Adding timelines to digital content

At the beginning of June, someone on the DigiStates discussion list asked about software options for adding timelines that could be linked to digital content. Three excellent examples of timelines were offered:

• Timeline of Art History
• Timeline for "In Motion: The African American Migration Experience"
• Texas Tides

If you look at any of those, I think you'll be impressed with what you see.

We know that timelines can be very powerful. They help you connect pieces of history together in a way that allows the reader to see relationships between events. There have been two timelines that I have admired, although neither is like the ones above.

1. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial of Greater Rochester (NY) contains a timelines that starts centuries before the Vietnam War. It shows some of the history of that region as well as "pointers" to other civil wars. The reader must build the storyline as she read it, which is what I like about it. The timeline doesn't state why all this information is there, you must figure it out on your own. I must admit that this timeline broadened my thinking on the war.
   


2. The PBS series "Eyes on the Prize" looks at the U.S. Civil Rights Movement from several viewpoints. Each show is a timeline that covers the same time frame as the other shows. You can see some of the interconnectedness, but you also have to build some of the connections yourself.
   

Have you added a timeline to your project? Is it interactive? Does it link to digital materials? What have you learned (about technology or whatever) from including a timeline on your site? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts (or just a URL)...