The Concept of Chronological Thinking: Definition, Examples, Characteristics

The concept of chronological thinking – Learning history is one of the things that is so much fun. Even so, it turns out that there are many approaches to learning history to make it easier to understand the information extracted from these historical events. One of them is the approach by thinking chronologically.

Even experts also need a chronological thinking concept approach to get more precise or more precise and complete information. Maybe some of you still don’t really understand what the concept of chronological thinking is.

No need to worry about that anymore. Because you can get everything related to the concept of chronological thinking here. Without needing to hesitate anymore, let’s read the explanation below.

Definition of Chronological Thinking

Before entering a deeper explanation of the concept of chronological thinking. You can read about the meaning of chronological thinking. Because some people only know the word chronological thinking but don’t know the meaning of chronological thinking itself.

Chronology itself has a meaning as a knowledge of the time sequence of events that have occurred in the past sequentially. Simply put, chronological thinking is a way of thinking coherently in an event. So this concept is very important to use in an analysis of events that occurred in the past.

With the chronological thinking concept approach to the analysis of an event that occurred in the past, it will be easier to know the order of events in an orderly, coherent, and continuous manner as a whole.

Historians also use the concept of chronological thinking in analyzing a historical event. Because to know the sequence of events from the first to the end in sequence. Judging from this, it can be concluded that the chronological thinking approach is very important for the analysis of an event that has occurred in the past.

Chronological Thinking Concept Meaning

After you understand what the concept of chronological thinking means. Next, we will explain what it means to think chronologically. The meaning of chronological thinking is so that you can understand the sequence of events in detail without missing anything related to the events that have occurred.

This has also been explained in terms of chronological thinking. But by knowing the meaning of the concept of chronological thinking, you can better understand why you need to use this concept when analyzing an event that happened in the past.

Chronological Thinking Characteristics

The approach to thinking chronologically in events that occurred in the past turns out to have several characteristics in it, you know. By understanding what are the characteristics of chronological thinking, it will be easier for you to understand and apply the chronological thinking approach.

So what are the characteristics possessed by chronological thinking? The following are some of the characteristics possessed by the conological thinking approach in the analysis of an event that occurred in the past.

  • Has a vertical character

The first feature is vertical, which at this point will refer to the sequence of events that have taken place. So later each event will be sorted from beginning to end to coherently.

  • Emphasis on the duration of events

Next is the emphasis on the duration process. Where is the process of chronological thinking approach in studying if history or events in the past is a process of time.

  • Has such a wide scope

In contrast to the synchronous thinking approach which has a narrower scope. In thinking chronologically the scope given is wider.

  • Be able to describe an event

Every analysis of past events with a chronological thinking approach is able to provide results or information that is so complete because the scope that is carried out is also so wide.

  • Able to check the continuity of events

By using a chronological thinking process approach for an event that occurred in the past, the information obtained can be in the form of a continuity between one event and a past event. Because in the analysis there will be an emphasis on the time of events between one another which are still related.

  • There is a comparison

By carrying out a chronological thinking approach to past events, the results obtained can be in the form of comparisons. This comparison, among others, is like cause and effect or the glory and destruction of an event that occurred in the past.

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Examples of Chronological Thinking

Even though you already understand the meaning of chronological thinking, its characteristics and meaning. So that you can more easily understand how the chronological thinking approach is applied in the analysis of events that occurred in the past.

Of course, several examples are needed in order to better understand how the results and also the process of analysis were carried out on past events with a chronological thinking approach. The following are some examples of the chronological thinking approach to the analysis of past events.

First example:

Quoted from the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, the use of chronological thinking is a characteristic of historical thinking which focuses on a process where an event occurred in the past.

An example is the liberal democracy material from 1950 to 1959 which can be broken down lengthwise. In addition, it is also easier to obtain a chronological description of the formation of a liberal democratic government up to the Presidential Decree dated July 5, 1959.

In historical records, there were 7 cabinet changes from 1950 to 1959. The following is a record of cabinet changes in those years.

  1. The Natsir Cabinet from 6 September 1950 to 21 March 1951
  2. Sukiman Cabinet from 27 April 1951 to 3 April 1952
  3. Wilopo Cabinet from 3 April 1952 to 3 July 1953
  4. Cabinet of Ali Sastroamidjojo from 31 July 1953 to 12 August 1955
  5. The Burhanuddin Harahap Cabinet from 12 August 1955 to 3 March 1956
  6. Cabinet of Ali II from 20 March 1956 to 4 March 1957
  7. Djuanda Cabinet from 9 April 1957 to 5 July 1959

From this example, it can be seen that there is a chronological thinking approach to the analysis of the events of Liberal Democracy from 1950 to the issuance of the Presidential Decree in 1959.

Second example:

The next example is the 1945 proclamation event could not happen directly. Certainly there were several other events that led to the 1945 proclamation. Of course, to find out which events led to the 1945 proclamation to occur, a chronological thinking approach is needed.

The description before the event of the proclamation is as follows.

  1. On August 6, 1945, America bombed the city of Hiroshima. Hiroshima City is an important city in Japan.
  2. Then on August 9, 1945, America bombed Nagasaki City. Nagasaki City is also one of the important cities in Japan.
  3. On August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered to the American bloc.
  4. On August 15, 1945, Sutan Syahrir learned the news of Japan’s surrender
  5. On August 16, 1945, the Young Group forced Bung Karno to carry out Indonesian independence. This situation is known as the Rengasdengklok event.
  6. On August 17, 1945, the text of the proclamation was read.

With the chronological thinking approach as in the example above. Of course, the results of the description of one event with other events that are mutually continuous will be easily known.

Third example:

The next example is in the post-World War II or WW2 events it is explained coherently if communism existed and was respected for about half a century. With this in mind, the world had to go through a cold war that could affect the political situation of many countries.

However, in just two years from 1989 to 1991 the world also witnessed the dissolution of the existing communist countries in Eastern Europe. This could also be a sign that the cold war was over and the collapse of the communist state.

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Differences in Chronological and Synchronic Thinking

In studying history, there is a chronological thinking approach and a synchronic thinking approach. Previously you have read what is chronological thinking. However, this point will still be explained more briefly as material for comparison between chronological and synchronic thinking.

  • Understanding

Starting from the previous understanding, chronological thinking is a way of analysis by ordering the time of events from beginning to end. Of course, every event that is sequenced in time has something to do with the big topic being discussed.

By using this chronological thinking concept, you can find out what made the event happen. Because it is impossible for an event to occur without several small events that occur before it.

Then for the concept of synchronic thinking itself is an analysis of an event that occurs at a certain time. If the chronological thinking approach has a widening concept. So in the analysis the synchronic approach is narrowing. Both are equally useful for analyzing past events.

Even historians use these two approaches to analyze a historical event that occurred in the past. Of course, the results obtained will also be more complete.

So you can use some of these approaches to analyze an event in the past.

  • Characteristic features

After discussing the meaning of both. So the next comparison is on the characteristics of chronological thinking and synchronous thinking.

  • The characteristics of chronological thinking

  • Vertical
  • The emphasis in the analysis process is emphasized on the duration or time of events that are interconnected
  • The scope obtained from the analysis with the chronological approach is wider than the synchronic approach.
  • Analysis on one event can be described more clearly
  • Doing research from one event to another. Of course, each of these events has a relationship
  • There is a concept of comparison
  • Synchronic thinking features

  • Horizontal
  • In contrast to chronological thinking, synchronic thinking does not have a comparison in it
  • The study is conducted only on events that occur at a certain time
  • The scope of the synchronous thinking approach is narrower than the chronological thinking approach
  • The resulting study will be more structured
  • Besides being structured, the synchronous thinking approach to an analysis of past events is also more systematic
  • The study carried out is arguably more in-depth and serious
  • Objective

Finally, the difference between chronological and synchronic thinking is seen from the purpose of the approach taken to an event that occurred in the past. Starting from chronological thinking which has the goal of being able to think chronologically or sequentially from one event to another based on interconnected time.

Meanwhile, the purpose of synchronic thinking is to make people aware of all the changes that have occurred over events in the past. Although both have fundamental differences.

But in the analysis of an event that occurred in the past will be more helpful. Both during the process and the results obtained after carrying out the process.

Conclusion from chronological thinking

Previously you have read related to the discussion of chronological thinking. Starting from the definition, characteristics, meaning to examples. In addition, you have also read an explanation related to the comparison of chronological and synchronous thinking.

Entering the last discussion is in the conclusion section. The concept of chronological thinking is a method of analyzing events that occurred in the past with an emphasis on time.

This means that the time from one event to another that has occurred in the past that are interconnected will be sequenced sequentially. In the process of analysis there will also be a comparison in it.

The scope of the analysis results with the help of a chronological thinking approach will also be wider in scope. Of course, with a chronological thinking approach, people will also have thoughts in a coherent and orderly manner every time they do an analysis.

That’s complete information related to chronological thinking, starting from understanding to conclusions, you can read everything. If you need a history book so you can more easily apply the chronological thinking concept approach.