1. Time Periods
Just the Basics, Please!

2. Prehistory and History… What’s the difference?
Prehistory is the period before writing.
History is the period after writing.

3. Time…Comprehending It
Imagine that the entire prehistory of the earth was equal to the height of the Empire State building.
Placing a book on top of it would represent the time that man has existed on the planet.
A coin stacked on top of the book would represent recorded history!

4. Or…Imagine This….
If the history of the 5 billion year old Earth was shrunk to fit within the span of one calendar year…
Man would first be seen making tools on December 31.
He wouldn’t begin farming until the last 60 seconds of December 31.

5. History would not begin until man began to write during the last millisecond of December 31!

6. Tracking Time Draw a horizontal line across your paper
Write “0” in the middle. This represents the approximate date of the birth of Christ.
Write B.C. to the left of the “0” and A.D. to the right.
Do you know what these letters represent?

7. B.C. means Before Christ.
A.D. is the Latin, “anno domini” which means in the year of our Lord.

8. But…Things Change! Historians have begun using a new designation.
B.C.E. and C.E.---Can you guess what these letters mean?
B.C.E. means before the common era.
C.E. means in the common era.
Write B.C.E. to the left of the “0” on your timeline and C.E. to the right.

9. More About Tracking Time
Years
Decades
Centuries
Millenia

10. Back to Your Timeline….
Divide your timeline into five equal spaces, both to the left and right of the “0”. Each division will represent 100 years.
How many total years are represented on your timeline? How many years fall in B.C.E. (B.C.)? How many years fall in C.E. (A.D.)?
What do historians mean when they refer to the 1st century C.E. or 1st century B.C.E.? Write it in on your timeline. Do the same for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries C.E. and B.C.E.
Now, write the years 100, 200, 300, and 400, both B.C.E. and C.E., above the lines dividing your spaces. What years are included in the 1st century? The 4th century?

11. Be Careful!
What is the difference between “100 C.E.” and “100 years ago”?
What is the difference between “2000 C.E.” and “2000 years ago”?
What is the date for 4000 years ago?
The Iceman lived around 3000 B.C.E. How many years ago was this?

12. Time Periods…What’s in a Name?
The Paleolithic period is also called the Old Stone Age.
It began about 2,000,000 B.C.E. and lasted until about 8000 B.C.E.

13. The Neolithic period is also called the New Stone Age.
It began around 8000 B.C.E. and lasted until about 4000 B.C.E, but not at the same time in all places! Can you explain why?

14. The Copper Age is sometimes included as part of the Bronze Age because in some places the Bronze Age began almost at the same time!
The earliest evidence for the use of copper occurs around 8000 B.C.E., but not until 3000 B.C.E. in China and Europe. Remember the Iceman’s axe?

15. The Bronze Age began when man began alloying copper with tin.
This occurred about 3500 B.C.E. in the Fertile Crescent (the Middle East today), but not until 1000 C.E. in the New World!

16. The Iron Age began when man discovered that iron made better tools and weapons because it was harder and more durable.
The use of iron tools began around 1300 B.C.E in Egypt, Persia, Assyria, and India.

17. Early Time Periods in Our World History Course
Unit One B.C.E.-600 B.C.E.
Let’s Do History & Getting Civilized

18. Unit Two B.C.E C.E.
Not All Roads Lead to Rome

19. Another Timeline… Draw another timeline 5 or 6 inches below the first.
Write 2,000,000 B.C.E. on the left side and 1000 C.E. on the right.
Label and date the timeline with the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Copper, Bronze and Iron time periods.
Add Unit One and Unit Two time periods from our course.