Measuring Time in History

Measuring Time in History

• Key concepts include time, chronology, sequence, A.D., B.C., Decade, Century, Periods/Ages, and Millennium
• Historians calculate time using specific reference points.
• Timelines are used to visually represent historical events in order of occurrence.
• Timelines help understand the sequence and relationships between events.

Specific Objectives

• Define concepts related to the measurement and sequencing of historical periods.
• Understand how historians calculate time periods.
• Identify specific years within a given century.
• Appreciate the significance of timelines as historical markers.
• Recognize the importance of understanding the chronological order of events.
• Importance of recognizing the significance of historical events.

Questions

• What are your ideas about time?
• What is a timeline?
• How do historians measure time?

Ordering Words (Shortest to Longest)

• second
• minute
• week
• day
• hour
• month
• decade
• year
• century
• millennium

Dividing Time

• Time is divided into periods.
• Centuries: 100-year periods.
• Decades: 10-year periods.
• Other periods: millennia (1000 years), etc.

What is a Timeline?

• A timeline visually represents events in chronological order.
• It shows the sequence of events and their relationships.

BC and AD Years

• BC stands for Before Christ, used to represent years before the birth of Jesus.
• AD stands for Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord) and represents years after the birth of Jesus.

BC and AD year alternatives

• BCE stands for Before the Common Era.
• CE stands for Common Era.

Major Eras Timeline

• The timeline shows important periods in history.
• The start of AD is the birth of Jesus.
• Events can be identified on the timeline.

Figure it Out—Dates in Order

• Students are to order a list of years.

Understanding Centuries

• A century is a period of 100 years.
• The current year is in the 21st Century.
• The first century runs from year 0 to 99.

What is a Century?

• A century is a period of 100 years.
• Historians use reference points to identify centuries.

Time Concept

• Time periods are used to describe time spans in history.
• A century is one hundred years.
• Time spans are given names for their significance.
• The year 2000+ (e.g. 2019) is in the 21st Century.

1st-4th Centuries

• 1st Century: 0-99
• 2nd Century: 100-199
• 3rd Century: 200-299
• 4th Century: 300-399

Activity—Years into Centuries

• List of years are to be put into correct centuries.

What is a Timeline? (definitions/more explanation)

• Diagrams showing the order of events within a period of time.
• Often divided into sections with evenly spaced years.
• Used to condense long spans of time or omit less significant periods.
• Spaced years are indicated by a break line or slanted/jagged line.
• Events are labelled with dates when they occurred on the timeline.
• For more complex timelines, multiple timelines are often stacked on top of each other—called multilevel timelines. This helps to compare events in certain time spans.

Guided Discussion

• Consider how timelines help in understanding the chronological sequence of historical events for both historians and learners

Reading Events on a Timeline

• The timeline shows different points in time during Columbus's life.
• This illustrates one use of how a timeline can show events chronologically.

Placing Events on a Timeline

• Timeline exercise of events related to the development of the internet and technology. (Years & Events).

Human Timeline

• Students to arrange themselves, based on their birth year, to create a human timeline in chronological order.

Homework Activity—Creating a Timeline

• Create your own timeline of your life so far. These events should include basic milestones like birth date, first day of preschool, birth of siblings, acquiring pets, joining clubs/activities, and first days of school.

This quiz explores key concepts related to measuring time in history, including chronology, timelines, and significant periods. Participants will learn how historians calculate time and appreciate the importance of understanding historical sequences. Test your knowledge of essential terms and concepts used in the study of time.