Andrew Ryan, born in a village near Minsk in the Russian Empire (modern-day Belarus), grew up in a Jewish-Belarusian family during the reign of the Tsar. Minsk was on the front lines in the First World War. In 1917 he witnessed the Russian Revolution, which eventually brought the Bolsheviks into power and also destroyed Ryan's family's business. Ryan also watched as the Bolshevik Red Guard executed his aunt and uncle during a purge for associating with Ryan's father and other opponents of the Communist regime before fleeing with his father to Constantinople. Ryan's experiences under Bolshevik rule led him to his personal philosophy: everything good about the modern world was created by great individuals striving to make their own way. Any time "Parasites" gained control of such a world, they ruined it. As a boy in 1919, he fled to America, believing it to be a place where a great man could prosper. He later anglicized his name to Andrew Ryan.
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Rapture
The history of the Rapture Era in the Bioshock universe
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1919
29 /8
Andrew Ryan flees Russia
Life, Milestone -
1945
21 /8
Ryan Announces Construction of Rapture
Construction beginning/endAndrew Ryan announces the plans for the construction of Rapture. He discusses the manner in which the city will be built and how they will keep the building materials hidden from the United States government.
-
1946
14 /2
Construction Begins on City of Rapture
Construction beginning/endWork begins on the construction of Rapture.
-
1946
5 /11
Rapture Opens to the Public
Population Migration / TravelRapture's infrastructure is built up enough to become habitable for a large population. Andrew Ryan opens the city an influx of new citizens.
-
1949
14 /3
Comstock Relocates to Rapture
Life, MilestoneZachary Hale Comstock arrives in Rapture and reverts to using his birth name of Booker DeWitt.
-
1951
14 /5
Rapture Construction Completes
Construction beginning/endRapture is finished. Andrew Ryan cuts off all contact with the surface. Communications to and from Rapture cease immediately following the "grand opening" of Rapture.
-
1955
21 /6
Hephaestus Sabatoged
RevolutionHephaestus, the power core center of Rapture, is sabotaged, as a warning from the followers of Sofia Lamb.
-
1956
3 /1
Jack Experiment Born
Life, BirthProject Jack is "born" in a lab under the supervision of Dr. Tenenbaum and Dr. Suchong.
-
1956
12 /7
Project Jack Mind Manipulation Experiment Success
Discovery, ScientificA successful mind control test on Jack is recorded by Dr. Suchong in Langford Research Laboratories.
-
1957
22 /1
First Power to the People Machine Installed
Scientific achievementFrank Fontaine installs the first Power to the People machine in Rapture, providing the common populace with a means to upgrade weapons, such as firearms.
-
1958
2 /9
Fontaine Passes Plasmids to Common Populace
Political eventFrank Fontaine passes out Plasmids, some of which are still experimental, to some of his followers and employees in preparation for the conflict soon to come.
-
1958
10 /9
Fontaine Switches to ADAM Injections
Scientific achievementFontaine cancels the production of drinkable Plasmids developed by Dr. Suchong in favor of injectible versions, due to the drinkable's high cost in ADAM when Fontaine Futuristics was unable to effectively produce sufficient quantities of ADAM.
-
1958
12 /9
Ryan Orders Fontaine Arrested
Military: SkirmishOn the success of Sullivan's investigations ordered by the Rapture Central Council of Rapture's smuggling ring, and following Ryan's orders, Fontaine is ordered arrested and his criminal operation shut down. Fontaine resists, resulting in a major firefight at Fontaine's front business Fontaine Fisheries. A full assault is launched by Ryan Security, and Frank Fontaine fakes his own death in the mayhem that ensued.
-
1958
5 /10
Atlas Rallies the Common Populace
RevolutionA revolutionary named Atlas begins protesting and rallying supporters against Ryan's philosophy in running Rapture.
-
1958
6 /10
Dr. Tannebaum Goes Into Hiding
Life, IdentityDr. Brigid Tenenbaum goes into hiding (eventually residing under the streets of Olympus Heights) and starts to rescue Little Sisters. Ryan Industries publicly dismisses her disappearance.
-
1958
10 /10
Big Daddies Commissioned By Ryan Industries
Technological achievementBig Daddies are commissioned by Andrew Ryan to protect Little Sisters in Rapture during the mounting civil unrest between the revolutionaires and Ryan supporters. Rapture is on the brink on societal collapse.
-
1958
21 /10
Atlas and Followers Banished from Rapture
RevolutionAtlas and some of his closest followers are banished and relocated to Fontaine's by Andrew Ryan to prevent them from causing further civil unrest.
-
1958
23 /10
Elizabeth Arrives in Rapture
Life, MilestoneElizabeth first arrives in Rapture in search of Zachary Hale Comstock through a Tear opened in the Silver Fin Restaurant at Fontaine's Department Store.
-
1958
26 /10
Tears Appear Throughout Rapture
Discovery, ScientificTears start appearing throughout Rapture. Dr. Suchong becomes aware of the phenomena and sends some of her staff as investigators to study them. One of these tears leads to Dr. Suchong discovering an alternate universe, in which Jeremiah Fink of Columbia has been stealing his research on Plasmids and had developed a drinkable formula by the introduction of an 'oxidizing agent' Suchong recreates Fink's drinkable Plasmids and starts selling them through Ryan Industries.
-
1958
2 /12
Remainder of Fontaine's Supporters Purged from Rapture
RevolutionSome of Fontaine's former employees and the remainder of his army are banished to Fontaine's after it is converted into a prison and is separated from the city,[55] by the orders of the Rapture Central Council. Members of the army, as well as former employees are banished from Rapture and all contact with Fontaine's ceases.
-
1958
31 /12
Kashmir Restaurant Attacked
RevolutionThe Yearly Masquerade party for the 1st class and elite members of Rapture is thrown at the Kashmir Restaurant, but is attacked during the 1958 New Year's Eve Riots, and the Rapture Civil War begins.
-
1958
31 /12
Ryan Amusement District Massacre
RevolutionDuring the riots, the power to Ryan Amusements district is cut off, trapping everyone inside, including the entire third-grade class citizens, businesses, and families.
-
1959
1 /1
Rapture Civil War Intensifies
RevolutionThe Rapture Civil War intesifies and spreads to all districts of Rapture. Rapture goes from a working society to a warzone, as Ryan and Atlas and both of their armies, respectively fight for control of Rapture. Both sides actively splice, and many citizens splicing for their own self-defense become physically and mentally unstable. The people who survive and keep their sanity stay barricaded in small holdouts within the city. During this time, Sofia Lamb builds up more followers, who escape from the bloodshed, in Persephone.
-
1959
3 /1
Rapture Economy Collapses
Financial EventTerrified citizens pull all of their money out of all of the banks in Rapture resulting in an economic collapse.
-
1959
5 /1
Fin De Siècle Boutiques Terror Attack
Disaster / DestructionA powerful bomb is detonated in Fin De Siècle Boutiques, in the Ryan Amusements district, destroying an entire level of the building and killing hundreds.
-
1959
10 /1
Vita-Chamber Project Accelerated
Technological achievementThe Vita-Chamber Project is fast-tracked and the devices are installed throughout the city of Rapture. The technology can revive citizens that suffered death if in close enough range to said chambers. This is ultimately a game changer in the Rapture Civil War.
-
1959
17 /1
Siren Alley Becomes Red Light District
Financial EventSiren Alley becomes the city's red light district when its residents suffer from the economic collapse, forcing many citizens into prostituting themselves out to survive.
-
1959
18 /1
Apollo Square Becomes Containment Camp
Military actionApollo Square is turned into a containment camp for the growing number of citizens against Ryan. Many citizens were forced out of their homes and businesses and forcibly relocated to Apollo Square as punsihment for not pledging loyalty to Ryan.
-
1959
20 /1
Ryan Outlaws Public Transportation
Civil actionRyan puts all Bathyspheres into genetic lock-down, with only authorized personnel (and close genetic matches to them) able to use them, leaving many citizens and residents with no means to travel between districts.
-
1959
3 /2
Arcadia District Closed to Public
Civil actionAfter a number of lock-downs, Arcadia District closes permanently due to incidents caused by the Saturnine cultists. Ryan orders Security Forces to contain all citizens, leaving many to die in the district.
-
1959
5 /2
Elite Models of Rosie and Bouncer Are Distributed
Technological achievementElite models of the Rosie and Bouncer are created to help fight the greater threat to Gatherers.
-
1959
21 /2
Arson Fire Attack Cancels Football Match
Disaster / DestructionA large fire breaks out as the result of an arsonist at the football stadium, cancelling the season finale game between The Stingers and The Sea Bulls. Many citizens are panicked and go into hiding.
-
1959
1 /4
Ryan Orders Public Publications to Cease
Civil actionAll publications cease distribution due to Security Order 217 handed down by Ryan. Public papers, annoucements, warnings, and other bullitens are silenced.
-
1960
15 /1
Jack Elminates Andrew Ryan
Era beginning/endAndrew Ryan forces Jack to kill him after revealing his identity using the trigger words implanted into his cognitive thinking from Dr. Schulong.
-
1960
17 /1
Fontaine Eleminated by Jack
Life, DeathFontaine is killed by Jack who is then offered control over the city of Rapture.
-
1960
12 /2
Elizabeth Arrives in Rapture with Booker and Songbird
Life, MilestoneElizabeth brings Booker DeWitt and Songbird to Rapture.
-
1967
16 /3
Gatherer Program Restarted
Criminal ActivitySofia Lamb restarts the Gatherer Program to gain ADAM for her plans. Since the Little Sisters left in Rapture have all become too old to gather effectively, young girls are kidnapped from the surface to become new Gatherers.
-
1968
14 /5
Dr. Tannebaum Returns to Rapture
Life, MilestoneDr. Brigid Tenenbaum returns to Rapture to investigate the disappearance of young girls who lived near the sea.
-
1968
28 /5
Mark Meltzer Arrives in Rapture
Life, MilestoneMark Meltzer enters Rapture.
-
1968
30 /5
Big Sister Floods Banquet Hall
Disaster / DestructionA large window in Demeter's Banquet Hall is shattered by a Big Sister, flooding the restaurant and part of the Adonis Luxury Resort in the former Ryan Amusement District.
-
1968
1 /6
Destruction of Siren Alley
Disaster / DestructionSiren Alley is flooded when Sofia Lamb overloads the pumps in Pumping Station 5 resulting in flooding.
-
1968
2 /6
Dionysus Park Drained of Water
Civil actionDionysus Park is drained of seawater by Subject Delta after being completed flooded for over a decade.
-
1968
3 /6
Sinking of Fontaine's and Persephone
Disaster / DestructionPersephone is sunk down into an ocean trench by Lamb's followers, dragging Fontaine's with it.
-
1968
13 /6
Lifeboat Ascends from Rapture
Life, MilestoneA 'Lifeboat', containing Subject Delta, Eleanor and Sofia Lamb, rises to the surface, leaving Rapture in the depths of the Atlantic.
-
1968
15 /6
Dr. Tenenbaum Returns to Surface
Life, MilestoneDr. Tenenbaum returns with Charles Milton Porter to the surface with a copy of The Thinker's codes in order to synthesize a cure to splicing, and a hope of reversing the adverse effects it has had on what's left of the populace in Rapture.
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