Timelines Are Harder Than I Expected
I thought creating a timeline with TimelineJS would be simple. I love timelines—they’re such powerful visual tools for showing how events connect over time. So when I decided to make one about the rise of Hitler, I figured it would be a quick project. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.
First, I started with what I knew best: Excel. I filled out a spreadsheet with all the dates, headlines, and details I wanted. I even used the column titles that TimelineJS requires. Feeling confident, I tried to publish it. But nothing happened. No timeline—just a plain spreadsheet.
Then I realized TimelineJS doesn’t work directly with Excel. It needs a Google Sheets file published to the web. So I copied everything into the official TimelineJS template in Google Sheets, saved it, and grabbed the URL. I embedded that link in my blog post, expecting magic. Still nothing.
At this point, I was frustrated. I had the data, the template, and the link, but the timeline refused to appear. I know timelines can make history come alive, and I’m curious enough to keep trying—especially because I want to compare Hitler’s rise to Trump’s in two separate timelines. But for now, I’ve just got an embedded spreadsheet sitting in my post.
Hopefully, after asking some questions in class and getting a few tips, I’ll figure out what went wrong. Because I still believe timelines are worth the effort—they’re one of the best ways to visualize complex stories.
Below is a link that shows the preview of my timeline. I was unable to embed it into the blog post.
With more time, I could have improved my skills with this application. I plan to revisit and complete this project in the future.