The ability to back-date content on Facebook’s timeline profile only goes back to 1800, which previously would not have been an issue due to the lack of 212-year-olds on the social network.
But some brands have been around for more than 212 years, and the launch of timeline for pages is forcing those brands to be creative.
Mashable reported that the U.S. Army and Navy, as well as Princeton University, have run up against the 1800 barrier.
Here’s how the three have handled it. The Army said in a post listed under 1800:
At this time, this page only allows us to go back to 1800. However, we were “founded” in 1775. The Army’s birthday: June 14, 1775.
When the American Revolution broke out, the rebellious colonies did not possess an army in the modern sense. Rather, the revolutionaries fielded an amateur force of colonial troops, cobbled together from various New England militia companies. They had no unified chain of command, and although Artemas Ward of Massachusetts exercised authority by informal agreement, officers from other colonies were not obligated to obey his orders. The American volunteers were led, equipped, armed, paid for, and supported by the colonies from which they were raised.
In the spring of 1775, this “army” was about to confront British troops near Boston. The revolutionaries had to reorganize their forces quickly if they were to stand a chance against Britain’s seasoned professionals. Recognizing the need to enlist the support of all of the American seaboard colonies, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress appealed to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to assume authority for the New England army.
Reportedly, at John Adams’ request, Congress voted to “adopt” the Boston troops June 14, although there is no written record of this decision. Also on this day, Congress resolved to form a committee “to bring in a draft of rules and regulations for the government of the Army,” and voted $2 million to support the forces around Boston, and those at New York. Moreover, Congress authorized the formation of 10 companies of expert riflemen from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, which were directed to march to Boston to support the New England militia.
George Washington received his appointment as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army the next day, and formally took command at Boston July 3, 1775.
For more information, please visit: http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/birth.html.
The Navy added the following paragraph under a milestone titled “Founded on January 1, 1800:”
On Friday, Oct. 13, 1775, meeting in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress voted to fit out two sailing vessels, armed with 10 carriage guns, as well as swivel guns, and manned by crews of 80, and to send them out on a cruise of three months to intercept transports carrying munitions and stores to the British army in America. This was the original legislation out of which the Continental Navy grew and, as such, constitutes the birth certificate of the Navy.
And Princeton University Social Media Coordinator Ian Cahir sent the following tweet:
Interesting issue with brand pages. I’m doing the history for @Princeton, and FB’s timeline ends at 1800. We go back to 1746 #oops
Readers: Do you think Facebook should allow timeline entries from before 1800, and, if so, how far back in time?