You have learned a lot of American history! Now let's put the big events in order, from long ago to not so long ago.
Key idea
A time line shows events in order, from the oldest to the newest. A bigger number year came later.
Worked example: Who came first?
Put these in order: Abraham Lincoln, Dr. King, George Washington.
- Find each year: Washington became President in 1789. Lincoln became President in 1861. Dr. King gave his famous speech in 1963.
- The smallest year is the oldest: 1789, then 1861, then 1963.
- The order is Washington, Lincoln, King. About 70 years passed from Washington to Lincoln, and about 100 more to Dr. King.
Answer: Washington, Lincoln, Dr. King.
Why it works
Life long ago was different. To light the night, people used candles and lanterns; now we have light bulbs. People traveled by wagon and sailing ship; now we have cars and airplanes. To talk to someone far away, people wrote letters; now we can call on a phone. Some things stay the same: families, helping each other, and our flag.
Common mistake
Some children put Washington, Lincoln and Dr. King all "a long time ago," at the same time. A time line shows they lived far apart. Washington and Dr. King lived almost 200 years apart.
For the grown-up: Make a family time line: when grandparents were born, when your child was born, when they started school. Then put a few events from this course on it. Review the 1621 harvest and Fifty States.