares independence
1948 (May 15): Surrounding countries invade Israel
1949: The first Arab-Israeli war ends