---
title: "Humanist history"
date: "2021-06-02T09:34:50+01:00"
modified: "2026-11-01T15:25:06+00:00"
url: "https://humanists.uk/humanism/humanist-history/"
post_id: 105646
---

# Humanist history

Humanist ideas are as old as human thought. People have given humanist answers to life’s big questions in every age and culture, and in the UK an organised humanist movement has been campaigning, supporting people, and holding ceremonies since the 1890s.

1. **c. 1500 BCE** Materialist philosophy in ancient India
2. **500–300 BCE** Confucius in China, Epicurus in Greece
3. **1400s** The Renaissance revives ancient learning
4. **1700s** The Enlightenment: reason and rights
5. **1896** Humanists UK’s story begins
6. **Today** Millions of humanists in the UK

[Timeline: 3000 years of humanist thinking](https://humanists.uk/humanism/humanist-history/3000-years-of-humanists/)



Around the world
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**3000 years of humanists**

A timeline of humanist thinking, from ancient India, China, and Greece to the present day.

[Read the timeline](https://humanists.uk/humanism/humanist-history/3000-years-of-humanists/)



**The humanist tradition**

Thinkers, scientists, writers, and campaigners who shaped humanism, from Democritus to Mary Wollstonecraft and Bertrand Russell.

[Meet them](https://humanists.uk/humanism/the-humanist-tradition/)





In the UK
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**Our history since 1896**

How the ethical societies and the Rationalist Press Association became Humanists UK.

[Read our history](https://humanists.uk/about/our-history-since-1896/)



**Humanist Heritage**

Our online archive of the humanist movement: its people, places, campaigns, and objects.

[Explore Humanist Heritage](https://heritage.humanists.uk/)





![Humanist Heritage](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/humanism-hh-logo-white.png?resize=373%2C200&ssl=1)Explore humanist history on Humanist Heritage
---------------------------------------------

Our online archive of the humanist movement brings its history to life, with:

- [Biographies](https://heritage.humanists.uk/types/people/) of humanists through the ages
- [Articles](https://heritage.humanists.uk/articles/) on ideas, campaigns and groups
- [A timeline](https://heritage.humanists.uk/timeline/) of the humanist movement
- [Maps](https://heritage.humanists.uk/map/) and [walks](https://heritage.humanists.uk/walks/) of humanist places near you
- [Exhibitions](https://heritage.humanists.uk/exhibitions/), objects and oral histories

[Explore Humanist Heritage →](https://heritage.humanists.uk/)



![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/humanism-hh-papyrus.webp?resize=900%2C548&ssl=1)![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/humanism-hh-laptop.webp?resize=900%2C487&ssl=1)

**Humanist Heritage** People, places, campaigns and objects from the humanist movement.



![](https://i0.wp.com/humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/humanism-hh-phone.webp?resize=300%2C487&ssl=1)