The first cities emerged in Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE.

The first laws were written in the Code of Ur-Nammu around 2100 BCE.

The first democracy was established in Athens around 508 BCE.

The first empire was the Akkadian Empire under Sargon in 2334 BCE.

The first use of money was by the Lydians with coins around 600 BCE.

The first postal system was created in Persia under Cyrus the Great.

The first census was recorded in Egypt around 3000 BCE.

The first recorded war was the Battle of Hamoukar in 3500 BCE.

The first treaties were signed in Sumer between city-states.

The first constitution was the Magna Carta in 1215 CE.

The first writing system was cuneiform, invented by the Sumerians.

The first alphabet was developed by the Phoenicians around 1050 BCE.

The first printed book was the Diamond Sutra in China, 868 CE.

The first encyclopedia was compiled by Pliny the Elder in 77 CE.

The first newspaper was published in ancient Rome, called Acta Diurna.

The first novel is considered “The Tale of Genji” by Murasaki Shikibu (11th century).

The first dictionary was written in Mesopotamia in 2300 BCE.

The first national library was built in Nineveh by Ashurbanipal.

The first use of punctuation was in Greek texts around 200 BCE.

The first known poem is the “Epic of Gilgamesh.”

The first temples were built in Göbekli Tepe, Turkey (10,000 BCE).

The first monotheistic religion was Atenism in Egypt (1350 BCE).

The first organized religion was Sumerian polytheism.

The first written religious text was the Rigveda.

The first Buddha statues were created in the 1st century CE.

The first Christian church was in Antioch, around 50 CE.

The first mosque was the Quba Mosque in Medina (622 CE).

The first holy pilgrimage was to Mount Kailash.

The first religious reform was led by Zoroaster in ancient Persia.

The first commandment-style laws were the Ten Commandments.

The first cave paintings were made in Chauvet Cave, France around 30,000 BCE.

The first sculpture was the Venus of Willendorf, over 25,000 years old.

The first theater was built in ancient Greece around 500 BCE.

The first play ever written was The Persians by Aeschylus in 472 BCE.

The first artist to sign his work was an Egyptian sculptor named Bek.

The first known museum was built in Babylon by Princess Ennigaldi.

The first use of perspective in art was by Brunelleschi in the 1400s.

The first art school was established in Florence during the Renaissance.

The first graffiti appeared in ancient Pompeii walls.

The first tattooed mummy is Ötzi the Iceman from 3300 BCE.

The first musical instrument was the bone flute, over 40,000 years old.

The first written music was the Hurrian Hymn from Ugarit, c.1400 BCE.

The first recorded composer was Enheduanna, a priestess in Sumer.

The first orchestra was formed in ancient China.

The first opera was Dafne by Jacopo Peri, staged in 1598.

The first ballet was performed in Italy in the 15th century.

The first music notation system was developed in ancient Greece.

The first piano was built by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1700.

The first national anthem was the Dutch Wilhelmus in 1572.

The first music festival was the Pythian Games in ancient Greece.

The first bread was baked in Jordan over 14,000 years ago.

The first beer was brewed in Mesopotamia around 5000 BCE.

The first cookbook was written in ancient Rome (Apicius).

The first chopsticks were used in China 1200 BCE.

The first restaurant with a menu was in 18th century France.

The first ice cream-like dessert was made in ancient Persia.

The first tea drinking happened in China around 2737 BCE.

The first chocolate drink was made by the Olmecs, 1500 BCE.

The first use of spices was recorded in ancient India.

The first table manners were codified in ancient Egypt.

The first fabric was linen, woven in Egypt around 5000 BCE.

The first jewelry was made from shells over 100,000 years ago.

The first makeup was worn in ancient Egypt—think eyeliner!

The first wigs were worn by wealthy Egyptians.

The first high heels were worn by Persian warriors in the 10th century.

The first mirrors were polished obsidian in Turkey, 6000 BCE.

The first perfume was created in Mesopotamia around 1200 BCE.

The first sunglasses were Inuit slitted snow goggles.

The first known buttons were decorative in the Indus Valley.

The first designer fashion house was Charles Worth in 1858.

The first boat was built over 10,000 years ago.

The first maps used for navigation were Babylonian clay tablets.

The first long-distance trade route was the Silk Road.

The first passports were issued in Persia under King Artaxerxes.

The first compass for navigation was used in China in the 11th century.

The first postal service on horseback was by the Mongols.

The first train journey was in England in 1825.

The first all-female spacewalk was in 2019 by Koch and Meir.

The first airplane flight was by the Wright brothers in 1903.

The first circumnavigation of the globe was by Magellan’s crew in 1522.

The first hot air balloon ride was in 1783 in Paris.

The first recognized global language was Latin.

The first recorded wedding ceremony was in Mesopotamia.

The first carnival-style festival was Saturnalia in ancient Rome.

The first New Year’s celebration was in Babylon around 2000 BCE.

The first Halloween-like tradition was Samhain in Celtic culture.

The first wedding ring tradition began in ancient Egypt.

The first fireworks were invented in China in the 9th century.

The first masquerade ball was in 15th-century Italy.

The first circus performance happened in Rome in 70 BCE.

The first world's fair was The Great Exhibition in London, 1851.

The first philosophers were from ancient Greece—Thales, Socrates, Plato.

The first public school system was in ancient Athens.

The first university was Al Quaraouiyine in Morocco, founded in 859 CE.

The first law school was in Beirut during the Roman era.

The first codified laws were Hammurabi’s Code around 1750 BCE.

The first human rights charter was Cyrus Cylinder, 539 BCE.

The first female teacher recorded was Hypatia of Alexandria.

The first scientific method was outlined by Aristotle.

The first civil rights movement was in ancient Rome by plebeians.

The first literacy campaign was in the Soviet Union, 1920s.

The first cultural heritage site designated by UNESCO was Galápagos Islands in 1978.