Which event occurred earliest chronologically among the options?

Which event occurred earliest chronologically among the options?

• A. Plessy v Ferguson
• B. Gettysburg Address
• C. Roman Empire
• D. Emancipation Proclamation

Answer: (C)

Placing events on a historical timeline helps you see which happened first. The Roman Empire began around 27 BCE and lasted until roughly 476 CE, so it clearly comes long before the other options. The Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation were both in 1863 during the American Civil War, and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision came later in 1896. Because the Roman Empire is situated in ancient history far earlier than the 19th-century events, it is the earliest.

Placing events on a historical timeline helps you see which happened first. The Roman Empire began around 27 BCE and lasted until roughly 476 CE, so it clearly comes long before the other options. The Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation were both in 1863 during the American Civil War, and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision came later in 1896. Because the Roman Empire is situated in ancient history far earlier than the 19th-century events, it is the earliest.