Timeless Timeline Worksheet: History and Invention Timelines - ALL ESL - Free Printable

Let’s solve this step by step.

We have two timelines to arrange: one for famous people (by birthdate), and one for inventions/events (by when they were created or introduced).

---

First Timeline: Famous People

We need to order these 10 people from earliest born to latest born.

List of people:

A. Alexander the Great
B. Albert Einstein
C. Confucius
D. Sir Isaac Newton
E. Genghis Khan
F. William Shakespeare
G. George Washington
H. Cleopatra
I. Bill Gates
J. Leonardo da Vinci

Now, let’s recall their approximate birth years:

- C. Confucius → 551 BC
- A. Alexander the Great → 356 BC
- H. Cleopatra → 69 BC
- E. Genghis Khan → 1162 AD
- J. Leonardo da Vinci → 1452 AD
- F. William Shakespeare → 1564 AD
- D. Sir Isaac Newton → 1643 AD
- G. George Washington → 1732 AD
- B. Albert Einstein → 1879 AD
- I. Bill Gates → 1955 AD

So ordering them from earliest to latest:

1. Confucius (551 BC) → C
2. Alexander the Great (356 BC) → A
3. Cleopatra (69 BC) → H
4. Genghis Khan (1162) → E
5. Leonardo da Vinci (1452) → J
6. William Shakespeare (1564) → F
7. Sir Isaac Newton (1643) → D
8. George Washington (1732) → G
9. Albert Einstein (1879) → B
10. Bill Gates (1955) → I

✔ So the correct order is: C, A, H, E, J, F, D, G, B, I

---

Second Timeline: Inventions/Events

List:

A. Paper
B. Telephone
C. Computer
D. Compass
E. Printing Press
F. Steam Engine
G. Airplane
H. Wheel
I. Gregorian Calendar
J. Vaccination

Approximate dates:

- H. Wheel → around 3500 BC (ancient Mesopotamia)
- A. Paper → invented in China around 105 AD (but earlier forms existed; we’ll use 105 AD as standard)
Wait — actually, paper was invented around 105 AD by Cai Lun, but some sources say earlier prototypes exist. For school purposes, we’ll go with ~105 AD.

But wait — let’s double-check all:

Actually, let’s list accurate approximations:

- H. Wheel → c. 3500 BC
- A. Paper → c. 105 AD (China)
- D. Compass → first used in China around 200 BC – 200 AD? Actually, magnetic compass for navigation appeared around 11th century AD (1000s). But early lodestone compasses were known in Han Dynasty (~200 BC). Let’s use 200 BC for simplicity? Hmm — better to use widely accepted dates.

To avoid confusion, here are commonly accepted invention dates for school level:

- H. Wheel → 3500 BC
- A. Paper → 105 AD
- D. Compass → 11th century AD (around 1000–1100) — but some say 200 BC for early form. Let’s use 200 BC for “compass” if it’s the magnetic one? Actually, for timeline purposes, many textbooks place compass after paper.

Wait — let’s use reliable common knowledge:

Standard historical timeline for these:

1. Wheel → 3500 BC → H
2. Paper → 105 AD → A
3. Compass → 11th century (1000s) → D
4. Printing Press → 1440 (Gutenberg) → E
5. Gregorian Calendar → 1582 → I
6. Steam Engine → 1712 (Newcomen), improved by Watt later → F
7. Vaccination → 1796 (Jenner) → J
8. Telephone → 1876 (Bell) → B
9. Airplane → 1903 (Wright Brothers) → G
10. Computer → 1940s (ENIAC) → C

Wait — what about Gregorian Calendar? It was introduced in 1582, so between Printing Press (1440) and Steam Engine (1712).

Also, Vaccination (1796) comes after Steam Engine.

Telephone (1876), Airplane (1903), Computer (1940s).

What about Compass? If we take the magnetic compass for navigation, it was developed in China during Song Dynasty, around 1000–1100 AD. So after Paper (105 AD), before Printing Press (1440).

So revised order:

1. Wheel → 3500 BC → H
2. Paper → 105 AD → A
3. Compass → ~1000 AD → D
4. Printing Press → 1440 → E
5. Gregorian Calendar → 1582 → I
6. Steam Engine → 1712 → F
7. Vaccination → 1796 → J
8. Telephone → 1876 → B
9. Airplane → 1903 → G
10. Computer → 1940s → C

✔ So the correct order is: H, A, D, E, I, F, J, B, G, C

---

Final Answer:

For the first timeline (people):
C, A, H, E, J, F, D, G, B, I

For the second timeline (inventions/events):
H, A, D, E, I, F, J, B, G, C