The Atlantic has created a brief animated history of weapons, starting with the axe in 1,000,000 B.C. and then up through the Pain Rain in 2010.

From the axe, which originated in 1,000,000 B.C., to today’s killer drones, mankind’s use of weapons has been varied and incredibly inventive. Weapons have changed history and aided in the rise and fall of civilizations. For example, gunpowder, a Chinese invention, led to the development of cannons and guns—revolutionizing warfare in the Middle Ages and beyond.