The world: 600s

600–609

Events in this period 2

1. 605 – 610 · China · Economy

   Grand Canal (China)

   The Grand Canal is a system of interconnected canals linking various major rivers and lakes in North and East China, serving as an important waterborne transport infrastructure between the north and the south during Medieval and premodern China. It is the longest artificial waterway in the world and a World Heritage Site.

2. 604 · Japan · Politics

   Seventeen-article constitution

   The seventeen-article constitution is, according to the Nihon Shoki of 720, a document authored by Prince Shōtoku in 604. It was adopted in the reign of Empress Suiko. The emphasis of the document is not so much on the basic laws by which the state was to be governed, such as one may expect from a modern constitution, but rather it was a highly Buddhist and Confucian document that focused on the morals and virtues that were to be expected of government officials and the emperor's subjects to ensure a smooth running of the state, where the emperor was to be regarded as the highest authority. It is one of the earliest constitutions in history.

Descriptions are the opening paragraph of each Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0). Open an event for the full text and a link to the source.

Around the same time

• The Hijra622
• Tang dynasty618
• Battle of Badr624
• Conquest of Mecca630
• Arab conquest of Egypt639 – 642
• First Turkic Khaganate552
• Sui dynasty589
• Battle of Salsu612
• Battle of Uhud625
• Battle of the Trench627
• Muslim conquest of Persia633 – 654
• Battle of the Yarmuk636

Other maps for this period

• War mapsGoguryeo–Sui War
• Inventions mapQuipu