| ←Epochs of the Heroic Age | Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1963-1986 Epochs of the Formative Age[1] |
The Third Epoch→ |
1921–1944/46
The First Epoch
| 1921–1936 | Period of Preparation |
| 1937–1944 | The first Seven Year Plan of the Bahá’ís of the Untied States and Canada |
| 1944–1946 | Consolidation of Victories |
1946–1963
The Second Epoch
| 1946–1953 | The second Seven Year Plan of the Bahá’ís of the Untied States and plans of varying duration pursued by nine other regional and national Bahá’í communities (Canada; Central America and South America; Australia and New Zealand; India, Pakistan, and Burma; the British Isles; Germany and Austria; Persia; Egypt; Iraq)[2] |
| 1953-1963 | The Ten Year World Crusade |
1963–1986
The Third Epoch
| 1963–1964 | Year of Preparation |
| 1964–1973 | Nine Year Plan |
| 1973-1974 | Year of Preparation |
| 1974–1979 | Five Year Plan |
| 1979–1986 | Seven Year Plan |
1986–
The Fourth Epoch
| 1986–1992 | Six Year Plan |
| 1992–1993 | Holy Year Commemorating the Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh and the Inauguration of His Covenant |
| 1993–1996 | Three Year Plan |
| 1996–2000 | Four Year Plan |
