To Boldly Go (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
The Final Frontier
In Star Trek the galaxy is divided into four equal sections, called quadrants. Earth lies in the Alpha Quadrant, near the dividing line separating the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Since the following history is necessarily presented from the point of view of the UFP, most of the events that follow occurred in the Alpha Quadrant or in nearby regions of the Beta Quadrant.
While the galaxy is large, certainly large enough for hundreds of races to explore for thousands of years without running out of "frontier", there are other galaxies. The Federation has already made contact with the Kelvans from the Andromeda Galaxy, for instance. We should not presume that the Milky Way represents the only opportunities for adventure in the Star Trek universe, only that it represents more opportunities for adventure than a normal character could exhaust in a thousand lifetimes.
The following timeline covers all of the major events in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The timeline is not simply a list of things that happened; it's a guide to how the various political entities and species in the galaxy behave.
What Has Gone Before
10 Billion Years Ago: Formation of the Galaxy
Our galaxy is roughly 10 billion years old. Because Class-M planets are composed of heavy elements such as iron and nickel that can be created only in supernova explosions, life in the traditional carbon- or silicon-based sense could form only after the first stars died. Interestingly, life on the planets surrounding these second-generation stars tends to form as rapidly as possible. If the proper conditions exist, life will almost always gain a foothold and begin to evolve. One of the basic tenets of the Star Trek universe is that the galaxy teems with life!
22 Million Years Ago: The Organians Evolve into Pure Energy
After shedding their corporeal bodies, the Organians evolve into beings of tremendous power and influence. When, 22 million years later, the UFP and Klingon Empire enter into a dispute over an Organian world, the energy beings not only stop the skirmish over the planet, but force a peace treaty on both governments.
