1. An explanation of chronology
The Starting Point
An explanation of chronology

2. The Starting Point All systems of Chronology need a starting point
All events come before and after this striking event
In the west we use the birth of Christ as the striking event
If something happened before the birth of Christ we say is was BC (Before Christ) this has been changed recently to BCE (before the common era)
If the event happened after Christ then we refer to it as A.D(anno domini) or CE(the common era)

3. Other systems Not everyone uses the Christian chronology
Ancient Egypt: used a pharaohs reign
The Jewish people use: creation about 3770 years ago
Ancient Greece used: the first Olympics
Rome used: the founding of Rome
The Muslim peoples use: the hegira (movement of Mohammed to medina

4. Chronological Order Dates are used to place events in order
Sometimes we us decades and centuries in place of specific dates in history
Decades are time periods of 10 years, Centuries are periods of 100 years
When numbering centuries remember there is no year 0
There was only 1 CE and 1 BCE
In BCE the centuries always go from 00 to In the CE the centuries always go from 01 to 00

5. TRY IT Give me the beginning and end dates of the following Centuries
3rd Century BCE
4th Century CE
12th Century CE
15th Century BCE
3rd Century CE

6. TIME PERIODS OF HISTORY
Historians divide the past in 2 periods(very unequal in length)
Pre-History lasted until 3500 BCE when writing was invents
Pre-History is made up of the Paleolithic and Neolithic stone ages
History began when writing began
We split history into 4 main parts
1) Ancient Times: 3500BCE to the fall of Rome
2) The Middle Ages: 476 BCE to 1492 CE
3) Modern Times:
4) Contemporary Times: 1789 to present