330 and 327 B.C.: Alexander the Great defeated the Achaemenian emperor Darius III and squashed local resistance. Alexander and his successors, the Seleucids, brought Greek cultural influences to the region.
305 BCE: The Mauryan Empire of India defeats the Seleucids, gaining control of southern Afghanistan, bringing with it Buddhism. Buddhism was the dominant religion from the 3rd century to the 8th century AD. Ruins of this period still remain, lining what was once a great Buddhist pilgrimage road from India to Balkh, in northern Afghanistan, and on into Central Asia.
“…a land where the long centuries have seen stubborn waves of would-be conquerors thrown back defeated, where proud people have twice rebuilt their ruined cities from the smoldering ashes left by invaders and where challenge of today – no less forceful than those before – is to develop the abundant natural and human resources and to match the twentieth century stride for stride.” -- Afghanistan: Ancient Land with Modern Ways, published by the Ministry of Planning of the Royal Government of Afghanistan in 1961
Often called the crossroads of Central Asia, Afghanistan’s history is characterized by resistance to foreign invasion and occupation, but has also been the hub of diverse cultures. The history of Afghanistan spans 5,000 years, changing hands as new empires emerge, influenced by diverse outsiders such as Greece, Arabia, Iran, Central Asia, India, and China.
In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani unified the Pashtun tribes and created the Durrani Empire, which is considered the beginning of modern Afghanistan. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state buffer between the British Indian Empire and the Russian Empire. In 1919, Afghanistan gained independence from British occupying forces. From 1919-1973 was a period of relative stability in Afghanistan, with Kabul even earning the name the “Paris of Central Asia.”
In 1973, pro-Soviet Gen. Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrows the last king, Mohammed Zahir Shah, in a military coup. Khan names himself president of The Republic of Afghanistan with strong ties to the USSR.
The USSR invaded in 1979 to bolster the failing Afghan Communist regime. By early 1980, the internationally-backed Mujahadeen rebels united against soviet forces. The last Russian soldier retreated from Northern Afghanistan in 1989 under pressure from the internationally-supported mujahedin rebels. The Mujahadeen continue their resistance against the Soviet-backed regime and eventually oust the communist president Dr. Mohammad Najibullah in 1992. An interim government was established by the Mujahedeen Council, a group already beginning to fracture as warlords fight over the future of Afghanistan.
The uncertainty of the Mujahedeen government was exploited by a group of Islamic fighters called the Taliban. After a subsequent series of civil wars, in 1996 Kabul was seized by the Taliban. Following the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, the United States and its allies began military operations and toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama Bin Laden. An interim government was installed.
Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban The UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction including the establishment of an interim government with Hamad Karzai as interim leader, aiming to steer Afghanistan towards “national reconciliation, a lasting peace, stability, and respect for human rights.” In 2004, presidential elections are held which elect Karzai as President. In 2014, the two rivals for the Afghan presidency, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, sign a US-brokered power sharing agreement following disputed election results. Ashraf Ghani is sworn in as president.
1979 - Soviet Army invades. More than a million people die in the ensuing war and more than 6 million refugees had fled the country.
1989 - Last Soviet troops retreat. Mujahideen push to overthrow Soviet-installed Afghan ruler Najibullah, triggers civil war.
1995 – A newly formed Islamic militia, the Taliban, rises to power on promises of peace.
1996 - Taliban seize control of Kabul.
2001 - US militarily intervention following September 11th attacks. Taliban are ousted from Kabul and Hamid Karzai becomes head of interim government.
2002 - Nato assumes responsibility for maintaining security in Afghanistan.
2004 - Afghanistan adopts new constitution which provides separation of powers and democratic principles. Hamid Karzai elected president.
2014 - U.S.-brokers a leadership partnership (National Unity Government, or NUG) between President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Dr. Abdullah Abdullah after contentious election.
2018: President Trump announces new policy in Afghanistan including a deployment of more American troops to Afghanistan to continue to train Afghan forces there in fight against terrorists.
2019: Next Afghan presidential elections
Afghanistan: Ancient Land with Modern Ways, published by the Ministry of Planning of the Royal Government of Afghanistan in 1961: https://www.wdl.org/en/item/17790/
PBS Newshour historical timeline of Afghanistan: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan/
BBC Timeline: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12024253
Afghanistan: A Lexicon, Mariam and Ashraf Ghani
Situated at an important crossroads in Central Asia, Afghanistan owes much of its diverse and rich culture to its position on the map. Afghanistan has been influenced by many overlapping cultures - the home to a myriad of civilizations and religions, invaders and empires, over the past several thousand years.
Afghanistan has been both a receptor of diverse art from past civilizations and as a creator of original styles of art. Artistic activity in Afghanistan can be traced back as early as 18,000 BCE, with impressive artistic eras ranging from Greco-Buddhist to Islamic. Afghanistan's contemporary art scene has seen a resurgence since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with a new generation of young artists, men and women, embracing art as a mode of expression and reflection on society.
Afghanistan has been both a receptor of diverse art from past civilizations and as a creator of original styles of art. Artistic activity in Afghanistan can be traced back as early as 18,000 BCE, with impressive artistic eras ranging from Greco-Buddhist to Islamic. Afghanistan's contemporary art scene has seen a resurgence since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with a new generation of young artists, men and women, embracing art as a mode of expression and reflection on society.
Afghanistan Embassy, Washington D.C., Afghanistan in Brief: Life and Culture: https://www.afghanembassy.us/life-culture/afghanistan-in-brief/
Afghanistan Ministry of Information and Culture: http://moic.gov.af/en
National Museum of Afghanistan: http://www.nationalmuseum.af
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Afghanistan: http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/AF/
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2009/afghanistan
Turquoise Mountain, Virtual Map of Afghanistan Culture and Art: http://turquoisemountain.org/interactive-map
Afghanistan’s geographic positioning has also led to a distinctive cuisine, with culinary specialties reflecting its ethnic and geographic diversity, with flavor combinations that make use of native staples and the palates of Afghanistan’s neighbors. The traditional meal is a rice and meat dish, known as pilau, the most famous being Qabuli pilau. There are many variations of this dish, but it typically consists of lamb under rice mixed with lentils, raisins and carrots. Another popular Afghan dish is aushak, a vegetarian dumpling typically served with meat sauce, yogurt, and mint. Kabobs are also often a feature on an Afghan menu.
Ancient and modern architecture in Afghanistan reflects a history that is marked by their past encounters between Achemenid Persia, Alexandrian Greece, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, providing a window into the artistic achievements of past cultures. There are architectural masterpieces throughout Afghanistan, from mosques to fortresses and palaces to minarets found in places like Herat, Bamiyan, Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh and Ghazni. Tragically, many of Afghanistan’s greatest sites have been destroyed from years of conflict, including the giant Buddah statues at Bamiyan. Efforts are currently being made to preserve many of these sites.
Afghanistan Embassy, Washington D.C., Afghanistan in Brief: Life and Culture: https://www.afghanembassy.us/life-culture/afghanistan-in-brief/
Afghanistan Ministry of Information and Culture: http://moic.gov.af/en
National Museum of Afghanistan: http://www.nationalmuseum.af
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Afghanistan: http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/AF/
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2009/afghanistan
Turquoise Mountain, Virtual Map of Afghanistan Culture and Art: http://turquoisemountain.org/interactive-map