Timelines often simply list dates of supposedly important events, but they can be used to build a history of just about anything. A good timeline serves like a table of contents, sending viewers to selected information about a period or topic, using bits of texts and images to make an interpretation. It’s like an essay: the creator of the timeline selects what is important and arranges materials chronologically. It makes an argument, justifies with evidence, and develops a theme. It has a title.
For example, a complex timeline of early American history and diversity might begin with dates and quotes from Puritan settlers, excerpts from diaries and letters of colonists elsewhere relating to indigenous peoples, 17th century pictures of native American settlements & objects, events and documents relevant to 1619 and the creation of African slavery in America, etc…
Your timeline doesn’t need to be that complex, but it does need to be made with an etic perspective–i.e., a timeline that suggests creation leads biblically to the birth & death & resurrection of Jesus would be considered emic, from a Christian point of view
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Build a timeline about the history of Abrahamic religions (up to about 800 C.E.) that uses evidence from ALL THREE of the faith traditions under study, and includes important events, figures, concepts, objects, and texts drawn from our course materials & discussions through Nov. 17, as well as your own pertinent labels and commentary. You MUST use material at least 10 different primary sources that we have examined in class, from readings in discussion sections, lectures, & primary sources/images from ppt presentations. To create your timeline, you may draw & write, (any size paper), use timeline software, create a mindmap or powerpoint, or use any other appropriate medium you choose.
You should not need to do research or use materials from beyond class. If you do, you must cite the information appropriately (for imagesas well as texts.) REMEMBER: Even borrowing a small idea or tidbit of info from another source is plagiarism if it isn’t cited. ALSO: Wikipedia is not a permissible source.
Examples of timeline:
I have uploaded a bunch of class readings that you will need to refer to for the 10 primary sources
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10. Some files uploaded as PDF
