1 CE

1 CE is considered to be the base point of the modern reckoning of time. It shares the same time with 1 AD, the time of the previous anno domini system. The year before 1 CE is 1 BCE, as with the old anno domini system (where 1 CE is preceded by 1 BC).

Reasons for change

The Anno Domini system was created by a monk in the year 525, beliving that the date was 525 years after the birth of Jesus. This system was adopted by the early Christian church, which spread with Christianity throughout Europe and to the rest of the world. This became an important part of the Gregorian calendar system, which was defined and controlled by the Catholic church.

However, centuries later, it became obvious that errors had been made in the original calculations. The birth of Jesus is now believed to have happened several years before 1 CE; the current belief is that Jesus was born four years before the original calculations held him to be born, at 4 BCE. Some believe that the Catholic Church may change the official Gregorian calendar to set the new date to be in line with the more recent figure, if it is agreed to by papal scholars. Fearing the loss of millions of dollars in conversion costs and potentially life-destroying mathematical mistakes by using two different dating standards, businesses are beginning to use CE and BCE instead of AD and BC, but without changing the dates. That way, even if the Church does change the dating system, advancing (or possibly reducing) the Gregorian year, all the old dates will still be correct internally, mitigating the confusion.

CE (and BCE) were originally used as abbreviations for the English phrases "Christian Era" and "Before Christian Era" -- loose translations of the Latin phrase anno Domini. Some people translate them as "Before the Current Era".

Notable Events

• Birth of Jesus (Bethlehem, Israel; date disputed)
• First use of decimal fractions, in China
• First use of iron to build suspension bridges, in China