I think you'll find history a lot more interesting and engaging if you narrow your focus rather than thinking of it as just a progression of big events you need to know. Pick a topic, region, or time-period you like and explore everything there is. Culture, people, politics, clothing, food, technology, music- history is far too involved and complex to really gain much from picking some key events. I'd recommend just picking a book and going with it, or exploring what some of us around here study.