Timelines often create the illusion that major events unfold one after another. In reality, many important events happened at the same time, just in different places. Looking at history this way shows how political shifts, cultural milestones, and scientific developments often overlap. These parallels don’t always connect directly, but they offer context that’s easy to miss.
Here are some moments that took place in the same year, even though they rarely appear side by side in textbooks.
Woolly Mammoths and The Great Pyramids
Workers started building the Great Pyramids around 2600 BC, during a period often seen as far removed from the prehistoric world. Yet mammoths still roamed the earth while pharaohs ruled in Egypt. The pyramids rose under skilled hands as those shaggy giants grazed far north, unaware of monuments that would outlast them by thousands of years.
Star Wars and France’s Last Guillotine Execution
The French premiere of Star Wars happened in 1977. That same year, France carried out its final execution by guillotine. Hamida Djandoubi was put to death on September 10, which ended a method of execution first used in the 18th century. While audiences watched science fiction on screen, the country brought a centuries-old practice to a close behind prison walls.
McDonald’s Opens as Auschwitz Receives Prisoners
On May 15, 1940, Richard and Maurice McDonald launched their new restaurant in California to introduce a faster food service model. Within days, the first trainload of prisoners arrived at Auschwitz in German-occupied Poland. Historians mark that week as the start of one of the most infamous concentration camps.
Oxford Thrives as the Aztec Empire Rises
By the time the Aztec Empire rose in 1428, Oxford University already had centuries of academic tradition. Chronicles describe Aztec leaders establishing their capital at Tenochtitlan and expanding influence through alliances and battles. On the other hand, scholars in England debated theology and law.
The Eiffel Tower and Van Gogh’s Starry Night
Millions admire the Eiffel Tower and The Starry Night, two of the most recognizable works ever created. What many don’t realize is that both came from the same year, 1889. The Eiffel Tower started welcoming crowds during the Paris World’s Fair, which drew in press attention.
Fax Technology and the Oregon Trail Migration
In 1843, Alexander Bain patented his “Electric Printing Telegraph,” an invention that laid the groundwork for the fax machine. That very year, about a thousand emigrants started their journey west on the Oregon Trail. The two efforts happened without awareness of each other, but were pivotal in shaping how people communicated and moved across vast distances during the 19th century.
The Moon Landing and Swiss Women’s Vote
Both the moon landing and women’s suffrage in Switzerland mark major achievements, but they don’t often appear in the same conversation. Apollo 11 touched down in July 1969, with millions watching as humans set foot on the moon. Just two years later, following a national referendum, Swiss women gained the right to vote in federal elections.
The Qing Dynasty’s Fall and the Titanic’s Fate
China’s Qing Dynasty collapsed in 1912 after years of unrest and reform attempts, and if one major world event wasn’t enough, the Titanic sank just months later. The ocean liner struck an iceberg in April and took over 1,500 lives, which shocked the world. As one signaled the fall of a centuries-old empire, the other exposed the limits of industrial confidence.
Nintendo’s Birth and Jack the Ripper’s Crimes
Nintendo started in Kyoto in 1889 and produced handmade playing cards. Records show the company slowly built its reputation through games like Hanafuda. Simultaneously, investigators in London continued searching for the identity of Jack the Ripper. His crimes the previous year had shaken the city and remained unsolved.
Anne Frank And Martin Luther King Jr.
You may not immediately link Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr., but they were born just months apart in 1929. Anne was born in June in Frankfurt, six months after King. Their lives unfolded in different places and under different threats, yet the pair is famous for confronting injustice in their own ways.
Picasso’s Death and Dark Side of the Moon
For those tracking cultural milestones, it’s surprising to learn that Pablo Picasso’s death and the release of The Dark Side of the Moon happened so close together. Pink Floyd introduced a sound that would redefine rock music. Critics called the album groundbreaking because it changed how music could sound, feel, and reach its audience.
The London Underground and the Last Public Hanging
London’s first underground railway began operating in 1863. And on May 26, 1868, Michael Barrett was executed in the final public hanging in the United Kingdom. It is true that Victorian life often balanced progress with older practices, and this overlap captures that tension in a single historical frame.
The Ottoman Empire and a Cubs Championship
We all remember when the Chicago Cubs claimed another World Series title in 1908—a win that stood unmatched for over a century. What’s less often mentioned is that the Ottoman Empire still governed large parts of southeastern Europe and the Middle East at the time.
The Colosseum and the New Testament Writings
Visitors filled stone seats for entertainment while scribes worked to record teachings and stories. The Roman Colosseum opened around 80 AD, and brought thousands to gladiator games and staged battles. Meanwhile, parts of the New Testament—such as the Gospel of Luke—were being written and shared among early Christian communities.
Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth II
Two powerful women—Marilyn Monroe and Queen Elizabeth II—began life just weeks apart in 1926. As the former went on to become a global symbol of Hollywood, the Queen turned into a defining figure of the British monarchy.