C1280 Slavery under the Egyptians; after the Ten Plagues Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt; the Crossing of the Red Sea; Joshua leads them to the Promised Land, Canaan.

1020-1004 King Saul

1004-965 King David

965-928 King Solomon builds the First Temple, symbol of nationhood; Kingdom splits into ten tribes of Israel, two in Judah; Kingdom of Judah until...

586 Jerusalem and Temple destroyed; Jews deported

539 Jews permitted to return; Temple rebuilt

37 Roman Empire; Herod, then Pontius Pilate

AD

70 Destruction of Temple; Dispersal of Jews

1096-1192 Crusades; Jews given the choice of conversion or death; Jerusalem is taken

1242 Pope Gregory IX orders the confiscation and burning of Talmud

1480 Spanish Inquisition courts set up to eradicate heresy; Jews burned at the stake

1881-1921 Russian pogroms; Jewish communities destroyed; Zionist movement formed, its aim to establish Jewish state in Palestine

1917 The Balfour Declaration; British promise to help if non-Jews are treated fairly

1920 League of Nations gives Britain mandate over Palestine; tight control on Jewish immigration; UN propose Palestine partitioned between Jews and Arabs

1938 10 November, 'The Night of Broken Glass', Nazis attack Jews; systematic destruction of 6 million Jews in World War II

1948 14 May end of British mandate; state of Israel proclaimed; Jews realize their dreams of a homeland; Arabs attack immediately; UN intervention, uneasy peace

1956 Egypt nationalizes Suez Canal; Israeli, British and French troops invade Egyptian territory

1967 Six-day War; Israel v. Egypt, Jordan and Syria; reunification of Jerusalem

1973 Yom Kippur War: Egypt hits Israeli positions on Suez Canal; US mediation - uneasy peace; PLO continues terrorism

1975 Civil war in Lebanon. Israel hits PLO in Lebanon

1976 Jewish hostages freed from PLO hijack at Entebbe airport

1978 Israel and Egypt sign Camp David peace treaty

1980s Continued rebuilding and expansion, especially around Jerusalem; rioting in the West Bank