Using the Timemap of World History
Contents:
Preamble
The TimeMap of World History is made up of an Atlas and an Encyclopedia.
The Atlas is for browsing all the world’s history, from 3500 BCE, when the first urban, literate civilization was emerging, to the early 21st century. The maps cover all key regions of the world with the exception of Central Asia (which we will add in due course).
The Encyclopedia is for digging deeper into topics.
The TimeMap is for learners of all ages to use and enjoy. They should come with a reasonable level of intelligence and literacy, and a healthy dose of curiosity. The website currently has two and half million users (and rising) a year. Like you, they are using this resource to expand their knowledge of history and their understanding of the world.
Please enjoy this website, and do, please, send me your comments and suggestions to help us improve it.
Peter Britton
CEO TimeMaps
Using the TimeMap of World History
From the Home page you can jump into any part of the Timemap of World History. At the top of the screen (and in fact all screens within the site) you will see a “Search” box followed by several options: Atlas, Encyclopedia, Teachers, and Premium.
Search
This function can be accessed from a box towards the top of each page. It performs in a similar way to a Google search. Even if your spelling isn’t spot on it should get you results.
When you enter a query, a list of found items appears. This list will contain both maps and articles (the entries with dates are map pages). Just as with a Google search, don’t just go straight to the top entry. Look over the list for what seems the best fit for your requirements.
Atlas Home Page
The Atlas homepage contains two “find” lists, one of free maps, the other of Premium maps and resources devoted to key topics in world history.
- A list of free maps is divided into three parts: world maps, maps of the key regions of the world, and maps of individual countries or groups of smaller countries. Use this list if you have a specific country or region in mind; or you know where in the world the civilization or empire you want was located.
- A “key topics” list of Premium resources deals with particular episodes in history. They are only available to subscribed members.
Atlas Map Pages
More navigation functions can be found on the map pages themselves.
Each map page has a title – the region or country it covers, plus the date.
In free maps this will always be one of the Key Dates – one of twenty dates between (and including) 3500 BCE and 2005 CE.
So, for example, the world map dated 1648 is preceded by the world map dated 1453, and followed by the world map dated 1789.
Exactly the same Key Dates apply to maps of Europe – so Europe 1648 is proceeded by Europe 1453 and followed by Europe 1789. And so on for all the maps.
Exactly the same dates apply to maps of countries.
This framework of Key Dates means that users can explore world history through twenty snapshots of the world – along with its separate regions and countries.
The Premium map pages work in a slightly different way. They do not conform to an over-arching scheme of dates; instead they focus on particular episodes.
Take the topic, the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, for example. In the free area of the Atlas, this is covered at World, European and Country level, at just five Key Dates: 500 BCE, 200 BCE, 30 BCE, 200 CE and 500 CE. This is enough for users to gain an understanding of this topic within the broader context of world history. In the Premium area, however, the topic is covered by some twenty maps, allowing the user to track all the key events in this great episode.
This feature makes the Premium maps particularly useful for teaching different curriculum topics.
Forward and Back arrows
These allow the user to navigate through time, from one date to the next. They are located to the left and right of the screens. The back arrow takes you back in history to the previous date, and forward arrow takes you forward to the next date.
Links to neighboring maps
Beneath most maps at the Regional and Country levels of the free Atlas, are some Links. These take users to neighboring maps at the same Key Date. By this means you can move around the world at a specific time in history, gaining an understanding of what was happening in the world at that time, and enabling you to compare and contrast different areas.
Breadcrumbs
Just above each free map at the Regional and Country level, on the right, is a “breadcrumb” trail.
This is a navigation device you can use to go up to maps of the same date at the higher levels, So, you can hop directly to the map of the World at that date, or where appropriate, to the relevant Big Region level. From those maps you will be able to explore other regions in the world, or other countries in the region, all at the same Key Date.
Like the links to neighboring maps, the feature therefore allows you to explore the world at a particular point in history.
Information pins
Most free maps contain several pins. These are links to lower level maps. In this way the World maps act as gateways to the Region Maps, and the Region Maps act as gateways to the Country maps. Again, these are all at the same Key Dates.
Navigation Timeline
Below each map is an active timeline. This allows you to go forward or backwards in time.
In the free maps pages, the timelines are punctuated by links to Key Dates. In the Premium maps, the links are to dates relevant to their particular topic.
You can use the arrows at either end, which take you to the next/previous map in the sequence of dates. Alternatively you can click on one of the points which punctuate the timelines. These take you directly to a particular date.
Civilizations Timeline
These lie in broad bands below many of the maps. They show when in history the civilizations or episodes relating to that particular area of the world occurred. Clicking on these will take you to an article on that civilization or episode.
What else is happening in the world
At the bottom of some map pages is a section called “What else is happening in the world”. This contains links to different regions of the world at the same date as the map on the screen.
Text box
For World maps, there is a small bit of text above the map. Clicking on “read more” takes you to fuller information below the map.
For Region and Country maps, there is a text box to the right of the map. This contains a description of the area covered by the map at that particular period in time.
Many of these texts have embedded links in them taking the user to other maps or articles.
Encyclopedia
The Encyclopedia contains short but informative articles about civilizations, empires, regions and historical episodes. Many articles also provide suggestions for further study.
Encyclopedia Home Page
The Encyclopedia home page contains three “find” lists: 1. an A-Z list of all articles; 2. a list of articles in rough chronological order; and 3. a list of articles by the regions they are related to.
Use these lists if you have a specific civilization, empire, region or historical episode in mind; or you want to know more about what happened in a particular period in world history; or you want to find out about the history of a particular Big Region (see below) of the world.
Articles
The articles contain links to other relevant articles and maps.
Many articles also have a further reference at the bottom, containing links to both internal resources and external sources. (Eventually all articles will have this feature.)
For Teachers and Students
The TimeMap of World History covers all civilizations, regions and countries, and is ideal for teaching history. This is of course true of world history as a whole, but is certainly not confined to this. For example teachers use it in they teaching of AP European History.
We have developed a range of lesson ideas to use with the TimeMap, and are continuing to develop more. Click here for more information about teaching using the TimeMap of World History.
To give you some general idea of how the site could support teaching and learning, here is a brief list:
1. Worldwide roots
The Timemap gives topics a worldwide context. For example, what were the non-European roots and global contexts which helped shape early modern Europe and spark the rise of the West?
2. Connections
The Timemap provides background information on connections between different regions and civilizations.
3. Historical background
The Timemap allows students to quickly gain an understanding of different aspects of frequently-taught subjects. For example, in European history, what WAS the Holy Roman Empire?; in African history, what was the significance of the trans-Saharan trade routes? In Asian history, what was the tribute system centered on China? ….and so on.
4. Track any country
The Timemap allows students to track the history of any (significant) country in the world, from its origins through to the 21st century (this will be interesting for those whose families come from regions which are not being focussed on in your main coursework).
5. The byways of history
The Timemap allows exploration of the byways of history (i.e. most of history!). For example, what happened to the Ancient Egyptians after they were famous? or the Greeks?
Quick Reference
(This might be easier to use if you print it out, or cut and paste it into a seperate document which you can refer to.)
Section 1: Using the TimeMap for browsing
Q1: Do you want to increase your knowledge but don’t want to do in-depth research?
A: If yes, go to the Atlas home page, then go to Q2, below.
If you do want to do research, probably best to go to section 2, below.
Q2: Do you want to know about a specific region or country of the world?
A: If yes, in the Atlas home page go to the A-Z lists in the Atlas home page, and choose the relevant entry.
Otherwise go to….
Q3: Do you want to know what’s happening in the world at a particular date?
A: If yes, in the Atlas home page go to the World map section, then click on one of the twenty dates, and then use the world map of that date as a gateway to the regions or countries of the world at that time.
Otherwise go to….
Q4: Do you just want to browse at random?
A: In the Atlas home page, go to either the A-Z list or the Year list and alight on an option which sparks your interest, and explore from there.
Section 2: Using the TimeMap for research
Q1: Do you want to research a specific topic at some depth?
A: If yes, probably best to go to the Encyclopedia, and to Q2, below; but you could also start with the atlas – go to Section 1, Q2.
If you simply want to browse, probably best to go to section 1, Q1, above.
Q2: Is it a particular civilization, empire, region or historical episode you’re interested in?
A: If yes, go to the Encyclopedia home page, and then the A-Z list of topics, and choose the relevant item.
If the topic you want is not listed, use the Search function at the top of the page.
Otherwise, go to …..
Q3: Is it a particular period you’re interested in?
A: If yes, go to the Encyclopedia home page, Chronology list, and choose the appropriate period.
If the topic you want is not listed, use the Search function at the top of the page.
Otherwise go to ….
Q4: Do you know the region of the world?
A: If yes, go to the Encyclopedia home page, Region list, and choose the appropriate region.
If the topic you want is not listed, use the Search function at the top of the page.
Otherwise use the Search function at the top of the page.
Section 3: What to do…
You’re on a map page and you want to….
Go up a level:
Use the breadcrumb trail just above the map, on the right.
Go down a level:
Use one of the information pins to take you to a more close-up map;
Go to a neighbouring map:
Use one of the links below the map
Jump to another part of the world at the same date:
Either go up one or two levels (to a Region or World map) and then down again to a different location;
Or use the “Find out what’s happening elsewhere in the world” section, if there is one, situated near the bottom of the page.
Move forward to the next date:
Use the right hand navigation arrows, or the timeline just below the map.
Go back to the previous date:
Use the left hand navigation arrows, or the timeline just below the map.
Jump to a date at a different point in history:
Use the the timeline just below the map and click on one of the points on it.
Go to an article for more relevant information:
Or go to the Civilizations timeline (if there is one) and click on one of the entries
Or follow a link from within the text box below or to the right of the map.
Short Activity
So, you want to find out….
Q1: Did Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, build the Great Pyramids of Giza?
What to do: use the search function.
Then Enter the word Cleopatra.
Did she?
Q2: When did literate and urban civilization emerge in China?
What to do: go to the Atlas home page, then the Country A-Z list, and then China (under “C” if you’re in any doubt!).
Which map to start at? I suggest starting at the beginning and moving forward.
Q3: What civilization in Europe appeared at around the same time?
What to do: From the China page you’re on, use the breadcrumb at the top left of the map and click on World. Once in the world map, click on the pin on Europe. You’ll soon find the answer.
Q4: So, you’re now in Europe in…ah, almost gave the game away. In the neighboring region of the Middle East, what new piece of military kit has changed the face of warfare?
What to do: follow the appropriate link at the bottom of the map to take you to the Middle East.
Q5: While all this is happening in Europe and Asia, what’s happening in North America?
What to do: Either head for the bottom of the page to “What’s happening in the rest of the world?” and click on the relevant link there; or use the breadcrumb trail at the top right of the map to go back to the world map, and click on the pin on North America.
Q6: What happens in this region next?
What to do: click on the right hand navigation arrow. This takes you forward to the next Key Date.
Q7: Jump forward several hundred years to 500 CE. What civilization is described there as “one of the most remarkable in world history”?
What to do: move along the active timeline just below the map to the point at 500 CE, and click on that.
Appendix: How is the TimeMap structured?
The TimeMap of World History is formed by an Atlas and an Encyclopedia.
The Atlas
The Atlas consists of a series of map sequences. These are grouped at three different levels and organized according to a uniform set of Key Dates.
Three Levels
The top level consist of the World maps.
The next level down consists of the Big regions of the world – from east to west: Oceania, East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, South America, North America. Another one, Central Asia, will follow.
The bottom level (at the moment) consists of countries, or small groups of countries.
Key Dates
All the map sequences in the atlas are organized around twenty key dates. This sequence starts at 3500 BCE and ends at 2005 CE. Most countries in fact do not cover all the early dates, as they emerge into the light of history at different periods.
The Key Dates have been carefully selected to give the optimum coverage of both world and regional histories.
The Encyclopedia
The Encyclopedia contains a growing range of articles on history’s civilization and empires. These articles support the Atlas maps by allowing users dig deeper into a topic. The articles are designed to be readable but authoritative, giving users a broad view of the subjects they cover.
The Encyclopedia is still incomplete, thought it is growing all the time. The ancient and medieval worlds are largely covered, but the modern world still needs a lot of work.