Time line in comparison/contrast paper

Hi Rosey.
1. Usually, your thesis should be at the end of the introduction, so I would keep it at the beginning and then your first paragraph could be your timeline. Your intro could even include somthing like, "everything can be explained by these events leading up to it..." That's fairly un-eloquent, but you know, something to preview the time line.
2. Only write about the events that are relevant to your thesis. So, it sounds like you should stop right before the ones you're talking about.
3. and 3.1. Sources depend on the teacher, usually. Some want a bibliography at the end, where you have all your sources, some want you to cite your sources with a (author's last name, page number) format and then have a works cited page...every one of the teachers I've written for has had a different preference. So I would ask them about it.
You should include your time line sources somehow, but only if you actually use it.
Hope this helps. Good luck on the paper!