Understanding Historical Time Labels: AD, BC, CE, and BCE

Why did people in Europe during the Middle Ages decide to start counting years from a single point in time?

• To celebrate the birth of Julius Caesar

• To align with the Chinese calendar

• To make it easier to remember historical events

• To have a common reference point for numbering years

What does the abbreviation 'BC' stand for?

• Before Century

• Before Common

• Before Calendar

• Before Christ

What is a common mistake people make about the meaning of 'AD'?

• They think it means 'After Decade'

• They think it means 'Anno Domini'

• They think it means 'After Death'

• They think it means 'After Day'

What do the letters 'CE' stand for?

• Century Era

• Christian Era

• Current Era

• Common Era

Why were the terms CE and BCE introduced?

• To honor historical figures

• To align with the lunar calendar

• To replace the Gregorian calendar

• To provide a non-religious alternative to AD and BC

AD and _____ represent the same era of time on a timeline.

• BC

• DC

• BCE

• CE

Match the following the vocab to the definition

• means Before Common Era

• BCE

• means Before Christ

• CE

• means in the Year of Our Lord

• BC

• means Common Era

• AD

Which term is used to denote a period of approximately 100 years?

• Decade

• Century

• Millennium

• Era

Answer explanation

The term used to denote a period of approximately 100 years is 'Century'.

How many years are in a decade?

• 10

• 100

• 50

• 20

Answer explanation

A decade consists of 10 years, so the correct answer is 10.

What does the term "circa" mean when used in historical dating?

• Exactly at

• About or approximately

• After

• Before

Answer explanation

The term 'circa' when used in historical dating means 'About or approximately', indicating an estimated time period rather than an exact date.