Page 53 - Key to Social Studies 4

Let’s Learn More

What Is a Timeline?

A timeline is a visual representation of a period of

history to show the events that happened over a

speci c time, such as months, years, centuries, or

more. A timeline can be linear or comparative.

A linear timeline is used for one subject and

time frame to see what happened rst, then next,

then later. It can be written horizontally or

vertically.

A comparative timeline shows two or more

subject areas that occurred at the same time.

You might show how two di erent groups

moved into a region or how two cities grew

over 100 years.

How Do You Make a Timeline?

1. Choose a course of events. These might be individual special occasions, political change

events, changes to an area of land, and so on.

2. List the occasions or activities from those farther in the past to most recent.

3. Draw a line.

4. Choose the time frame for the line.

5. Choose what units of time to use (days, months, years, decades, centuries, etc.).

6. Divide the timeline into the unit times.

7. Label the dates along the line from left to right or top to bottom.

8. Identify and label the events.
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