BY MRS. PODHURST

Timelines

What is a timeline?

▶ Timelines tell a story through a visual display of events.

▶ They are a way of displaying events in chronological order, the order in which the event occurred.

▶ They help you understand how different events relate to each other through the passage of time

Why use timelines?

▶ Timelines are a quick, visual display of events in chronological order.

▶ Often, they are used in history to show when important events occurred.

▶ However, they can be used for displaying a lot of different information in sequential order.

How are timelines constructed?

▶ Most timelines are of linear construction, meaning they start out by making a straight line.

▶ Events are arranged from left to right.

▶ The oldest event, or the event that occurred first, is placed on the timeline on the left, first position.

▶ Then each sequential event is placed on the timeline in the order in which they occurred.

A timeline starts out like this…

Then you add the events to the timeline in the order in which they occurred.

Sample of a basic American History timeline…

More samples…

More samples…

Still more…

A good timeline includes:

● Are sequential (years and events are labeled in correct order!)

● Are easy to read (neat) because they were PLANNED, drafted, and THEN published!

● Represent periods of time in a PROPORTIONALLY accurate way

● Make effective use of color without overdoing it

● Use blank s p a c e to keep things easy to read: space on borders, space between labels…

A timeline is Not…

all CRAMMEDtogetherandIMPOSSIBLEtoread!

Good timeline tips…

▶ Write neatly so it is easy to read.

▶ Use a couple of colors for organization and/or theme.

▶ Appropriate spacing also for ease of reading and neatness.

▶ Plan out your work before publishing. Formatting the timeline might take several “redos” before it looks good.

Vocabulary to be familiar with when working with timelines.

Circa or c.- a word used when historians do not know the exact date; it means about

B.C. –used to describe the time before the birth of Christ ; the dates get smaller as time passes, so the larger the number, the earlier the date

A.D. – Anno Domini (latin) meaning in the year of the lord. AD dates get larger as time passes, so the larger the number, the later the date.

B.C.E. – before common era, another way to refer to BC dates

C.E. – another way to refer to AD dates

More vocabulary…

Decade – a period of 10 years

Century – a period of 100 years

Age – a long period of time

marked by a single cultural feature

Era – a long period of time marked by great events, developments, or figures

Ancient – very old, or from a long time ago

Now you give it a try…

Answer the following questions in the classwork section of your binder.

1. Were you born in a BC year, or an AD year?2. Which year is older, 2500 BC, or 2500 AD?3. Create a timeline, and put the following dates in order: AD

2000, 3100 BC, 15 BCE, AD 476, AD 3, CE 1215

The End