Helps / Copyrights / Usage

CD 1 is comprised of pages in PDF format. Using the "Table of Contents," click on the desired link to take you directly to your page of choice. These pages are identical to the pre-printed sets we offer. Also included are duplicate sets of the figures without text! PDF pages are generally easy to work with, as you can simply print them right off as many times as required. Bear in mind that enlarging these pages will cut off sections of the page. If you are wishing to enlarge images, you will want to use the GIFs on CD 2. A note on quality: the images on both CDs will print out much crisper than they appear on your computer screen.

CD 2 takes a little more know-how, as the images are in GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), one of the two most common file formats for graphic images. For line art, they are of higher quality than JPEG, making them better for printing at larger sizes. In order to use these, you need to know how to copy an image into a document or application. Depending on your computer (Windows or Macintosh) and applications, you may want to try one of the following.

1) LOCATING FIGURE(S) NEEDED (two options)

A) Using our "Table of Contents" page on CD 2, click on the desired link to take you to lists of figures: alphabetical, chronological, or categorized by topic. These lists offer figures both with text and without. For more information on searching for a specific figure, click here.

B) For a visual method of locating a GIF image , you may wish to browse the "Figures" folder directly. You would need to choose a viewing option that gives you a preview of the images.

2) PLACING FIGURE(S) INTO DOCUMENTS (three options)

A) Right-click on image and select "copy"; go to your file/application (e.g., MS Word); right-click and select "paste." (You can also find "copy" and "paste" in your edit menu)

B) Select image, drag and drop into your file/application.

C) Place image directly into document. For example, in MS Word: Go to the "Insert" menu; select "Picture > From File"; browse to image of choice in "Figures" folder on CD; select image and insert.

You may wish to create a project folder on your computer to house images you have selected and wish to save for easy access. Right-click on image; use the "save" option (e.g. "Save Picture As..."); save to your project folder for later use.

3) RESIZING FIGURE(S) IN DOCUMENTS

Once placed in the application, you will have the ability to resize the figures as desired, something that is not available with the figures on CD 1.

If you want to approximate the Wall or Notebook sizes provided on CD 1, but only print a few figures rather than a whole page, you can place the desired figures in your application as stated above, then scale them as follows:

Wall-Sized: 32%

Notebook-Sized: 22%

To scale the figures, you will need to locate the scaling function in your application (e.g., under the Size tab of the Format Picture dialog box in MS Word).

If you are having difficulties figuring out how to insert the images into your applications, please ask someone who knows how to operate the computer you are using. GIFs are commonly used, however we know that there are those who strictly know how to use certain applications and haven't experienced placing images into them. Good news! Once you are shown, it's a very easy process.

You may also wish to copy the figures to your hard drive. That will improve performance and keep them readily available for projects at any time! You should simply create a folder on your hard drive and copy the contents of the CD to it.

A note on compatibility: We have used three basic file types: PDF, HTML, and GIF, making these CDs compatible with most PCs and Macs (if you can browse the internet, you should be able to use these CDs). We have tested these CDs on several commonly used systems and applications. However, it would be impossible to test them on all combinations. Should you have trouble viewing the images, you may be running these CDs on an older computer, or you may simply need to upgrade your Acrobat^® Reader. Free upgrades are available at: www.adobe.com

Regarding images without text: Images have also been offered with just a title and date. These have been placed low enough that you can simply block them out if you wish to use the illustration alone. However, a few figures are dependent on the text as its image. For example, "The Robber Synod": it is comprised of descriptive text enclosed in an illustrated frame. In the version without text, we have offered up the empty frame as an option for your children to either create an illustration of their own, or as a blank template for framing any drawings they may wish to add to the timeline.

Scaling images for notebook timelines: If you are planning to use these figures in our History Through the Ages Record of Time, the PDFs we offer as "Notebook-Sized" will fit nicely. At this size, they will be usable in a variety of notebooks as well. For tips regarding where to place the figures in your timeline, refer to "Frequently Asked Questions" in the "Timeline Helps" section of these CDs.

Should you wish to use the figures at a size of your choosing, you can adjust the print size by using your printer's scaling option. We recommend that you use the "Wall-Sized" PDF pages to begin with and scale down from there. Bear in mind that older printer models may not offer a scale option. Generally you would find the scale option within the preferences of your print dialog box.

These scaling tips do not apply to the GIF images, as their size will depend on the application they are copied into, as well as any resizing you perform on them. Once a GIF is placed in an application, such as "Word," you can size the image by selecting it, then clicking and holding on the corner of the selection box and dragging it to enlarge or reduce it to the size you want. By holding the "shift" key while you drag the corner, the image will resize proportionately.

How do I find the image I need? If you know who or what you are looking for, or even a portion of the title or date, you can easily search by using the find function built into your browser or Acrobat Reader, depending on which CD you are using. You can pick "find" from the menu or, as a short-cut, hold down your "control" key and type "f" (for Mac users, use "command-f"). A "find dialog box" will appear in which you can enter the text to search for. There are two places in which this can be used:

CD 1: Once you have opened one of the categories (e.g., "Creation to Christ"), you will see a link to the "Names and Dates" page at the top. Clicking on that link will open the list of names and dates in Acrobat Reader. You can then search for a figure using the find function, as described above. For example, if you are looking for Alexander the Great, type "alex" into the find dialog box, and click "Find." The first instance of "alex" will be highlighted in the list, in this case, "The Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria." By clicking "Find Again," it will take you to "Alexander III," the one we want. (Mac users can type "command-g" to find again.) The page number the figure is on is in parentheses next to the name, in this example, page 18. You can then go back to the Creation to Christ menu and open page 18.

CD 2: Once you have selected a category, you can search for a name within the list by once again using the find function, as described above. For a thorough search of all figures, search in one of the two Complete Lists of Images, either Alphabetical or Chronological. Using "Find" and "Find Again" will take you through all instances of the search words entered, as described for CD 1 above.

Bear this in mind when considering the earliest dates: We at Home School in the Woods believe in a young earth, with a literal 7-days of Creation. The problem we've encountered with older dates and existing texts and curricula is that just about everything in publication has been dated according to the Historical Records. These are found both in the early Egyptian and Sumerian history. According to the Egyptian calendar, our oldest dates can be off by as much as several hundred to 1000 years, placing Creation to c. 4000 BC, and the flood more in the vicinity of c. 2400-2300 BC. However, this throws the remaining early dates in a tailspin when it comes to almost everything in print out there! Within history texts and curricula, the Egyptian calendar dating is widely used. Vance Ferrell, author of Evolution Cruncher, writes:

"The earliest historical books are those of the Egyptians and the Hebrews. The historical dates assigned to the beginnings of Egyptian and Sumerian history are based primarily on king-lists."

"...The problem with First Dynasty dates is they are based on the king-lists of Manetho, an Egyptian priest who lived many centuries later, in 250 B.C. Manetho's writings have only been preserved in a few inaccurate quotations in other ancient writings."

"...Manetho's king-list gives us dates that are older than that of any other dating records anywhere in the world. But there are a number of scholars who believe that (1) the list deals with two simultaneously reigning sets of kings; (2) that they are not numerically accurate; and (3) that Manetho fabricated names, events, numbers, and history, as did many ancient Egyptian Pharaohs and historians, in order to magnify the greatness of Egypt or certain rulers."

"...In contrast, it is highly significant that well-authenticated Egyptian dates only go back to 1600 B.C.! Experts, trying to unravel Egyptian dating problems, have come to that conclusion."

"...Because cosmologists, chronologists, historians, and archaeologists heavily rely on Egyptian dates for their theories, Egyptian dating has become very important in dating the ancient world, and thus quite influential. This is because it purports to provide us with the earliest historical dates. There is evidence available that would definitely lower archaeological dates and bring them into line with Biblical chronology." -- Vance Ferrell, Evolution Cruncher (2001), selections from p. 150-153

So what does this mean to us? When it comes to the most ancient of dates, especially those pertaining to the period of Creation through the time of Egypt, bear in mind the unreliability of exact dates. As mentioned throughout this resource, should your research and findings lead you to place a figure at a different location, by all means do so! As you proceed beyond these dates, they will eventually line up and have records that back them accurately. However, the further back we go, the less apt we all are to find accurate dates without having been there or knowing the trustworthiness of the source and authors of the historical data; the very data that is used to write the history books and texts available. With the knowledge that earlier dates are based on the Egyptian calendar, we have designed our resource to align with respected Christian curriculum providers.

Purchase of this product allows you a single license to use the contents of these CDs as defined by the type of license purchased (family, teacher, school, etc.). Sharing images, whether via computer or hardcopy, with other families or friends is strictly prohibited. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic or mechanical, including duplicating, photocopying, information or retrieval systems, the world wide web, or e-mail - without written permission from the author. For permission to reproduce graphics for any other purpose, please contact Home School in the Woods.

Why am I so protective of our materials? I began this mission in 2002 with a desire to bring well illustrated, classic timeline images to the homeschool market. Little did I know that this would grow to the expanse it has, with many parents and teachers requesting more sets and more options! I have been thrilled to hear the responses from the moms, families, and especially the children! However, this has taken several thousands of hours of research, illustration (yes, I drew ALL of these figures!), design, copy development, and technical time away from my family. Although they have been supportive and enthusiastic about the endeavor, it has been an investment that I do jealously protect! It is our desire that you enjoy this resource to its fullest, at the same time respecting our requests. :-)

Home School in the Woods would like to acknowledge the following sources for reference images:
some images © 2004 www.arttoday.com, Holy Transfiguration Monastery (selected images of saints), NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NARA (National Archives and Records Administration), Barbour Publishing, Inc., Wycliffe Bible Translators, Deere & Company, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Image of Norman Rockwell: Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL.