| ←Epochs of the Heroic Age | Messages from the Universal House of Justice, 1986-2001 Epochs of the Formative Age |
The Fourth 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) |
| 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 |
| 1986-1992 | 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 |
| 2000-2001 | Twelve Month Plan |
2001-
The Fifth Epoch
| 2001-2006 | Five Year Plan |
| 2006-2011 | Five Year Plan |
