Visualization!!

I think the ideal shape of history's progress really wouldn't be much of a shape that can be described.  I think a time line would be useful for the broad picture.  It helps me mentally think of the progression of how history happened and it keeps me from being confused.  But then there would have to be little charts or boxes hovering around in those time periods.  The time line would have overlaps but it would distinctively show where each region started and ended a new era.  I said there would be little boxes in each time period for each region.  The little boxes would be color-coded for each region and they would contain the major events, significant information, and thematic topics(for this class specifically.)  The shape would probably be some weird line with lots of rectangles stuck to it.
Since this probably makes no sense, there will possibly be a picture below this, that is, if I can get technology to stop hating me.