Same Social studies › Time and change › Timelines, BCE and CE
How do BCE and CE work on a timeline?
Timelines put events in order. Years marked CE (Common Era) count up from year 1. Years marked BCE (Before the Common Era) count down toward year 1, so 500 BCE comes before 100 BCE. There is no year 0. Kids also learn that the 1700s are the 18th century: the century number is one more than the first digits.
- BCE counts down: bigger numbers are earlier.
- CE counts up, like a normal calendar.
- No year 0: 1 BCE is followed by 1 CE.
Why schools teach it
Chronology is the backbone of history
Students create and use chronological sequences of events (C3 D2.His.1.3-5) and identify key steps in a historical process (RH.6-8.3). Ancient history units in grade 6 make BCE dates unavoidable, and they trip up many kids and parents.
BCE and CE match the older labels BC and AD; the numbers are the same. Many schools now use BCE and CE.
At the kitchen table
What to say, and what to skip
Say this
Is this date BCE or CE?
With BCE, which number is earlier: bigger or smaller?
BiggerHow many years between these two dates?
What century is 1776 in?
The 18th
Skip this
- Treating 500 BCE as after 100 BCE.BCE counts down: 500 BCE is earlier.
- Subtracting across BCE and CE.Add the two numbers, then subtract 1, because there is no year 0.
- “The 1700s are the 17th century.”The 1700s are the 18th century.
See it in action
How long between Julius Caesar's death and the fall of Rome?
The dates
44 BCE and 476 CEAcross the line
44 + 476 = 520, minus 1 for no year 0 = 519 yearsCenturies
44 BCE is in the 1st century BCE · 476 CE is in the 5th century CE
BC means Before Christ and AD means Anno Domini; BCE and CE use the same numbering.
Free practice sheet
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Parents also ask
Why is there no year 0?
The calendar was set up in the 500s CE, before the number zero was used in Europe, so 1 BCE is followed by 1 CE.
Why do schools use BCE and CE instead of BC and AD?
Many historians prefer labels that aren't tied to one religion. The numbers are the same.
How do you find a century?
For CE years, drop the last two digits and add 1: 1776 → 17 + 1 = 18th century. Years ending in 00 belong to the century before, so 1900 is in the 19th century.
What is a decade?
Ten years, like the 1920s (1920 to 1929).