Timeline for users ignorant of history
This is probably a stupid question, but could articles dealing with broad Western chronologies like this one incorporate some kind of overarching timeline template to contextualize epochs like "late middle," "early modern," "renaissance," "classical," relative to each other?  I realize these terms aren't precise or rigorous, but they could still be depicted on a chart that would really help out users like me. -)   

I'd be happy to make and post this template if someone could wiki me up with the relevant periods, terminology, and dates.