Interactive History Timelines

A precision instrument for plotting, annotating, and sharing the long arc of historical events.

cursor—
zoom1.00×
Sample —
CANVAS
historygrapher / swiss-grid
FIG. 01
1750 — 2020
▲ above axis = constructive / cultural / scientific
▼ below axis = conflict / political rupture
tabular figures · Space Grotesk · Inter italic
02

Pre-built Timeline Examples

A library of curated timelines spanning eras, regions, and themes — each fork-able as a starting point.

03

How It Works

Four steps from raw historical data to a published, interactive timeline.

1
Upload Data
CSV, JSON, or Wikidata SPARQL. Headers map to year, title, category, source.
2
Configure Timeline
Set period, axis scale (linear/log), categories, and grouping rules.
3
Style
Pick category palette, typography, density, tick spacing, annotations.
4
Share
Embed iframe, export SVG/PNG, or publish a citable permalink.
04

Data Specification

The shape of a timeline. Strict, declarative, version-controlled.

timeline.json
{
  "title": "Long 19th Century",
  "period": [1789, 1914],
  "events": [
    { "y": 1789, "t": "French Revolution",
      "cat": "politics" },
    { "y": 1859, "t": "Origin of Species",
      "cat": "science" },
    { "y": 1914, "t": "WWI begins",
      "cat": "war" }
  ]
}
categories
keycolorside
war#dc6868below
culture#6888dcabove
science#68b88aabove
politics#d4a03cbelow
api / embed
<iframe
  src="https://historygrapher.com
       /embed/long-19c"
  width="100%" height="420"
  loading="lazy">
</iframe>