When were the geological ages set out in order,order,and when was it done?

Question

Who gave the names,eg,Caledonian,and how did they determine the number of years for each age?
Thank you

Answer 1

The geological column was created in support of the alleged evolutionary timescales.
As for determining the number of years, well that's a guess - based on evolutionary assumptions.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v14/i1/fossil.asp

Answer 2

The first names of the geological ages were Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. The Primary rocks were the mountain cores, usually igneous and metamorphics, the secondary rocks were the sediments, and Tertiary rocks were the youngest, usually sediments. Then more modern ideas came into play, with actual research including mapping. The various periods were named by several scientists over a period of time, and the names came from either a geographic area where the rocks were well exposed or (in one case-the Carboniferous Period, with lots of coal) from a characteristic rock of the layers. The various periods are separated from each other by characteristics of the fossils and of the rocks themselves. And, in at least one case two geologists (Murchison and Sedgewick, in England and Wales) disagreed, and their rocks overlapped..it was settled by naming a new period for the rocks that overlapped..hence, the Ordovician, Silurian (the one that was formed by the overlapping rocks), and the Devonian periods were named.

There are several books having a rundown of the History of Geology, and Historical Geology. I recommend going to a large library and looking for any of them. Oh, only the old name Tertiary Period has survived, and they have added the Quaternary Period, the one we live in now.

Answer 3

Many of the names were taken from the regions in which the rocks can be found. Jurassic is from the Jura mountains. Devonian from Devon.

The names have changed over the years and some have been dropped or replaced.

The main layers have been subdivided and there is whole load of extra names for these sublayers.