Timelines
* The basics *
This edition designed for
individual student use and &
self-checking: answers included.
*What is it used for?
A timeline is used to
show historical events in
chronological order.
Chronological Order =
The order in which events occur.
* How does it get set up?
•
Events go in order from left to right, or top to
bottom.
•
•
Beginning and end dates should be clearly marked.
•
Events may be written directly above or below the
line. Be sure the year each event happened is
clear.
Year marks should be placed on the line in even
intervals (1 year, 10 years, 100 years, 1000 years...
depends on length of timeline).
Like this....
5000 B.C.E.
4000 B.C.E.
3000 B.C.E.
2000 B.C.E.
NOT this...
8000 B.C.E.
3000 B.C.E.
2000 B.C.E.
1000 B.C.E.
OR this...
5000 B.C.E.
4000 B.C.E.
3000 B.C.E.
2000 B.C.E.
*AND DEFINITELY NOT THIS!!!!
8000 B.C.E.
1000 B.C.E.
2000 C.E.
All of these rules are designed to help
timeline accurately make a VISUAL of
the passage of time. So you can easily
SEE which events came first, and the
passage of time between each event.
3000 B.C.E.
*On your paper, draw a timeline
starting at 4000 B.C.E. and
ending at 4000 C.E.
*Include a hash mark to indicate
every 1000 years!
*When you are finished, go to to
the next page to check your
answer.
*Your turn to try!!!
Check with a partner!
4000 3000 2000
B.C.E. B.C.E. B.C.E.
1000
B.C.E.
1000
C.E.
0





Years are labeled B.C.E. or C.E.
All of the above years are labeled.
Hash marks are evenly spaces.
A “zero” is included.
All years are clear and easy to read.
2000
C.E.
3000 4000
C.E. C.E.
It’s starting to look
like alphabet soup!
*The battle of:
B.C. and A.D.
vs.
B.C.E. and C.E.
B.C. and A.D.
*B.C. stands for “before
Christ”
B.C.E. and C.E.
*B.C.E. means “before
common era”
*A.D. stands for “anno
domini” which means “year
of our Lord”
*Originally used by Christian
historians from Western
Europe.
*C.E. means “common era”
*Used by most historians
today (more politically
correct because not focused
on 1 religion).
Both are used to differentiate
between ancient and
more modern history.
A.D. does NOT mean
“after dinosaurs” or
“after death,” although
many students use those
as memory tricks!
Your turn – do #2 on worksheet!
Then, check next page for
answers.
B.C.E. and C.E. can be thought of
as negative and positive numbers on a
number line.
500
B.C.E.
100
B.C.E.
0
100
C.E.
- 500
- 100
0
+ 100
Think about it:
1. How many years passed between 100 B.C.E. and 100 C.E.?
2. How many years passed between 100 C.E. and 500 C.E. ?
500
C.E.
+ 500
Events in B.C.E.
Events in C.E.
Extinction of dinosaurs
Building of pyramids
Invention of the wheel
American Revolution
Life of MLK, Jr.
World War II
*How much time has passed?
#1
3000
B.C.E.
2000
B.C.E.
1000
B.C.E.
1000
C.E.
2000
C.E.
3000
C.E.
0
#2
3. How many years passed between 2000 B.C.E. and 3000 C.E.?
Hint: add the numbers on both sides of the zero.
4. How many years passed between 2000 C.E. and 3000 C.E.?
Hint: subtract the smaller number from the bigger number.
*How much time has passed?
#1
3000
B.C.E.
2000
B.C.E.
1000
B.C.E.
1000
C.E.
2000
C.E.
3000
C.E.
0
#2
3. How many years passed between 2000 B.C.E. & 3000 C.E.? Hint:
add the numbers on both sides of the zero.
Answer: 5000 years
4. How many years passed between 2000 C.E. & 3000 C.E.? Hint:
subtract the smaller number from the big.
Answer: 1000 years
* Sample Timeline:
History of Paper
Paper
arrives in
the Middle
First
East
newspaper in
701 C.E.
China
748 C.E.
First form
of paper
The line break
created in
shows a gap in the
China.
timeline.
150 B.C.E.
700 C.E.
Paper used
in Egypt
800 C.E.
800 C.E.
Paper used
in Spain
950 C.E.
1st known
printed
book
868 C.E.
900 C.E.
First form
of paper
created in
China.
150 B.C.E.
Paper
arrives in
the Middle
East
701 C.E.
700 C.E.
First
newspaper in
China
748 C.E.
Paper used
in Egypt
800 C.E.
800 C.E.
Paper used
in Spain
950 C.E.
1st known
printed
book
868 C.E.
900 C.E.
Try your knowledge:
5. Where would the “0” year be placed on this timeline?
6. How many years passed between paper being created and
arriving in the Middle East?
7. How many years passed between paper being used in Egypt
& arriving in Spain?
Try your knowledge - Answers
5. Where would the “0” year be placed on this timeline?
In the “gap” between 1st and 2nd event.
6. How many years passed between paper being created and
arriving in the Middle East?
851 years – add to get your answer
7. How many years passed between paper being used in Egypt
and arriving in Spain?
150 years – subtract to get your answer
*What is a double layer timeline?
2006
Wii is released
2001
1st iPod
released
2000
2002
2004
2006
2005
Hurricane
Katrina hits New
Orleans
2003
U.S.A. begins
Operation Iraqi
Freedom
2009
First iPhone
2008
2010
2009
Barack Obama
is elected
President
A double layer timeline is used to compare two
different sets of events.
For instance, the timeline on the last slide
compared advancements in Popular Technology
and U.S. History events.
8. What technology was released the same year
Barack Obama was elected President of the U.S.?
9. How could this be useful for historians?
10. How could this be useful for you as a student?
A double layer timeline is used to compare two
different sets of events.
Answers
8. What technology was released the same year
Barack Obama was elected President of the U.S.?
The iPhone.
9. How could this be useful for historians?
Allows them to compare events from different
aspects of history, or in different places.
10. How could this be useful for you as a student?
Allows you to relate events in history to your own
life, or a timeline with which you are very familiar.