Tips to Remember Important Dates in History for UPSC

History is an integral part of the UPSC Syllabus. Questions from this subject are asked in the IAS Prelims as well as the general studies paper I. It is important to remember many dates in history if you want to do well. And this is the part of studying history that students dislike and find very difficult.

 History is an interesting subject, the understanding of which is essential to the understanding of present-day socio-political conditions. To ease the process of studying history, we give you a few handy tips to remember the important dates in history for the IAS exam. So, stop wondering how to remember dates in history and start learning!

How to remember important dates in history?

There are many tried and tested methods when it comes to remembering dates in history. Here are a few of them

1. Mnemonics

This is a time-tested method to memorize things. Create a song or a sentence out of important dates and events. Then, you will be able to recall dates if you only recall the song. For example, remembering the rhyming verse, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”, will help you remember the year in which Christopher Columbus discovered America 1492. Or “In 1453, fall did the walls of Constantinople in months of three”. This will help in remembering the year of the fall of Constantinople.

2. Weave a story

Spin a yarn around an important event. Stories, especially ones that you create yourself are easy to recall. Now we are not telling you to create your versions of historical events. But create a narrative from your understanding to help better remember the event. For example, World War 2 started in 1939. You can spin a story about how a German invasion of Poland, led England and France in declaring war on Germany, leading to the beginning of World War.

3. Flashcards

Develop flashcards with the important dates and associated events written on them. They are easier to remember than when you read from a book.

4. Timeline

Instead of randomly cramming dates, you should create a timeline of events. Remember chronology in history. Not only does it help in better understanding of the topic, but you can also retain the information better this way. Create a chart of events.

5. Infographics

The Infographics section contains many charts and pictorial representations of events in history that will aid your retention. Just keep in mind the infographics, and you should be able to create an answer out of it. It also helps you in revision.

6. Write it down

Writing things down is a reinforcement of whatever you have learned. So, make notes and write dates and events neatly. In case you are not able to remember the dates, you can always refer to the notes you have written down.

7. Concentrate and understand

This is a very important memorization tool. Concentrate well while you read the subject and understand things. Randomly reading with no interest and when you are mentally not alert won’t help you in the IAS exam.

8. Picture it

Imagine the historical event taking place. Why do we remember movies in great detail? It is because we see it, rather than read it from a text. Also, watch historical documentaries. They will help you in remembering things better. You will also get a much-needed break from books!

Tips to Remember Important Dates in History for UPSC
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