This document provides a history of microbiology from its earliest discoveries to modern developments. It describes key milestones such as the invention of the microscope in the 1600s which allowed the first observations of microorganisms. In the 17th century, Van Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria, yeast and protozoa. In the 19th century, Pasteur and Koch established the germ theory of disease and Koch's postulates to prove microbes cause specific illnesses. Major advances included vaccines, antibiotics like penicillin, and the ability to sequence DNA. Microbiology progressed from early observations and controversies over spontaneous generation to establishing microbes' role in health and disease.