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Instructions for Timeline Worksheets

1. First, fill in the left-hand column, entitled "Research Subject." Start by putting the date of birth on the top line. Be sure to leave at least one blank space between each entry.

Required entries:

• Birth & death dates
• Marriage date, spouse's name
• Birth dates & names of children

Optional entries might include dates for:

• Important accomplishments (i.e. publishing a book, winning an award)
  
• Starting school
  
• Possible accidents, injuries or illnesses
  
• Trips
  
• Deaths & marriages of family members
  
• Starting jobs
  
• Entering & leaving military service
  
• Retirement
  
• Moves to new homes

2. The right-hand column, entitled "The World," is for entries of regional, national and international events that occurred during the lifetime of your research subject. You will need to use your research organizers, the "Chronological Framework," your social studies texts, the website chronology, other history web sites (such as those in the model sites list), and any other history books in the classroom as references. Write in these entries so that they correspond numerically with the entries in the right-hand column.

Required entries:

• Wars (beginning & ending dates)
• Terms of presidents
• Major government actions & decisions (i.e. Boston tea party, Louisiana purchase, abolition of slavery, etc.)

Optional entries might include dates for:

• Natural phenomena (i.e. comet sighting, floods, etc.)
  
• Inventions
  
• Important local events (i.e. arrival of railroad, building of first town hall, fires)
  
• Incidents of national or international importance (i.e. the Armistad, famine in Ireland, etc.)