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Sappho's poems, 6th century BCE -

The Ancient Greek poet Sappho (c. 630–c. 570 BCE) is known to have composed around 10,000 lines of lyric poetry. However, fewer than 70 complete lines of her work exist. A fragment of the 'Brothers Poem' (pictured), written on papyrus, is one of the most important ancient documents in existence.

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Cyrus Cylinder, 539–538 BCE -

The Cyrus Cylinder, a clay cylinder dating back 2,600 years, contains an account of the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 BCE. This ancient artifact is highly renowned and symbolizes the establishment of Persian rule through Cyrus the Great's triumph over Babylon. The cylinder signifies the restoration of sacred sites, the repatriation of deported individuals, and the reintroduction of their deities.

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'The Art of War,' 5th century BCE -

'The Art of War,' credited to ancient Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu, also known as Master Sun or Sunzi, remains a seminal work on military strategies. It continues to have a significant impact on military thought and philosophy in both East and West.

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Magna Carta, 1215 -

Originating in England in 1215, this ancient royal charter served as the first official declaration to address human rights. Under King John's reign, various freedoms were bestowed, with a notable provision that introduced the right to fair treatment and a fair trial for all "free men." 

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Gutenberg Bible, 1455 -

The Gutenberg Bible, published around 1455, was named after its creator, Johannes Gutenberg (1400-1468). This book is significant as it was the first major publication to be printed using a movable type printing press. Gutenberg's invention revolutionized the production of books and had a profound impact on the world.

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'Summa Theologica,' 1485 -

Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–1274) wrote his most famous work, 'Summa Theologica,' in 1485. This comprehensive text outlines the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church, including important concepts like the principles of a just war.

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Declaration of Independence, 1776 -

By issuing the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson composed the original draft of the document.

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Treaty of Paris, 1783 -

On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed by American and British representatives, effectively concluding the American Revolutionary War.

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Constitution of the United States, 1787 -

The Constitution of the United States, proposed on September 17, 1787 and in effect from March 4, 1789, serves as the highest law in the United States of America. Despite not being ratified immediately by all states, there were those who demanded stronger safeguards for individual freedoms within the Constitution. As a result, the Bill of Rights was eventually passed.

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Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, 1789 -

The Déclaration des droits de l'homme et du citoyen ("Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen") was released by the French National Constituent Assembly on August 26, 1789. It served as a significant civil rights document during the time of the French Revolution, establishing both individual and collective rights. Its influence on ideas of personal freedom and democracy expanded not only in Europe but also across the globe, making it an important contribution to the development of these concepts.

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Bill of Rights, 1791 -

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, known as the United States Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791. This document outlines the rights of Americans in regard to their government.

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Slavery Abolition Act, 1833 -

The Slavery Abolition Act received royal approval on August 28, 1833 and became effective on August 1, 1834. This act mandated the immediate end of slavery in the majority of the British Empire. Depicted alongside the document is Thomas Clarkson (1760-1846), an English activist who played a significant role in campaigning against the slave trade in the British Empire.

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Darwin's notes, 1837 -

The English naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) made important notes in his 1837 notebook, which he used as source material for his groundbreaking 1859 book 'On the Origin of Species,' a key work in evolutionary biology.

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Communist Manifesto, 1848 -

The Communist Manifesto is a pamphlet authored by German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848. It has been acknowledged as a highly impactful political document worldwide. The image depicts the title page of the inaugural edition published in London in the same year.

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Emancipation Proclamation, 1863 -

US President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This edict granted freedom to the enslaved individuals in the Confederate states who were in rebellion against the Union. Additionally, it permitted black soldiers, who were urgently needed, to join the Union forces. Furthermore, the proclamation linked the matter of slavery directly to the Civil War.

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Gettysburg Address, 1863 -

The speech given by US President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863 during the American Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is widely recognized as one of the most famous speeches in American history. Typically, it is exhibited in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House.

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Second Great Reform Act, 1867 -

Enacted on January 1, 1869, the Second Great Reform Act, which was drawn up in 1867, built upon the First Reform Act from 1832. Its purpose was to grant more men the right to vote in elections. By the conclusion of 1868, all male heads of households were enfranchised. This effectively doubled the number of eligible adult male voters in England and Wales, increasing from one million to two million.

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'The Interpretation of Dreams,' 1899 -

Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, known for founding psychoanalysis, is pictured here with the annotated manuscripts for his important work in 1899, 'The Interpretation of Dreams.' His theory on the unconscious in dream interpretation would later develop into the Oedipus complex theory.

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Treaty of Versailles, 1919 -

The Treaty of Versailles, the agreement that brought peace between Germany and the Allied Powers, was signed on June 28, 1919. It marked the official end of the First World War, with notable signatories including Woodrow Wilson representing the US and David Lloyd George representing Great Britain.

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The 19th Amendment, 1920 -

On August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, a move that officially extended the right to vote to women. This was the single largest extension of democratic voting rights in US history, a milestone that had taken over 70 years to achieve.

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Beveridge Report, 1942 -

British social economist, William Beveridge (1879–1963), authored a report called 'Social Insurance and Allied Services,' commonly referred to as the Beveridge Report. Published in November 1942, this report laid the foundation for social policy in post-war Britain and has since greatly influenced social legislation.

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Treaty ending the WWII conflict with Nazi Germany, 1945 -

The surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies was officially documented on May 7, 1945, in Reims, France. General Jodl signed the document (pictured), which was also countersigned by Walter Bedell Smith and General Ivan Susloparov, representing the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and the Soviet High Command, respectively. This marked the end of the war in Europe.

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Treaty ending the WWII conflict with Japan, 1945 -

The well-known treaty that concluded the war with Japan and consequently the Second World War was agreed upon in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, on board the USS Missouri. The signatories consisted of Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, and Mamoru Shigemitsu, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 -

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948, is a document that guarantees the rights and freedoms of every person. Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, is shown holding a large copy of the declaration. Eleanor Roosevelt led the committee responsible for drafting the declaration's articles.

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Population Registration Act, 1950 -

This disgraceful action is what enabled the implementation of apartheid in South Africa. It mandated the classification and registration of every resident in accordance with their racial attributes as a component of the apartheid system. The act was finally abolished in June 1991. Depicted is a document issued in 1988 by the South African government under the Population Registration Act, which signifies the registration and racial categorization of a newborn on the Population Register. Image: Government of South Africa.

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Brown v. Board of Education, 1954 -

On May 17, 1954, the US Supreme Court declared that it was unconstitutional to racially segregate children in public schools. This pivotal ruling played a significant role in advancing the civil rights movement during the 1950s. Image: The U.S. National Archives

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"I Have a Dream" speech, 1963 -

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at a civil rights gathering in Washington, D.C. This speech marked a significant moment in the civil rights movement and is widely recognized as one of the most famous and important speeches in American history. Villanova University, located in Pennsylvania, is home to the preserved copy of this important document.

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Apollo 11 flight plan, 1969 -

The Apollo 11 flight plan essentially guided Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon and the historic July 20, 1969, lunar landing. The document is preserved in the National Archives. Pictured is astronaut Michael Collins studying the flight plan during simulation training at the Kennedy Space Center.

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WikiLeaks, present -

The documents that international non-profit organization WikiLeaks has published since its launch in 2006 include military operating procedure manuals, war diaries, and highly sensitive cables and emails. The scores of documents WikiLeaks has released will very likely be pored over by historians and scholars for many years to come. Pictured is the founder of the WikiLeaks website, Julian Assange, displaying text from a page on October 23, 2010.

Sources: (British Museum) (National Geographic) (Smithsonian Magazine) (NASA)

See also: 30 books that influenced the world

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