The James Madison Papers
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Chronological Thinking: Interpreting Timelines
The collection includes a "Chronology of Events in the War of 1812." Review and consider the following questions:
- Who created this chronology? When was the chronology created?
- What events are recorded in the chronology? What major events are omitted?
- Given the information available, how would you assess the reliability of this chronology as a source of information about the War of 1812?
- Compare the information in this chronology with the information about the War of 1812 in the James Madison Timeline accompanying the collection. What similarities and differences do you note between the two chronologies? Consider authorship, date of creation, and quantity and type of information presented.
- Which chronology would be most useful to you if you were writing a history of the War of 1812? Why?