Even in prehistoric time, the concept of genetic engineering, although not acknowledged or known, was practised by many people. Farmers would plant seeds saved from the previous year, to ensure that the next generation of crops would retain the same traits which were desired. Some farmers later learned to recognize hybrids and breed their livestock for characteristics that they favored.

The following is a timeline of the past events which occured in the history of genetic engineering:

1880 - Gregor Mendel's work with plants proved that characteristics were transferred in tiny units called genes. His experiments showed that it in these genes where the traits of plants were dictated.

1950's - Hershey and Chase came to the conclusion that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the genetic material carried in a cell.

1953 - Francis Crick and James Watson revealed the double helix structure of DNA.

1969 - The first known successful attempt to seperate a gene is done at Harvard Medical School.

1973 - Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen became the first people to successfully create an recombinant DNA organism.

1980 - Genetically altered organisms could be patented.

1982 - The first genetically engineered drug is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

1984 - Genetic fingerprinting was introduced by British researchers.

1986 - The first field tests were done on genetically engineered plants. (Belgium)

1987 - US made their first field test on their own genetically engineered crops.

1992 - FDA declares that genetically engineered foods are "not inherently dangerous" in the US. Special regulation is decided to be not a necessity.

May, 1995 - Duke University Medical Center transplanted 3 genetically altered pig hearts into baboons. The hearts survived for a couple hours but it proved that cross species operations were a definite possibility.

Feb. 23, 1997 - Roslin's Institute in Scotland cloned the sheep Dolly, from the cells of an adult ewe.

Feb 24, 1997 - National Bioethics Advisory Commission was asked by president Clinton to observe the ethics of cloning.

Mar. 2, 1997 - 2 monkeys were cloned at the research center at Beaverton, Oregon.

May. 1998 - Signs of early aging were found in the sheep, Dolly. This was significant because there was uncertainty about how the clones would react to older cells.

Nov. 1998 - Embryonic cells were successfully grown by 2 research teams.

2000 - 130 countries met at the convention on Biological Diversity (Montreal, Canada) and approved the International Safety Protocol. The protocol states that labelling is required on genetically engineered crops.

June 26, 2000 - An international group of scientists have managed a rough draft of the human genome.