The area has a history of human habitation dating back 6000 to 7000 years, as indicated by archaeological findings of ceramics from the Chalcolithic period. Permanent settlements began to form during the Early Bronze Age around 3000–2800 BCE, established by the Canaanites. From the Canaanites, the Israelites emerged, developing a unique monotheistic belief system that evolved into Judaism.

Archaeological findings from the ancient Israelite era reveal a densely populated quarter extending across the western region of the Temple Mount during the Kingdom of Judah. The Assyrians, in 722 BCE, conquered the Kingdom of Israel, while Nebuchadnezzar II of the Neo-Babylonian Empire later seized Jerusalem, systematically demolishing the city, including Solomon's Temple, marking the onset of the Babylonian Exile. Following the Israelites' return from exile, David successfully conquered Jebus, subsequently relocating his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem. This transition marked the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of a Unified Kingdom of Israel. King David's reign spanned 40 years, succeeded by his son Solomon, who constructed the Second Temple on Mount Moriah, playing a crucial role in Judaic religion. Upon Solomon's death, ten northern tribes seceded from the United Monarchy, forming their own nation. Meanwhile, the southern tribes retained Jerusalem as the capital of the Kingdom of Judah.

Upon Alexander the Great's conquest of the Persian Empire, Jerusalem and Judea fell under Macedonian rule and later came under the dominion of the Ptolemaic dynasty. In 198 BCE, control shifted to the Seleucids, who endeavored to Hellenize Jerusalem as a city-state. The culmination of this effort occurred in 168 BCE when the Maccabean revolt, led by Mattathias and his five sons, successfully established the Hasmonean Kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital in 152 BCE. Rome intervened in 63 BCE, capturing Jerusalem during a Hasmonean throne struggle. Subsequently, Judea became a battleground between pro-Roman and pro-Parthian forces, leading to the ascendancy of Herod, an Edomite. Herod the Great dedicated himself to the city's development and beautification. However, in 70 CE, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple, resulting in the death, killing, or enslavement of its Jewish inhabitants. The Bar Kokhba revolt in the 130s BCE challenged Roman rule, leading to stringent restrictions on Jewish access to the city, except for one annual day on Tisha B'Av. The Byzantines captured Jerusalem in 614 after a relentless 21-day siege during the Siege of Jerusalem.

Arab armies captured Byzantine Jerusalem in 638 CE, marking the commencement of the Islamization of the city. The process began in 623 CE when Muslims were directed to face Jerusalem during their daily prostrations. By 638 CE, the Islamic Caliphate expanded its rule to encompass Jerusalem. In the late 7th century, Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik initiated the construction of a shrine on the Temple Mount, now recognized as the Dome of the Rock. Over the subsequent four centuries, Jerusalem's significance waned as various Arab powers in the region contested control over the city. Around the turn of the millennium, a messianic Karaite movement sought to gather in Jerusalem, leading to a "Golden Age" of Karaite scholarship there that persisted until the onset of the Crusades.

In 1099, the native Christian population was expelled by the Fatimid ruler before the First Crusade besieged Jerusalem. After capturing the city, the Crusaders massacred its Muslim and Jewish inhabitants, making it their capital. The depopulated city was repopulated with diverse groups to prevent the return of Muslims and Jews. Saladin regained control in 1187, allowing Jews and Muslims to return. From 1229 to 1244, Jerusalem peacefully reverted to Christian rule after a treaty between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Ayyubid sultan. The Ayyubids retained control over Muslim holy places, and efforts to restore Jerusalem's fortifications were restricted.

Between 1260 and 1516/17, Jerusalem was under Mamluk rule, a period marked by interactions between the Mamluks, Crusaders, and Mongols until approximately 1300. The region faced challenges such as earthquakes and the Black Plague during this time. In 1267, when Nachmanides visited, he discovered only two Jewish families among a population of 2,000, with 300 Christians in the city. The 13th to 15th centuries saw extensive building activity in Jerusalem, evident in the 90 structures that still stand from this period.

In 1517, the Ottoman Turks took control of Jerusalem until 1917. During Ottoman rule, Jerusalem remained a provincial and religiously significant center, lacking prominence on the main trade route. The Ottomans introduced innovations like modern postal systems, stagecoach services, paved roads, and a railroad by 1892. Despite annexation by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in the 19th century, Ottoman rule was reinstated in 1840. In 1872, Jerusalem became a special administrative district under direct Istanbul authority, fostering the establishment of foreign missions and consulates. Numerous orphanages were established during this period.

After the Battle of Jerusalem in 1917, the British Army, under General Edmund Allenby's command, seized the city. In 1922, the League of Nations, during the Conference of Lausanne, entrusted the United Kingdom with administering Palestine, including Transjordan and Iraq. From 1922 to 1948, Jerusalem's population increased from 52,000 to 165,000, with two-thirds being Jews and one-third Arabs (Muslims and Christians). Tensions between Arab Christians, Muslims, and the growing Jewish population led to recurring unrest. Under British rule, new garden suburbs were constructed in the western and northern parts of the city, and educational institutions like the Hebrew University were established.

This period of Jerusalem's history is ongoing, and there is a lot of dissent so I'm not going to go into it here. 

Nobody knows what the future holds for Jerusalem!