research projects for history

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Undergraduate Student Research Projects

The Eliot Indian Bible Project

This project is the work of the students in History 370 (Colonial American History) in Spring 2023. Supported by librarians, digital humanities experts, and each other, the students embarked on collaborative research on a single object, a Bible published in colonial Massachusetts in 1663. This amazing object resides today in the collections of the  Rare Book and Manuscript Library at UIUC . Over the course of a semester-long “object research lab” on the Bible, the students explored different themes and contexts that help appreciate its significance. They looked  at  the Bible, and they looked  through  the Bible. They showed remarkable creativity and insight, and here below is an exhibit that represents the result of their labor.

Visit their website to learn more

Latina/os in the City

Taught by Dr. Yuridia Ramirez during the Spring 2019 semester, Latina/os and the City centered the experiences of Latinx peoples in US sites as the driving narrative of modern US history. Though the political climate of the early 21st century led to increased media attention on the presence of Latinxs and the mass migration of peoples from Latin America, students traced how Latinxs actually have been critical actors in the transformation of US spaces even before “the border crossed us.” The analytics of race, place, and power drove this course as the voices of Latinxs were placed front and center each week.

Students conducted small research projects based on the course theme throughout the semester, culminating in a final research paper which is highlighted in each student's Digication page. In this way, we contributed to re-telling US history and Latina/o Studies through unexamined or little understood historical narratives of everyday Latina/os in the Midwest.

Chicanx History Textbook: A digital textbook by undergraduates at the University of Illinois

Though we know that Mexican American and Chicano history is US history, most K-12 US history textbooks – and even some college textbooks – only include a few pages or paragraphs on Mexican American history. This final class assignment provided students the opportunity to create a publicly accessible, digital textbook, throughout the course of the semester. Our dear, brilliant students were the authors of this important and necessary work. Each student chose one research subject – a person, political organization or group, social movement, place, event, etc. – and created an infographic on that subject. Please enjoy, and spread the world about our project!

• Harvard Library
• Research Guides
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Library Research Guide for History

Getting what you need, general information.

• Newsletter February 2024
• Exploring Your Topic
• HOLLIS (and other) Catalogs
• Document Collections/Microfilm
• Outline of Primary Sources for History
• Finding Online Sources: Detailed Instructions
• Religious Periodicals
• Personal Writings/Speeches
• Oral History and Interviews
• News Sources
• Archives and Manuscripts
• Government Archives (U.S.)
• U.S. Government Documents
• Foreign Government & International Organization Documents
• French Legislative Debates/Documents
• State and City Documents
• Historical Statistics/Data
• GIS Mapping
• Public Opinion
• City Directories
• Policy Literature, Working Papers, Think Tank Reports (Grey Literature)
• Technical Reports (Grey Literature)
• Country Information
• Corporate Annual Reports
• US Elections
• Travel Writing/Guidebooks
• Missionary Records
• Reference Sources
• Harvard Museums
• Boston-Area Repositories
• Citing Sources & Organizing Research
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• Newsletter June 2012
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• Newsletter June 2013
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• Newsletter January 2014
• Newsletter June 2014
• Newsletter August 2014
• Newsletter January 2015
• Newsletter June 2015
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• Newsletter January 2016
• Newsletter June 2016
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• Newsletter January 2017
• Newsletter June 2017
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• Newsletter January 2018
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• Newsletter August 2019
• Newsletter December 2019
• Newsletter March 2021
• Newsletter October 2021
• Newsletter June 2019
• Newsletter May 2022
• Newsletter February2023
• Newsletter October 2023
• Exploring Special Collections at Harvard

Fred Burchsted & Anna Assogba

Research Librarians

We are always happy to give you a tour of Widener and an orientation to our catalog, HOLLIS, and our other resources. Our emails are below.

This guide is intended as a point of departure for research in history.  We also have a more selective guide with major resources only: Introductory Library Research Guide for History .

• Finding Primary Sources Online  offers methods for finding digital libraries and digital collections on the open Web   and for finding Digital Libraries/Collections by Region or Language .
• Online Primary Source Collections for History  lists digital collections at Harvard and beyond by topic

Please feel free to email us with questions. We can make an appointment for you to come in, and we can talk at length about your project.

• Anna Assogba ([email protected]) Research Librarian and Liaison to the Department of History, Lamont Library (With particular knowledge of Zotero and other citation management systems).
• Fred Burchsted  ([email protected]) Research Librarian and Liaison to the Department of History, Widener Library.

How can you get your hands/eyes on material?

HOLLIS is the center of the Library ecosystem. This is often the best first step to see if we have something. In HOLLIS, click on "Online Access" or open the record and scroll down to the "Access Options" section. Check the HOLLIS section of this guide for more guidance.

Browser Plugins for Library Access

Harvard Library Bookmark and Lean Library plugins can help you find out if we have access to books and articles online.

Off-Site Storage

Books and other materials stored in facilities not on Harvard's main campus. Request this material through HOLLIS:

• Select "Request Pick Up" in the Access section of the HOLLIS Record, then enter your Harvard Key.
• A drop down menu will allow you to choose delivery location. Sometimes there is a single delivery option. Submit your request.
• You will receive an email usually next business day (not weekends or holidays) morning. Item is usually ready for pick-up in mid-afternoon. 

Sometimes Offsite storage material is in-library use only. For Widener, this is the Widener secure reading room on the 1st floor (formerly the Periodicals Room). Most Offsite storage material is available for scanning via Scan & Deliver (see below). 

Scan & Deliver/Interlibrary Loan

Use Scan & Deliver/Interlibrary Loan to request PDFs of articles and book chapters from HOLLIS when you cannot get online access. Limit: 2 chapters from a book or 2 articles from a journal.

Interlibrary Loan

Request materials from other libraries via InterLibrary Loan :

• Some non-Harvard special collections may be willing and able to scan material (usually for a fee). Our Interlibrary Loan department will place the request and help with the cost (there is a cap).
• Contact the other repository to see if they're able to scan what you need. Get a price estimate for the material and the exact details (such as: Box 77 folder 4. This information is often available in Finding Aids).
• Fill in what you can (put in N/A if the field is inapplicable) with the price and other information in the Comments box.
• This will get the process going and ILL will get back to you if they need more information or to discuss the price.

BorrowDirect

Borrow Direct allows Harvard students, faculty, and staff to request items from other libraries for delivery to Harvard within 4 business days. If the item you need is not available, try searching our partner institutions' collections in BorrowDirect.

Purchase Request

If there are materials you'd like to see added to the library's collections, submit a purchase request and we will look into acquiring it. We can buy both physical and electronic copies of materials; specify if have a preference.

Special Collections

Special Collections are rare, unique, primary source materials in the library's collections. To access, look for "Request to Scan or Visit" in HOLLIS (to place a scanning request) or contact the repository directly. Most of our larger archival collections are able to provide scans.

Carrels at Widener Library

Graduate students and visiting scholars are eligible to have a carrel in the Widener Library stacks. Start the process with the  carrel request form . (If you do this right at the start of the semester, it may take a few weeks before you receive confirmation.) Materials from the Widener stacks, including non-circulating materials like bound periodicals, can be checked out to your carrel.

Ivy Plus Privileges

Our partnership with BorrowDirect allows physical access to libraries of fellow Ivy Plus institutions: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University.

Help with Digital Projects

The Digital Scholarship Group offers workshops and support to faculty, students, and staff interested in digital research methods.  See also   GIS Mapping Resources  and  Visualization Support .

• Other Subject Guides
• Current Awareness Resources

More guides are available via the  Harvard Library Research Guides site

Finding Book Reviews

Finding Dissertations and Theses

Finding Harvard Library's Unique or Distinctive Primary Sources: Original and Digital

Guide to Research in History of Art & Architecture

Library Research Guide for Book History

Library Research Guide for British Colonial and Foreign Relations Sources

Research Guide for Primary Sources on Civil Rights

Inter Libros: Research Guide for Classics, Byzantine, & Medieval Studies

Literary Research in Harvard Libraries

Library Research Guide for American Material Culture  (This is in an early stage of development)

Middle East and Islamic Studies Library Resources

Music 219r: American Music , Library Guide

Library Research Guide for HIST 1006: Native American and Indigenous Studies

Library Research Guide for the History of Science

Library Research Guide for History 97g: "What is Legal History ?"

Library Research Guide for U.S. Foreign Relations

Library Research Guide for Global History

Library Research Guide for HIST 2256: Digital Archives: Europe and European Empires

Library Research Guide for Educating for American Democracy

Library Research Guide for American Studies

Library Research Guide for Latin American Studies

Germanic Languages and Literatures

Slavic and Eurasian Studies at Harvard  (See Research Contacts at bottom of left hand column)

Library Research Guide for South Asian Studies

Library Research Guide for HIST 1037: Modern Southeast Asia

Research Guides at Other Institutions

Go to Google Advanced Search

• all of these words: Sociology library
• any of these words: guides research resources
• site or domain: edu  (or ac.uk for Britain, etc.)

To find new Harvard E-Resources.Go to  Cross-Search in Harvard Libraries E-Resources  and choose the Quick Set: New E-Resources. This operates oddly, you sometimes have to select one of the E-Resources displayed, then close the resulting page to see the whole list of new E-Resources. This list displays some but not all new E-Resources.

The following history library blogs list new history resources:

• Reviews in History
• University of Washington
• Next: Newsletter February 2024 >>
• Last Updated: May 2, 2024 7:05 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/history

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

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In This Section

• Awards & Prizes
• Grants & Fellowships
• Past Recipients
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AHA Grants and Fellowships

Aha research grants.

Each year, the American Historical Association awards several research grants with the aim of advancing the study and exploration of history in a diverse number of subject areas. All grants are awarded in June and may be used anytime in the subsequent 15 months for expenses related to furthering research in progress. Grants may be used for travel to a library or archive; microfilming, photography, or photocopying; borrowing or access fees; and similar research expenses—a list of purposes that is meant to be merely illustrative, not exhaustive (other expenses, such as child care, can be included). The deadline for research grant applications is February 15 .

Eligibility: Only AHA members are eligible to apply for AHA research grants. Preference will be given to advanced doctoral students, nontenured faculty, and unaffiliated scholars and to those with specific research needs such as the completion of a project or discrete segment thereof. Please note: Within a five-year period, no individual is eligible to receive more than a combined total of $1,500 from all AHA research grants. In addition, although an individual can apply for multiple grants, they can only receive one research grant in a given year.

For questions, please contact the Prize Administrator .

Albert J. Beveridge Grant

The Albert J. Beveridge Grant for Research in the Western Hemisphere supports research in the history of the United States, Canada, and Latin America; individual grants do not exceed $1,000. See the list of past recipients .

Michael Kraus Research Grant

The Michael Kraus Research Grant in colonial American history, with particular reference to the intercultural aspects of American and European relations, offers cash awards of up to $800. See the list of past recipients .

LGBTQ History Research Grant

The LGBTQ History Research Grant offers grants of up to $500 for new and continuing research in LGBTQ history, available to scholars working in all temporal and geographic fields. past recipients .-->

Littleton-Griswold Grant

The Littleton-Griswold Grant offers grants of up to $1,000 for research in US legal history and in the general field of law and society, broadly defined. See the list of past recipients .

Bernadotte E. Schmitt Grant

The Bernadotte E. Schmitt Grant supports research in the history of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Individual grants will not exceed $1,500. See the list of past recipients .

Fellowships

Fellowships in aerospace history.

The Fellowships in Aerospace History , supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), annually fund research projects from six to nine months. Proposals of advanced research in history related to all aspects of aerospace, from the earliest human interest in flight to the present, are eligible, including cultural and intellectual history, economic history, history of law and public policy, and history of science, engineering, and management. The fellowships are open to applicants who hold a doctoral degree in history or a closely related field, or who are enrolled in and have completed all course work for a doctoral degree-granting program. Preference is given to applicants in early stages of their careers. NASA provides funds to the American Historical Association and to the History of Science Society to allow both associations to award fellowships. The stipend is $21,890 for each fellowship. Three fellowships are offered each academic year; applications will be entered into consideration for all three fellowships. See the list of past recipients .

Annual Meeting Grants

The AHA annual meeting is the largest gathering of historians from across the discipline, and it offers many opportunities to build a professional network, enhance teaching skills, learn about the latest research, and participate in discussions about issues affecting the discipline. The AHA offers the following grants and fellowships to help graduate students, early career, and un/underemployed historians to attend the annual meeting. Only members of the Association are eligible to apply.

Child Care Grants

The Association offers 10 grants of up to $250 to assist AHA members who have child-care costs during the meeting. The grants are intended to help offset the cost of child care, enabling attendees with dependent children to attend the meeting. History graduate students, early career historians, and contingent faculty are eligible; priority will go to those who are on the program.

AHA Council Annual Meeting Travel Grants

In 2015, the AHA Council established a fund to subsidize graduate student attendance at the AHA annual meeting and expanded the program to include un/underemployed historians in 2020. Applicants in any major or minor field of study, regardless of participation in the meeting program, will be considered. Grant amounts are recommended annually by the executive director based on the fund balance and range between $200–$400. Applications are accepted each fall. See the list of past recipients .

Jerry Bentley World History Travel Grants

The Jerry Bentley World History Travel Grants are awarded annually to support travel to the AHA annual meeting for graduate students who include world history among their major or minor fields of academic study. Grantees enrolled at a university in the state of Hawaii will receive twice the standard grant amount. Grant amounts are recommended annually by the executive director based on the fund balance and range between $200–$400. Applications are accepted each fall. See the list of past recipients .

Dorothy Rosenberg Phi Beta Kappa Annual Meeting Travel Grants

Established in 2013 at the bequest of Dorothy Rosenberg and in collaboration with the Phi Beta Kappa Society, the Dorothy Rosenberg Phi Beta Kappa Annual Meeting Travel Grants are awarded annually to help defray travel expenses incurred by graduate students attending the annual meeting. Graduate student applicants in any major or minor field, regardless of participation in the meeting program, will be considered. Successful applicants will be awarded travel subsidies of up to $400 each. See the list of past recipients .

National Institute of Social Sciences Annual Meeting Travel Grants

Established in 2019 by the members of the National Institute of Social Sciences , the National Institute of Social Sciences Annual Meeting Travel Grants are awarded to help defray travel expenses incurred by graduate students attending the AHA annual meeting. Graduate student applicants in any major or minor field of history will be considered. Successful applicants will be awarded travel subsidies of up to $400 each. Preference will be given to graduate students participating in the meeting program. Applications are accepted each fall. See the list of past recipients .

James G. Stofer Annual Meeting Travel Grants

Established in 2022, the James G. Stofer Fund provides grants to support the participation of community college and public high school teachers in AHA activities and programs. Community college and public high school faculty applicants, who are members of the Association, will be considered for the Stofer Annual Meeting Travel Grants, regardless of participation in the program. Successful applicants will be awarded travel subsidies of up to $400 each. past recipients .-->

Special Grants

Aha-neh sharp grants.

The AHA’s Grants to Sustain and Advance the Work of Historical Organizations Program provides $2.5 million to support dozens of small history-related organizations adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants, ranging from $10,000 to $75,000, fund short-term projects that explore new ideas or build on experiments initiated during the pandemic—from virtual programming or online publications to using new technologies or expanding audiences and accessibility. We encourage proposals for both ambitious new initiatives as well as smaller projects that address problems that have arisen because of the pandemic.

Historians Relief Fund

To assist un/underemployed historians who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, the AHA has established $500 emergency grants that can be used to cover unexpected expenses related to this crisis. Only AHA members are eligible to apply.

Best History Research Paper Topics

Dive into the world of historical scholarship with our comprehensive guide to the best history research paper topics . Primarily designed for students tasked with writing history research papers, this guide presents a curated list of 100 exceptional topics, divided into 10 distinct categories, each with a unique historical focus. The guide offers clear and practical advice on how to choose the most compelling history research paper topics, and provides 10 handy tips on crafting an outstanding research paper. In addition to academic guidance, the guide introduces the superior writing services of iResearchNet, a reliable option for students needing customized history research papers.

Comprehensive List of Best History Research Paper Topics

The following comprehensive list of the best history research paper topics is crafted to stimulate your curiosity and ignite your passion for historical study. These topics cover a range of historical periods and geographical locations to cater to the diverse interests of history students.

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Ancient History Topics

• The Causes and Effects of the Fall of the Roman Empire
• Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
• The Influence of Alexander the Great’s Conquests on the Hellenistic World
• The Role of Women in Spartan Society
• The Construction and Significance of the Great Wall of China
• The Impact of Confucianism on Ancient Chinese Society
• Trade Routes and their Role in the Expansion of Ancient Civilizations
• The Cultural and Political Influence of the Phoenician Civilization
• Comparing Democracy in Ancient Greece to Modern Democracy
• The Religious Practices and Beliefs of the Mayans

Medieval History Topics

• The Role of the Catholic Church in Medieval Europe
• The Impact of the Black Death on Medieval Society
• The Cultural Significance of the Knights Templar
• Gender Roles and Family Structure in Medieval Japan
• The Causes and Consequences of the Hundred Years War
• The Political Structure of the Byzantine Empire
• The Influence of the Carolingian Renaissance on Europe
• The Role of Vikings in European Trade and Exploration
• The Crusades: Causes, Events, and Consequences
• The Architecture and Symbolism of Gothic Cathedrals

Early Modern History Topics

• The Causes and Effects of the Protestant Reformation
• The Role of the Enlightenment in the French Revolution
• The Impact of the Scientific Revolution on European Society
• The Socioeconomic Consequences of the Industrial Revolution
• The Influence of the Ottoman Empire on Southeast Europe
• The Role of Slavery in the Colonial Economies
• The Politics and Culture of the Renaissance in Italy
• European Imperialism in Africa and Asia
• The Cultural and Political Impacts of the Mughal Empire
• The American Revolution: Causes, Events, and Legacy

Modern History Topics

• The Causes and Global Consequences of World War I
• The Great Depression: Causes and Effects
• The Role of Propaganda in World War II
• The Impact of the Cold War on International Relations
• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States
• The Fall of the Berlin Wall and the End of the Cold War
• The Effects of Decolonization in the 20th Century
• The Role of Women in the World Wars
• The Formation and Impact of the European Union
• The Causes and Consequences of the Arab Spring

Asian History Topics

• The Cultural Impact of the Silk Road in Asia
• The Effects of Colonial Rule in India
• The Legacy of the Mongol Empire in Asia
• The Cultural and Political Changes in China’s Cultural Revolution
• The Korean War: Causes, Events, and Consequences
• The Role of Samurai in Feudal Japan
• The Impact of the Opium Wars on China
• The Influence of Buddhism on Asian Cultures
• The Cambodian Genocide under the Khmer Rouge
• The Role of Gandhi in India’s Independence

American History Topics

• The Impact of the New Deal on the American Economy
• The Vietnam War: Causes, Events, and Legacy
• The Influence of the Beat Generation on American Culture
• The Role of Manifest Destiny in Westward Expansion
• The Cuban Missile Crisis and Its Effects on the Cold War
• The Women’s Suffrage Movement in the United States
• The Native American Civil Rights Movement
• The Role of the Transcontinental Railroad in American Expansion
• The Civil War: Causes, Events, and Aftermath
• The Immigration Wave at Ellis Island: Causes and Effects

European History Topics

• The Impacts of the Russian Revolution
• The Influence of Martin Luther’s Theses on Europe
• The British Empire: Rise, Dominance, and Fall
• The Role of Art in the French Revolution
• The Impact of the Spanish Inquisition on Spain and its Colonies
• The Rise and Influence of Fascism in Europe
• The Role of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages
• The Consequences of the Treaty of Versailles
• The Formation and Impact of NATO
• The Role of the Media in the Fall of the Berlin Wall

African History Topics

• The Effects of Apartheid in South Africa
• The Influence of the Trans-Saharan Trade on West African Societies
• The Role of Nelson Mandela in Ending Apartheid
• The Scramble for Africa and its Effects on the Continent
• The Impact of the Atlantic Slave Trade on West Africa
• The Rwandan Genocide: Causes and Consequences
• The Role of the African Union in Continental Politics
• The Impact of Islam on North Africa
• The Decolonization of Africa in the 20th Century
• The Role of Women in Pre-Colonial African Societies

Military History Topics

• The Influence of Technological Innovations on Warfare
• The Role of the French Foreign Legion in Global Conflicts
• The Impact of the Manhattan Project on World War II and Beyond
• The Role of the Spartans in Ancient Greek Warfare
• The Impact of Drones on Modern Warfare
• The Influence of the English Longbow on Medieval Warfare
• The Role of the Maginot Line in World War II
• The Impact of Naval Power on the British Empire
• The Influence of Nuclear Weapons on International Politics
• The Role of Propaganda in World War I

This expansive list of best history research paper topics offers a comprehensive exploration of the past, crossing different eras, regions, and themes. They form a rich tapestry of human experience and a foundation for understanding our present and future. Choose a topic that piques your interest, ignites your curiosity, and promises a journey of intellectual discovery. Remember that the exploration of history is a journey into the roots of our shared humanity and an exploration of the forces that shape our world.

History and What Range of Best Research Paper Topics it Offers

As a subject of study, history is more than a chronological list of events, dates, and prominent figures. History is the exploration of human experiences, societal changes, political upheavals, cultural transformations, economic shifts, and technological advancements across different periods and regions. This exploration allows us to understand how the past has shaped our present and how it can potentially shape our future. It teaches us to appreciate the complexities and nuances of human nature and society, making history a rich field for research paper topics.

History is an interdisciplinary field, interweaving elements from various areas of study, including politics, sociology, economics, anthropology, geography, and literature. This interdisciplinary nature provides a wide array of best history research paper topics. Moreover, the global scope of history further broadens the pool of topics, as it encompasses every region of the world and every period from the dawn of human civilization to the present day.

Exploring Different Periods

Historical research often focuses on specific periods, each offering unique topics for exploration. For instance, Ancient History provides topics related to ancient civilizations like Rome, Greece, Egypt, China, and India, and key events such as Alexander the Great’s conquests or the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Medieval Period offers topics related to the socio-political structure of societies, the influence of religion, the impact of plagues, and the role of significant historical figures. Researching the Renaissance can focus on cultural, artistic, and scientific revolutions that have shaped the modern world.

The Modern History category contains topics related to significant events and transformations, such as world wars, the Great Depression, the Cold War, decolonization, and various national and international movements.

Geographical Perspectives

Geographical focus is another common approach in historical research. Asian history encompasses topics ranging from the influence of Confucianism in China to the impact of colonial rule in India. European history explores events such as the Enlightenment, the French and Russian revolutions, and the formation of the European Union. American history topics can cover everything from Manifest Destiny to the Civil Rights Movement. African history can delve into the effects of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the apartheid era, and decolonization.

Thematic Approaches

In addition to period- and region-based topics, history offers an extensive range of thematic topics. These themes often intersect with other disciplines, leading to exciting interdisciplinary research opportunities.

Social and cultural history, for instance, covers diverse topics such as the influence of the Harlem Renaissance on African American culture, the counterculture movement of the 1960s, the role of film and television in shaping societies, or the impacts of the Internet on global culture.

Military history provides a wide range of topics related to warfare, strategy, technological developments, and the influence of military conflicts on societies and politics. From the use of the English longbow in medieval warfare to the impact of drones on modern warfare, this field offers a variety of fascinating topics.

Making the Right Choice

The choice of a research paper topic in history should ideally be guided by your interest, the available resources, and the requirements of your assignment. With such a wide range of topics, it can be challenging to make a choice. But remember, a good history research paper topic is not just about the past; it should also engage with the present and potentially shed light on the future. The best research paper topics are those that not only delve deep into the annals of history but also resonate with current issues and debates.

The study of history is a gateway into the vast narrative of human civilization. With an extensive range of periods, regions, and themes to choose from, history offers a rich reservoir of research paper topics. As we delve into the past, we discover the forces that have shaped our world, gain insights into the human experience, and glean lessons for our future. This journey of exploration makes history an incredibly exciting field for research papers.

How to Choose Best History Research Paper Topics

Choosing the best history research paper topic can be the first step towards a rewarding intellectual journey. It’s not just about meeting academic requirements; it’s about uncovering facets of the past that intrigue you and may potentially contribute to the broader understanding of history. Here are twenty in-depth tips that will guide you through the process and help you select the best topic for your history research paper.

• Understand the Assignment: Understanding your assignment’s requirements is the primary and most critical step in selecting a topic. Take time to carefully read the guidelines given by your instructor. Are there any specific historical periods, geographical regions, or themes you are required to focus on? Do the instructions indicate the scope or complexity level of the topic? Comprehending the parameters set by your instructor will significantly narrow down your options.
• Choose a Time Period: One way to approach the topic selection is by focusing on a particular time period that sparks your interest. It could be anything from the Bronze Age, to the Renaissance, to World War II. The more interested you are in the chosen time period, the more engaged you will be in the research process.
• Pick a Region: Similar to choosing a time period, selecting a particular region or country can also help narrow down potential topics. Are you fascinated by the history of East Asia, intrigued by ancient Egypt, or drawn to the socio-political history of Europe? Starting with a geographic focus can provide a strong foundation for your research.
• Identify a Theme: In addition to or instead of a time period or region, you might want to choose a theme that you wish to explore. Themes can range from political history, cultural history, history of science and technology, to gender history, among others. A thematic approach can offer a unique perspective and can even allow you to cross over different time periods or regions.
• Conduct Preliminary Research: Even before you have a firm topic in hand, engage in some preliminary research. This could involve reviewing textbooks, scholarly articles, or reputable online resources related to your chosen period, region, or theme. Preliminary research can give you a general sense of the historical context and inspire potential topics.
• Seek Inspiration from Existing Works: As part of your preliminary research, look at other research papers, theses, or dissertations in your area of interest. This can give you a good idea of what has been done, what gaps exist in the research, and where your research could potentially fit in.
• Scope Your Topic: The scope of your topic should be proportionate to the length and depth of your paper. If your paper is relatively short, a narrow, focused topic would be more suitable. For a longer and more complex paper, a broader topic that explores multiple facets or perspectives would be more appropriate.
• Consider the Relevance: Another aspect to consider when selecting a topic is its relevance. Does the topic have any relation to the course you are undertaking? Does it reflect on current historical or social debates? A topic that connects your historical research to broader academic or social issues can make your paper more impactful and engaging.
• Look for Unique Angles: While not every research paper can revolutionize the field, striving for some degree of originality in your work is always a good practice. Look for unique angles, underexplored areas, or new perspectives on a well-trodden topic. Presenting a fresh approach can make your paper more interesting for both you and your readers.
• Assess the Availability of Sources: Your research paper is only as good as your sources. Before finalizing your topic, make sure there are enough primary and secondary sources available to you. This could be in the form of books, academic articles, documentary films, archives, databases, or digital resources.
• Evaluate the Feasibility: Beyond the availability of sources, consider other practical aspects of your chosen topic. Is it feasible to conduct the research within the given time frame? Is the topic too complex or too simplistic for your current academic level? A realistic evaluation of these factors at an early stage can save you a lot of time and effort down the line.
• Reflect on Your Interests: Above all, select a topic that genuinely piques your curiosity. A research paper is a significant undertaking, and your interest in the topic will sustain you through potential challenges. If you are passionate about the topic, it will reflect in your writing and make your paper more compelling.
• Solicit Feedback: Seek advice from your instructor, classmates, or any other knowledgeable individuals. They may be able to provide valuable feedback, point out potential pitfalls, or suggest different perspectives that can enrich your research.
• Be Flexible: Be prepared to tweak, adjust, or even overhaul your topic as you delve deeper into the research process. New information or insights may emerge that shift your focus or challenge your initial assumptions.
• Bridge the Past and Present: Try to find topics that allow you to connect historical events or phenomena with contemporary issues. This can provide additional depth to your paper and may also appeal to a broader audience.
• Consult Specialized Encyclopedias and Guides: These can provide overviews of various topics and can often suggest areas for research. They also offer bibliographies which can serve as a starting point for your research.
• Draft a Preliminary Thesis Statement: Once you have a potential topic, try drafting a preliminary thesis statement. This can help you focus your ideas and give you a clear direction for your research.
• Ensure Your Topic Meets the Assignment Goals: Check back with your assignment guidelines to make sure your chosen topic meets all the requirements. It’s a good idea to do this before you start your in-depth research.
• Be Ready to Invest Time and Effort: Choose a topic that you are ready to spend time on. Remember, you will be working on this topic for an extended period, so choose something that you find interesting and engaging.
• Enjoy the Process: Finally, remember that the process of researching and writing a history paper can be a source of enjoyment and intellectual satisfaction. Choose a topic that not only meets academic requirements but also gives you a sense of accomplishment and discovery.

Choosing the best history research paper topic is not merely about fulfilling an academic requirement. It’s about setting the stage for a journey into the past, an exploration of humanity’s collective memory. The right topic will not only make this journey enjoyable but also deeply enlightening. By considering these tips, you can select a topic that resonates with you and holds the potential for a meaningful scholarly contribution.

How to Write a Best History Research Paper

Writing a history research paper can be a rewarding experience, providing an opportunity to delve into the past and explore the events, ideas, and personalities that have shaped our world. However, crafting a high-quality paper requires more than just an interest in the subject matter. It involves thorough research, analytical thinking, and clear, persuasive writing. Here are twenty comprehensive tips on how to write a best history research paper.

• Understand the Assignment: Begin by thoroughly understanding the assignment. Ensure you grasp the requirements, the scope of the paper, the format, and the deadline. Clear any doubts with your professor or peers before you start.
• Select a Suitable Topic: As discussed earlier, choosing an appropriate topic is crucial. It should be engaging, manageable, and meet the assignment’s requirements. Consider your interests, the available resources, and the paper’s scope when choosing the topic.
• Conduct In-Depth Research: Once the topic is decided, embark on thorough research. Use a variety of sources, such as books, academic journals, credible online sources, primary sources, and documentaries. Remember to take notes and record the sources for citation purposes.
• Formulate a Thesis Statement: The thesis statement is the central argument or point of your paper. It should be clear, concise, and debatable, providing a roadmap for your entire paper. The thesis statement should guide your research and each main point you make in your paper should support this central idea.
• Create an Outline: An outline helps organize your thoughts and arguments. Typically, it should include an introduction (with the thesis statement), body paragraphs (with topic sentences), and a conclusion. Each point in your outline should be a reflection of your thesis statement.
• Start with a Strong Introduction: The introduction should be engaging, provide some background on the topic, and include the thesis statement. It sets the tone for the rest of your paper, so make it compelling and informative.
• Develop Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea that supports your thesis. Begin with a topic sentence, provide evidence or arguments, and then conclude the paragraph by linking it back to your thesis. Be clear and concise in your arguments.
• Use Evidence Effectively: Support your arguments with evidence from your research. This could include quotations, statistics, or primary source materials. Remember to interpret the evidence and explain its relevance to your argument.
• Maintain a Logical Flow: The ideas in your paper should flow logically from one point to the next. Use transitional words and phrases to maintain continuity and help guide your reader through your paper.
• Write a Compelling Conclusion: Your conclusion should sum up your main points, restate the thesis in light of the evidence provided, and possibly offer areas for further research or a concluding insight. It should leave the reader with something to think about.
• Cite Your Sources: Always cite your sources properly. This not only gives credit where it’s due but also strengthens your argument by indicating the breadth of your research. Ensure you follow the required citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).
• Revise for Clarity and Coherence: After finishing your initial draft, revise your work. Check for clarity, coherence, and consistency of argument. Ensure each paragraph has a clear focus, and that the paragraphs flow smoothly from one idea to the next.
• Proofread: Proofread your paper for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Such errors can distract from the content and undermine your credibility as a writer. Reading your paper aloud or having someone else read it can help catch errors you might have missed.
• Seek Feedback: Before finalizing your paper, consider seeking feedback from your professor, peers, or a writing center tutor. They can provide valuable perspectives and suggestions for improvement that you might not have considered.
• Write in a Formal Academic Style: Your paper should be written in a formal academic style. Avoid slang, colloquialisms, and overly complex language. Be clear, concise, and precise in your expression.
• Avoid Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Ensure that all ideas and words that are not your own are properly cited. When in doubt, it’s better to over-cite than to under-cite.
• Stay Objective: A good history paper is objective and does not include personal opinions or biases. It relies on facts and evidence, and presents balanced arguments. Stick to the evidence and avoid emotional language.
• Be Original: Strive for originality in your argument and interpretation. While your topic might not be entirely new, your perspective on it can be. Don’t be afraid to challenge established interpretations if you have evidence to support your argument.
• Use Primary Sources Wisely: Primary sources are invaluable in historical research. However, remember that they should be used to support your argument, not to construct it. Your analysis and interpretation of the sources are what matters.
• Enjoy the Process: Finally, remember to enjoy the process. Writing a research paper is not just an academic exercise, but a journey into the past. It’s a chance to learn, explore, and contribute to our understanding of history.

In conclusion, writing a best history research paper requires careful planning, thorough research, clear writing, and detailed revision. However, the process can be highly rewarding, leading to new insights and a deeper understanding of history. These tips provide a comprehensive guide to help you craft a top-notch history research paper. Remember, history is a continually evolving dialogue, and your paper is your chance to join the conversation.

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• University of Wisconsin–Madison
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Research Guides
• Introduction to Historical Research

Introduction to Historical Research : Home

• Archival sources
• Multimedia sources
• Newspapers and other periodicals
• Biographical Information
• Government documents

Subject-Specialist Librarians

There are librarians on campus that can help you with your specific area of research.

Subject Librarian Directory Subject-specialist/ liaison librarians are willing to help you with anything from coming up with research strategies to locating sources.

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This guide is an introduction to selected resources available for historical research.  It covers both primary sources (such as diaries, letters, newspaper articles, photographs, government documents and first-hand accounts) and secondary materials (such as books and articles written by historians and devoted to the analysis and interpretation of historical events and evidence).

"Research in history involves developing an understanding of the past through the examination and interpretation of evidence. Evidence may exist in the form of texts, physical remains of historic sites, recorded data, pictures, maps, artifacts, and so on. The historian’s job is to find evidence, analyze its content and biases, corroborate it with further evidence, and use that evidence to develop an interpretation of past events that holds some significance for the present.

Historians use libraries to

• locate primary sources (first-hand information such as diaries, letters, and original documents) for evidence
• find secondary sources (historians’ interpretations and analyses of historical evidence)
• verify factual material as inconsistencies arise"

( Research and Documentation in the Electronic Age, Fifth Edition, by Diana Hacker and Barbara Fister, Bedford/St. Martin, 2010)

This guide is meant to help you work through these steps.

Other helpful guides

This is a list of other historical research guides you may find helpful:

• Learning Historical Research Learning to Do Historical Research: A Primer for Environmental Historians and Others by William Cronon and his students, University of Wisconsin A website designed as a basic introduction to historical research for anyone and everyone who is interested in exploring the past.
• Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students by Patrick Rael, Bowdoin College Guide to all aspects of historical scholarship—from reading a history book to doing primary source research to writing a history paper.
• Writing Historical Essays: A Guide for Undergraduates Rutgers History Department guide to writing historical essays
• History Study Guides History study guides created by the Carleton College History Department

• Next: Books >>
• Last Updated: Mar 4, 2024 12:48 PM
• URL: https://researchguides.library.wisc.edu/introhist

15 History Project Ideas for High School Students

Indigo Research Team

If you have a deep interest in past events and feel a connection to different periods, pursuing history projects might be for you. 

Studying history allows you to understand the reasons behind decisions made over time and gives you valuable skills that can contribute to shaping a better future. Not to mention, passion projects for high school students have become increasingly important to make your college application better. 

So, if you are interested in history, here is the list of 15 creative ideas that you can start now:

Creative Ideas for History Projects

1. comparative research studies: history vs present times.

Comparing history and present times through research could be a great history research project idea for high school students. This study offers a valuable opportunity to delve into the complexities of historical events and societies. By examining two or more instances, you can develop critical thinking and analytical skills while uncovering patterns and trends that may not be apparent at first glance. These studies provide an avenue for exploring the similarities and differences between different periods and places, shedding light on the factors that shape societies and influence historical outcomes. 

When engaging in a history research project, it is crucial to start by selecting specific historical events or societies to compare. This allows you to focus on research efforts effectively. In addition to investigating political, economic, social, and cultural aspects, it is equally important to dive into the causes and consequences of these events. If you need help to do research, you can always find research mentors who can guide you through the process. 

2. Israel-Palestine conflict

The war between Israel and Palestine is one of the trending history project topics , so high school students can get a lot of information online. Learn about the root cause of the conflict by researching the historical background, key events, religion, and cultural values.

3. Ancient Civilizations scrapbook

A virtual Scrapbook is another creative idea for a history project for students. You can choose your favorite ancient civilization and start collecting old images and maps. Join maps and images and write short descriptions for the readers. Do extensive research and learn about their daily life activities to showcase their lifestyle. This project will spark your creativity.

4. Historical Fashion Show

If you have a passion for trends and fashion, the evolution of style is a perfect history project idea. Choose a specific period to take a stroll through the history. Your historical fashion show project will be more interesting if you consider a large period. Conduct research and present how ancient people used to cover their bodies. If you have enough time, you can create simple costumes from ancient civilizations to represent different eras. The video below can also be your reference in creating your historical fashion project.

5. History Box

High school students can create a history project by transforming historical events into three-dimensional masterpieces. You can choose your favorite history projects, such as a big discovery, a famous battle, or any other historical event that inspires you.

Take a shoe box, colored paper, and pens to transform your history project idea into a 3D scene. Incorporate small details like landscapes, buildings, and figures to tell the whole story. Write captions on each item to help other students understand the history.

6. Historical Cooking Show

Calling all foodie students! If you are passionate about cooking, you can try this European history project ideas. Choose your European cuisine and dig deep into how ancient people used to prepare food. Prepare old European dishes and record your adventurous video. Explain the whole recipe and how it reflects the culture of that time.

7. Inventions show

Create a visual show of inventors and inventions. Conduct thorough research, pick a few big inventors, learn about their contributions, and present your knowledge through digital presentation. You can also mention how their inventions changed the lifestyle of that era. This visual showcase will motivate you and your classmates to do something big and create a better future.

8. Historical Comic Show

Create a comic strip by using historical events. Choose a particular era and gather drawings and captions to narrate the key moments. This history project idea will polish your storytelling skills and make history more accessible and entertaining.

9. Podcasts from the Past

Creating a podcast series of historical figures can take your creativity to the next level. Interview "guests" from the past, portraying their achievements, struggles, and impact on society. Use your creativity to make it informative and entertaining for your audience.

10. Timeline Wall

High school students can use a blank wall to showcase significant events of a specific region. Suppose you want to showcase US history, then conduct research and list down important events of the past. Using different colors and markers, you can illustrate events on the wall.

11. Presidential Time Capsule

This is one of the best US history final project ideas. Students can represent different presidents by exploring their political achievements, personal aspects, and societal influences. You can create artifacts to showcase the life of a specific president. This US History project idea will enhance your artistic skills.

12. Oil Board Game

Are you looking for Texas history project ideas? This educational oil board game will allow you to explore the oil industry of Texas. You need extensive research to learn about the boomtown era, economic fluctuations, and the impact of oil discoveries. Players will take on the roles of independent oil entrepreneurs, navigating the economic landscape to strike it rich or face financial pitfalls.

13. ABC Past Book

Students can create an E-book just like a dictionary where each letter represents a historical event of a specific era or region. For example, A stands for Arts & Crafts Movement Worksheet and B stands for Berlin. You can add small captions and illustrations to enhance readability.

14. Black Man Museum

Black Man Museum is one of the outstanding black history project ideas because it allows you to honor the achievements and struggles of people of color. Conduct research and find a few historical black figures, gather all the information about their achievements. You can also share stories of black people in your community. This project will spark your public speaking abilities and deepen your understanding of the diverse contributions to society.

Following are a few more black history project ideas:

• The Montgomery bus boycott
• The civil rights movement
• Black women’s history
• The black panthers
• Contribution of black teachers in Society

15. Documentary on the Freedom Movement

If you’re passionate about India’s history and looking for Indian history project ideas, you can create a Documentary on the Freedom Movement. Find elders from your family or your community who witnessed the freedom of India and record their interviews. Ask about their experiences, sacrifices, and contributions to the freedom movement. This could be a good history research idea because the diverse perspectives can help you make your project more interesting.

How to Create a Successful History Project for a High School Student?

Before choosing your history project, ask yourself a few questions what do you like the most about history? How much time do you have to complete the project and what are your educational goals? These questions will help you choose the right project that will stand out from the crowd.

Here are some more tips that will make your history project rewarding.

1. Identify Your Interest 

The common rule to start anything is your interest, the more you enjoy doing something, the more it will motivate you to finish the project. Start thinking about the historical events, periods, and figures that capture your attention.

2. Consider your Class Curriculum

To obtain history project ideas, you could also browse on school's history book to explore topics that you find interesting. You can also consider themes that haven’t been covered in your class yet. Choosing a topic from your class content will help you to understand better and perform well in final exams.

3. Explore Current Events

Consider current issues that have relevance to history. Connecting the dots of the present to the past can make your project more engaging and memorable.

4. Create an Engaging Documentation

Creating visually appealing documentation is not only aesthetically pleasing but also a powerful tool for exploring historical events. Start with providing a visual representation of the chronological order of key events, timelines help learners connect the dots and develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter. 

Visual cues capture people’s attention and spark their curiosity, encouraging them to dig deeper into the interconnectedness between historical events and notable figures. Ultimately, creating engaging documentation will always be beneficial for your college application or future careers.

5. Use Historical Books and Resources

When working on a history project, it is essential to utilize reliable historical books and resources. These sources provide accurate and credible information that can support your research and strengthen the credibility of your project.

Start by identifying reputable books written by historians or experts in the field. Look for well-researched, peer-reviewed, and widely recognized books within the academic community. These books often provide comprehensive coverage of knowledge that you can rely on.

There are endless creative ideas for history projects. You should choose something that you’re passionate about. We assume that this article has given you a project idea and by choosing the above tips, you can bring life to your history project.

History is no doubt one of the most interesting topics to explore in a research project. If you want to start your research journey, the Indigo Research Program is here to transform your idea into reality. We will pair you with mentors from top universities and turn your project into publishable research.

Projects in History

resources for research

Research Resources

Guides to Writing a Research Paper : Excellent guide with to-the-point advice on research and structure: William Kelleher Storey, Writing History (Oxford University Press, 2003)

More Detailed Guides: Anthony Brundage, Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing (Harlan Davidson, 2002) Martha Howell and Walter Prevenier, From Reliable Sources (Cornell Univ. Press, 2001) Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , 6th ed. (Univ. of Chicago Press, 1996)

Online Guide to Citation methods: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html

Research Resources on the Web: Primary Sources Proceedings of the Old Bailey: 1674 to 1913 : A fully searchable edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing 197,745 criminal trials held at London’s Central Criminal Court. (free web resource)

London Lives : London Lives makes available, in a fully digitized and searchable form, a wide range of primary sources about eighteenth-century London, with a particular focus on plebeian Londoners. This resource includes over 240,000 manuscript and printed pages from eight London archives and is supplemented by fifteen datasets created by other projects. It provides access to historical records containing over 3.35 million name instances. Facilities are provided to allow users to link together records relating to the same individual, and to compile biographies of the best documented individuals.

Legacies of British Slave-ownership : A database containing, first, the identity of all slave-owners in the British colonies at the time slavery ended and, second, all the estates in the British Caribbean colonies.

British History Online is a digital library of key printed primary and secondary sources for the history of Britain and Ireland, with a primary focus on the period between 1300 and 1800. BHO was founded by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust in 2003, and aims to support the learning, teaching and research of our users from around the world. The collection currently contains over 1,280 volumes and is always growing.

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database : Information on almost 36,000 slaving voyages that forcibly embarked over 10 million Africans for transport to the Americas between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The actual number is estimated to have been as high as 12.5 million. The database and the separate estimates interface offer researchers, students and the general public a chance to rediscover the reality of one of the largest forced movements of peoples in world history.

Parliamentary material (from 1066 to present) has been digitized and made available on the Internet by various organizations. The website of the UK Parliament contains lists that summarize the main series of material which are available in electronic form. If you are an FSU student, though, use the link of the British History Research Guide page on the Strozier Library website. This takes you to a much easier to use site behind a paywall, which is comprehensive in its coverage of the eighteenth and nineteenth century material.

The British Newspapers Archive : The British Library has placed over 460 newspapers covering the period from 1710 to 1960 into a single database. Searches of the site are free and downloads of full-text articles are available by purchasing a pass (from 24-hours to one year) starting at around £10.

Irish Newspaper Archive : The world’s largest online database of Irish Newspapers, with many of Ireland’s leading national and regional titles. The archive ranges from the 1700’s to present, and is composed of scans of the entire newspaper page. Full-text searching is available for all titles included. Individuals are able to conduct an unlimited number of searches within a set time period for flat fees starting at 10 Euros.

The Jamaica Gleaner : This archive begins with 1834 and runs up to 2008. The entire newspaper is digitized, so you not only get article content, but also the pictures and ads. It is a paid subscription – $7.95 for one day’s unlimited access or a year for $50

British Museum Collection Online : Use this link to look for images within the British Museum Collection. I use it primarily to search for nineteenth century satirical prints.

Punch: or the London Charivari : Free Access to most years of this influential nineteenth-century illustrated humor periodical.

OldMapsOnline developed out of a love of history and heritage of old maps. The project began as a collaboration between Klokan Technologies GmbH, Switzerland and The Great Britain Historical GIS Project based at the University of Portsmouth, UK

1893 Map of London , layered over Google Earth. Amazing level of detail on this one when you zoom in, and a much more fun/intuitive interface than what’s used for Greenwood’s Map.

Studies in Scarlet: Marriage and Sexuality in the U.S. & U.K. (1815-1914):  Drawn from the Harvard Law School Library’s extensive trial collections, Studies in Scarlet presents images of the texts of more than 450 separately published trial narratives printed in the United States or the United Kingdom from 1815 until 1914.  The cases involve divorce, domestic violence, adultery, bigamy, breach of promise to marry, the custody of children, rape, and murder.  Includes trials of Queen Caroline and Oscar Wilde.

Internet Library of Early Journals : A joint project by the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford. Freely available digitized runs (thirty years or longer) of three 18th and three 19th century journals. Gentleman’s Magazine             Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society The Annual Register                 Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine Notes and Queries                    The Builder

Jamaican National Library : The Jamaican National Library is making portions of their collection freely available on the web. There are currently several digital archives up now, including a slave trade collection.

Spartacus Educational : A free, reliable, and a helpful way to keep yourself away from Wikipedia, especially when looking for biographical information on Britons.

BBC History : A free web resource with reliable information on British history.

Multimedia Timeline of British History : Created by the British Library, contains an extensive collection of primary source document images and commentary. More for education than research, but very well done.

Basic Timelines of British History: Timeline of Modern British History (1495 to 1950) Timeline of Nineteenth-Century British History (1783-1914)

Research Databases for Visual Images: National Portrait Gallery Image Database : Search more than 12,000 records from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery.

British Museum Image Database : There are currently 2,215,850 records available, which represent more than 3,500,000 objects.

Research Databases for Film British Pathé : Archives over 90,000 Historic Clips of British film from the late nineteenth century forward.

Yorkshire Film Archive : Contains hundreds of films reflecting Yorkshire life, landscape and culture from the 1890s to the present day.

Digital History: Research Tools and Methods The Programming Historian offers novice-friendly, peer-reviewed tutorials that help humanists learn a wide range of digital tools, techniques, and workflows to facilitate their research.

Some Useful Links for Those Interested in British History NACBS : North American Conference on British Studies (primary professional organization for British historians) British Scholar : A complement to the NACBS (with greater emphasis on Empire and  post-1688) H-Net : Featuring the H-Albion Discussion Group on British History IHR : Institute of Historical Research (London) Online Gallery of the British Library : Excellent rotating exhibits BBC NEWS The Guardian The Economist Mapping London

For Graduate Students Funding and Research Resources, British History : Comprehensive guide to Funding Sources for the study of British history, maintained by the North American Conference on British Studies.

The Archives Wiki of the American Historical Association (AHA): Excellent source for holdings and other other information on archives around the world.

ArchiveGrid : This website includes over four million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, and family histories, with over 1,000 different archival institutions represented.

Planning a Research Trip to Britain : Regularly updated by the webmaster of the Victoria Research Web, this site contains a great deal of useful information. The guide to dorm rooms for summer research trips is especially useful for inexpensive stays.

Kew Accommodations : Good guide to relatively inexpensive bed and breakfast options around the National Archives in Kew.

Academic Jobs Wiki : This wiki keeps updated information of Current Job Searches in academic disciplines.  Look under the “AHA Fields” for history positions.

The British Library : The starting point for many research projects in British history The National Archives : The second step for many research projects in British history

MUNDUS : A web-based guide to more than four hundred collections of overseas missionary materials held in the United Kingdom.

Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives : Nashville, TN – Contains microform copies of everything that is housed in the Angus Library, Regents Park College, Oxford, which holds all of the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS) records. The SBHLA gives the Lynn E. May Research Grant to help cover expenses (travel, photocopies, hotel) up to $700 (approximately).

U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present : A national directory from the Library of Congress of over 140,000 newspaper titles. The directory provides a list of libraries from around the country that have the newspapers in their collections.

FSU Digital Scholars : A cross-department discussion group meeting monthly.

Research Resources Available in Strozier Library, Florida State University: Primary Sources

The Times Digital Archive: 1785-1985 – Allows for full-text searching of the entire London Times for a two-hundred year period. Easy to use and extremely valuable for any number of research projects. AVAILABLE AT STROZIER – search the “Databases A-Z list” on the Strozier homepage.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers – Online Digital Access for Nineteenth-Century Parliamentary Papers: Digital access to the complete sessional papers issued by the House of Commons from 1800 to 1900. High-quality scans of all original documents and detailed subject indexing allow quick and easy searching, including accompanying illustrations, charts, and maps. AVAILABLE AT STROZIER – search the “Databases A-Z list” on the Strozier homepage. Print Access for Other Parliamentary Papers Resources in Strozier Library : click to download PDF handout.

Eighteenth-Century Collections Online (ECCO) – Based on The English Short Title Catalogue, listing the holdings of the British Library and more than 1,500 university, private and public libraries worldwide. This includes the full text of over 150,000 English-language books published between 1701-1800. AVAILABLE AT STROZIER – search the “Databases A-Z list” on the Strozier homepage.

The Burney Collection: 17th and 18th Century Newspapers – Based on the British Library newspaper collection, allows for full-text searching of nearly three million pages and over 20 million articles.

C19: The Nineteenth Century Index (Nineteenth Century Masterfile) A super-index to more that 16.8 million documents that includes the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature, and the Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue. AVAILABLE AT STROZIER – search the “Databases A-Z list” on the Strozier homepage.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography A ground-breaking and engaging reference work providing 50,000 specially-written signed biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of the British past, from the earliest times to the end of the year 2000. AVAILABLE AT STROZIER – search the “Databases A-Z list” on the Strozier Library homepage.

Other Online Databases for British History (currently not available at Strozier)

Empire Online: Database of primarily British primary sources. Access is via full-text searching and through various tabbed links (essays, documents, biographies) as well as via the “View Names” “View Topics” and “View Places” links under the search button. Section I: Cultural Contacts, 1492-1969 Section II: Empire Writing and the Literature of Empire Section III: The Visible Empire Section IV: Religion and Empire Section V: Race, Class and Colonialism, c1783-1969

The Making of the Modern World: The Goldsmiths’-Kress Library of Economic Literature, 1450-1850 (available from Gale) This collection follows the development of the modern, western world through the lens of trade and wealth – the driving force behind many of the major events during the period 1450-1850. It can be used to study slavery, colonization, social history, Latin America/Caribbean history, and gender, as well as economics, nation-state development and more. Strozier has the Goldsmiths’-Kress collection on microfilm, but not in this electronic database form (see below for call number information). (Available at Strozier on Microfilm only)

British Periodicals (available from Proquest) British Periodicals consists of collections that include over 500 periodicals from the late 17th century to the early 20th century – some 6 million pages. Allows for searching by content type for advertisements, letters, maps, and illustrations; detailed title histories with key editors and contributors; and integration with the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals (available separately) that reveals authors for unattributed articles or articles written under a pseudonym.

NEWSPAPERS .                       African Times, 1862-1892 (see Strozier online catalog) NP417             African Herald; Royal Gazette and Sierra Leone, 1817-1828 NP314             Bahama Gazette, 1784-1821 NP313             Quebec Gazette, 1764-1817 NP263             Canton Register, 1827-1843 NP265             Canton Press, 1838-1844 NP315             Royal Gazette, 1804-1837 NP258             Chinese Times, 1886-1891 NP264             Chinese Courier, 1831-32; 1850-1941 NP65               North China Herald (title varies) 1850-1941 NP261             Peking Daily News, 1909 NP262             Peking Post, 1910 NP259             Peking & Tientsin Times, 1894-1902 NP407             Early English Newspapers, 1620-1840 (analyzed; see guide below) NP401             Daily Advertiser, 1731-1795 NP345             London Gazette, 1665-1800 NP404             St James Chronicles, 1801-1866 NP12               Times (London) Index available online for years after 1905) NP353             Sunday Times (Index available online for years after 1905) NP347             Workers’ Dreadnought, 1914-1924 NP263             Hong Kong, Late Canton Register, 1827-1833 NP257             Daily Advertiser and Shipping Gazette, 1871-1876 NP255             Hong Kong Mercury and Shipping Gazette, 1866 NP448             Bombay Courier, 1793-1821 NP449             Calcutta Gazette, 1794-1816 NP450             Madras Courier, 1791-1818 NP52               Dublin Journal, 1809-1810 NP47               West Africa, 1917-1965 NP48               Hampshire Chronicle (Winchester), 1798-1816 NP49               Hull Packet, 1793-1816 NP50               Morning Chronicle (London), 1801-1815 NP51                Shrewsbury Chronicle, 1797-1815 .                        Manchester Guardian (See Strozier online catalog)

REFERENCE BOOKS AND INDEXES Cox, Susan M., Early English newspapers: bibliography and guide to the microfilm collection. STROZIER LIBRARY – Micromaterials – PN5114 .C68 1983

Palmegiano, E. M., The British Empire in the Victorian press, 1832-1867: a bibliography . New York : Garland Pub., 1987. STROZIER LIBRARY — Reference — Z2021.C7 P32 1987

Ward, William Smith., Literary reviews in British periodicals, 1821-1826: a bibliography with a supplementary list of general (non-review) articles on literary subjects. New York: Garland Pub., 1977. STROZIER LIBRARY — Reference — Z2013 .W36 1977 Shelved on Index Shelf 7

The Wellesley index to Victorian periodicals, 1824-1900: Tables of contents and identification of contributors, with bibliographies of their articles and stories . STROZIER LIBRARY — Reference — Z2005 .H6

MICROFORM SETS WITH GUIDES/INDEXES Mif 796-811 – Annuals (Various titles) Index: Micr Z2014 D7 E5 1985

PR15 – English literary periodicals, 1681-1914 CD-ROM Index to set: STROZIER LIBRARY — Reference — PN5124.P4 I532 1995 Index to London Magazine (Reels 79-84) Micr AP4 R53

NP268 – Early British periodicals Guide and Index: Micr Z6956.E5 B72 Index Reels 1-902

Mif 486 – History of the English Benedictine Congregation, 1558-1850 Guide: Micr BX3016 S64

Film 9441 – Papers of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton , 1786-1845 Guide: Micr DA 535 P37 1984

Film 9440 – Papers of John Cam Hobhouse , 1786-1869 Guide: Micr DA536 B75 A3 1987

Film 9393 – Repetories of the Court of Aldermen (London) 1495-1835 Guide: Micr DA676 C68 pt. 1-2

Film 9497 – India in the age of Empire: The Journals of Michael Pakenham Edgeworth (1812-1881) Guide: Micr DA475.2 E34 I53 1997

Film 9331 – John Stuart Mill: the economic, political, and feminist papers (The J.S. Mill, Harriet and Helen Taylor collection from the British Library of Political and Economic Science, London). Guide: Micr H59 M54 J64 1988

Film 9465 – Civil disturbance, Chartism, and riots in 19 th century England Guide: Micr HD8396 C58 1980 pt.1-2

Film 9447 – Condition of the English working class: the papers of the Rev. Henry Solly, 1812-1903 Guide: Micr HD8399 E5 E447 1989

Film 9255 – Sex research: early literature from statistics to erotica Guide: Micr HQ60 S49 1983

Film 4256 and Mif 4458 – Gerritsen collection of women’s history, 1543-1945 Guide: HQ 1121 G47 1983

Film 9302 – Radical and reforming periodicals for and by women Guide: Micr HQ1593 S62

Film 9535 – Women’s language and experience, c1500-1940: women’s diaries and related sources Guide: Micr HQ1593 W67 pt.1-3

Film 5870 – Anti-slavery collection from the Library of the Society of Friends Guide: Micr HT857 A52 1978

Film 9409 – Shanghai Municipal police files, 1894-1949 Guide: Micr HV7850 S5 G85 1984

Mif 557 – Diary of Beatrice Webb, 1873-1943 Index: Micr HX243 W4 A73 1978

Film 9292 – Helen Blackburn pamphlet collection from Girton College, Cambridge Guide: Micr JN979 B57 1987

Mif 1821 – British trials, 1660-1900 Guide: Micr KD370 B72 units 1-5

Film 9674 – Old Bailey proceedings Guide: Micr KD7865.2 C4 1984

Mif 1397 – 19 th century women writers Guide: Micr PR1110 W6 N56

Film 9309 – Charles Dickens research collection Guide: Micr PR4581 C46 1990

Film 1460 – 19 th century children’s literature Guide: Micr PZ5 N56

Mif 1404 – 19 th century publishing, the book trade, and the diffusion of knowledge Guide: Micr Z279 N56

Film 5868 and 5869P – History of photography Guide: Micr Z7134 H572 1892

Film 4318 – Goldsmiths’-Kress Library of economic literature Guide: Micr z7164 E2 G64

Film 9195 and Mif 1281 – Archives of the Fabian Society Guide: Micr Z7164 S67 A72

Film 5244 Great Britain. Foreign Office – Slave trade, 1858-1892: Correspondence with the British Commissioners at Sierra Leone, Havana, the Cape of Good Hope, Loanda, and New York; and reports from British Vice-Admiralty Courts, and from British Naval officers, relating to the slave trade. Guide: Micr Z7164 S6 G84

British Documents on Foreign Affairs (Print Sets) – Reports and papers from the Foreign Office confidential print.

Part I, From the mid-nineteenth century to the First World War. Series A, Russia, 1859-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY JX632 .B74 1983 v.1-6 Series B, The Near and Middle East, 1856-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY JX632 .B745 1984 v.1, v.3-20 Series C, North America, 1837-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY JX632 .B746 1986 v.1-15 Series D, Latin America, 1845-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY JX632 .B747 1991 v.1-9 Series E, Asia, 1860-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY JX632 .B748 1989 v.1-30 Series F, Europe, 1848-1914 – Remote Storage 2 Ask at Circulation JX632 .B7414 1987 v.1-35 Series G, Africa, 1848-1914 – STROZIER LIBRARY Subbasement – Ask at Circulation JX632 .B769 1995 v.1-25

Great Britain. Foreign Office. The Affairs of Kuwait, 1896-1905 STROZIER LIBRARY — Oversize — DS247.K87 G73 1971 v. 1-2

Great Britain. Foreign Office. British and Foreign State Papers Remote Storage 2  Ask at Circulation JX103 .A3 v. 1(1812/14)-v. 166 (1976)

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Education During Coronavirus

A Smithsonian magazine special report

Science | June 15, 2020

Seventy-Five Scientific Research Projects You Can Contribute to Online

From astrophysicists to entomologists, many researchers need the help of citizen scientists to sift through immense data collections

Rachael Lallensack

Former Assistant Editor, Science and Innovation

If you find yourself tired of streaming services, reading the news or video-chatting with friends, maybe you should consider becoming a citizen scientist. Though it’s true that many field research projects are paused , hundreds of scientists need your help sifting through wildlife camera footage and images of galaxies far, far away, or reading through diaries and field notes from the past.

Plenty of these tools are free and easy enough for children to use. You can look around for projects yourself on Smithsonian Institution’s citizen science volunteer page , National Geographic ’s list of projects and CitizenScience.gov ’s catalog of options. Zooniverse is a platform for online-exclusive projects , and Scistarter allows you to restrict your search with parameters, including projects you can do “on a walk,” “at night” or “on a lunch break.”

To save you some time, Smithsonian magazine has compiled a collection of dozens of projects you can take part in from home.

American Wildlife

If being home has given you more time to look at wildlife in your own backyard, whether you live in the city or the country, consider expanding your view, by helping scientists identify creatures photographed by camera traps. Improved battery life, motion sensors, high-resolution and small lenses have made camera traps indispensable tools for conservation.These cameras capture thousands of images that provide researchers with more data about ecosystems than ever before.

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s eMammal platform , for example, asks users to identify animals for conservation projects around the country. Currently, eMammal is being used by the Woodland Park Zoo ’s Seattle Urban Carnivore Project, which studies how coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats and other animals coexist with people, and the Washington Wolverine Project, an effort to monitor wolverines in the face of climate change. Identify urban wildlife for the Chicago Wildlife Watch , or contribute to wilderness projects documenting North American biodiversity with The Wilds' Wildlife Watch in Ohio , Cedar Creek: Eyes on the Wild in Minnesota , Michigan ZoomIN , Western Montana Wildlife and Snapshot Wisconsin .

"Spend your time at home virtually exploring the Minnesota backwoods,” writes the lead researcher of the Cedar Creek: Eyes on the Wild project. “Help us understand deer dynamics, possum populations, bear behavior, and keep your eyes peeled for elusive wolves!"

If being cooped up at home has you daydreaming about traveling, Snapshot Safari has six active animal identification projects. Try eyeing lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, elephants, giraffes, baobab trees and over 400 bird species from camera trap photos taken in South African nature reserves, including De Hoop Nature Reserve and Madikwe Game Reserve .

With South Sudan DiversityCam , researchers are using camera traps to study biodiversity in the dense tropical forests of southwestern South Sudan. Part of the Serenegeti Lion Project, Snapshot Serengeti needs the help of citizen scientists to classify millions of camera trap images of species traveling with the wildebeest migration.

Classify all kinds of monkeys with Chimp&See . Count, identify and track giraffes in northern Kenya . Watering holes host all kinds of wildlife, but that makes the locales hotspots for parasite transmission; Parasite Safari needs volunteers to help figure out which animals come in contact with each other and during what time of year.

Mount Taranaki in New Zealand is a volcanic peak rich in native vegetation, but native wildlife, like the North Island brown kiwi, whio/blue duck and seabirds, are now rare—driven out by introduced predators like wild goats, weasels, stoats, possums and rats. Estimate predator species compared to native wildlife with Taranaki Mounga by spotting species on camera trap images.

The Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) Instant Wild app has a dozen projects showcasing live images and videos of wildlife around the world. Look for bears, wolves and lynx in Croatia ; wildcats in Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula ; otters in Hampshire, England ; and both black and white rhinos in the Lewa-Borana landscape in Kenya.

Under the Sea

Researchers use a variety of technologies to learn about marine life and inform conservation efforts. Take, for example, Beluga Bits , a research project focused on determining the sex, age and pod size of beluga whales visiting the Churchill River in northern Manitoba, Canada. With a bit of training, volunteers can learn how to differentiate between a calf, a subadult (grey) or an adult (white)—and even identify individuals using scars or unique pigmentation—in underwater videos and images. Beluga Bits uses a “ beluga boat ,” which travels around the Churchill River estuary with a camera underneath it, to capture the footage and collect GPS data about the whales’ locations.

Many of these online projects are visual, but Manatee Chat needs citizen scientists who can train their ear to decipher manatee vocalizations. Researchers are hoping to learn what calls the marine mammals make and when—with enough practice you might even be able to recognize the distinct calls of individual animals.

Several groups are using drone footage to monitor seal populations. Seals spend most of their time in the water, but come ashore to breed. One group, Seal Watch , is analyzing time-lapse photography and drone images of seals in the British territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. A team in Antarctica captured images of Weddell seals every ten minutes while the seals were on land in spring to have their pups. The Weddell Seal Count project aims to find out what threats—like fishing and climate change—the seals face by monitoring changes in their population size. Likewise, the Año Nuevo Island - Animal Count asks volunteers to count elephant seals, sea lions, cormorants and more species on a remote research island off the coast of California.

With Floating Forests , you’ll sift through 40 years of satellite images of the ocean surface identifying kelp forests, which are foundational for marine ecosystems, providing shelter for shrimp, fish and sea urchins. A project based in southwest England, Seagrass Explorer , is investigating the decline of seagrass beds. Researchers are using baited cameras to spot commercial fish in these habitats as well as looking out for algae to study the health of these threatened ecosystems. Search for large sponges, starfish and cold-water corals on the deep seafloor in Sweden’s first marine park with the Koster seafloor observatory project.

The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center needs your help spotting invasive species with Invader ID . Train your eye to spot groups of organisms, known as fouling communities, that live under docks and ship hulls, in an effort to clean up marine ecosystems.

If art history is more your speed, two Dutch art museums need volunteers to start “ fishing in the past ” by analyzing a collection of paintings dating from 1500 to 1700. Each painting features at least one fish, and an interdisciplinary research team of biologists and art historians wants you to identify the species of fish to make a clearer picture of the “role of ichthyology in the past.”

Interesting Insects

Notes from Nature is a digitization effort to make the vast resources in museums’ archives of plants and insects more accessible. Similarly, page through the University of California Berkeley’s butterfly collection on CalBug to help researchers classify these beautiful critters. The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology has already digitized about 300,000 records, but their collection exceeds 4 million bugs. You can hop in now and transcribe their grasshopper archives from the last century . Parasitic arthropods, like mosquitos and ticks, are known disease vectors; to better locate these critters, the Terrestrial Parasite Tracker project is working with 22 collections and institutions to digitize over 1.2 million specimens—and they’re 95 percent done . If you can tolerate mosquito buzzing for a prolonged period of time, the HumBug project needs volunteers to train its algorithm and develop real-time mosquito detection using acoustic monitoring devices. It’s for the greater good!

For the Birders

Birdwatching is one of the most common forms of citizen science . Seeing birds in the wilderness is certainly awe-inspiring, but you can birdwatch from your backyard or while walking down the sidewalk in big cities, too. With Cornell University’s eBird app , you can contribute to bird science at any time, anywhere. (Just be sure to remain a safe distance from wildlife—and other humans, while we social distance ). If you have safe access to outdoor space—a backyard, perhaps—Cornell also has a NestWatch program for people to report observations of bird nests. Smithsonian’s Migratory Bird Center has a similar Neighborhood Nest Watch program as well.

Birdwatching is easy enough to do from any window, if you’re sheltering at home, but in case you lack a clear view, consider these online-only projects. Nest Quest currently has a robin database that needs volunteer transcribers to digitize their nest record cards.

You can also pitch in on a variety of efforts to categorize wildlife camera images of burrowing owls , pelicans , penguins (new data coming soon!), and sea birds . Watch nest cam footage of the northern bald ibis or greylag geese on NestCams to help researchers learn about breeding behavior.

Or record the coloration of gorgeous feathers across bird species for researchers at London’s Natural History Museum with Project Plumage .

Pretty Plants

If you’re out on a walk wondering what kind of plants are around you, consider downloading Leafsnap , an electronic field guide app developed by Columbia University, the University of Maryland and the Smithsonian Institution. The app has several functions. First, it can be used to identify plants with its visual recognition software. Secondly, scientists can learn about the “ the ebb and flow of flora ” from geotagged images taken by app users.

What is older than the dinosaurs, survived three mass extinctions and still has a living relative today? Ginko trees! Researchers at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History are studying ginko trees and fossils to understand millions of years of plant evolution and climate change with the Fossil Atmospheres project . Using Zooniverse, volunteers will be trained to identify and count stomata, which are holes on a leaf’s surface where carbon dioxide passes through. By counting these holes, or quantifying the stomatal index, scientists can learn how the plants adapted to changing levels of carbon dioxide. These results will inform a field experiment conducted on living trees in which a scientist is adjusting the level of carbon dioxide for different groups.

Help digitize and categorize millions of botanical specimens from natural history museums, research institutions and herbaria across the country with the Notes from Nature Project . Did you know North America is home to a variety of beautiful orchid species? Lend botanists a handby typing handwritten labels on pressed specimens or recording their geographic and historic origins for the New York Botanical Garden’s archives. Likewise, the Southeastern U.S. Biodiversity project needs assistance labeling pressed poppies, sedums, valerians, violets and more. Groups in California , Arkansas , Florida , Texas and Oklahoma all invite citizen scientists to partake in similar tasks.

Historic Women in Astronomy

Become a transcriber for Project PHaEDRA and help researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics preserve the work of Harvard’s women “computers” who revolutionized astronomy in the 20th century. These women contributed more than 130 years of work documenting the night sky, cataloging stars, interpreting stellar spectra, counting galaxies, and measuring distances in space, according to the project description .

More than 2,500 notebooks need transcription on Project PhaEDRA - Star Notes . You could start with Annie Jump Cannon , for example. In 1901, Cannon designed a stellar classification system that astronomers still use today. Cecilia Payne discovered that stars are made primarily of hydrogen and helium and can be categorized by temperature. Two notebooks from Henrietta Swan Leavitt are currently in need of transcription. Leavitt, who was deaf, discovered the link between period and luminosity in Cepheid variables, or pulsating stars, which “led directly to the discovery that the Universe is expanding,” according to her bio on Star Notes .

Volunteers are also needed to transcribe some of these women computers’ notebooks that contain references to photographic glass plates . These plates were used to study space from the 1880s to the 1990s. For example, in 1890, Williamina Flemming discovered the Horsehead Nebula on one of these plates . With Star Notes, you can help bridge the gap between “modern scientific literature and 100 years of astronomical observations,” according to the project description . Star Notes also features the work of Cannon, Leavitt and Dorrit Hoffleit , who authored the fifth edition of the Bright Star Catalog, which features 9,110 of the brightest stars in the sky.

Microscopic Musings

Electron microscopes have super-high resolution and magnification powers—and now, many can process images automatically, allowing teams to collect an immense amount of data. Francis Crick Institute’s Etch A Cell - Powerhouse Hunt project trains volunteers to spot and trace each cell’s mitochondria, a process called manual segmentation. Manual segmentation is a major bottleneck to completing biological research because using computer systems to complete the work is still fraught with errors and, without enough volunteers, doing this work takes a really long time.

For the Monkey Health Explorer project, researchers studying the social behavior of rhesus monkeys on the tiny island Cayo Santiago off the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico need volunteers to analyze the monkeys’ blood samples. Doing so will help the team understand which monkeys are sick and which are healthy, and how the animals’ health influences behavioral changes.

Using the Zooniverse’s app on a phone or tablet, you can become a “ Science Scribbler ” and assist researchers studying how Huntington disease may change a cell’s organelles. The team at the United Kingdom's national synchrotron , which is essentially a giant microscope that harnesses the power of electrons, has taken highly detailed X-ray images of the cells of Huntington’s patients and needs help identifying organelles, in an effort to see how the disease changes their structure.

Oxford University’s Comprehensive Resistance Prediction for Tuberculosis: an International Consortium—or CRyPTIC Project , for short, is seeking the aid of citizen scientists to study over 20,000 TB infection samples from around the world. CRyPTIC’s citizen science platform is called Bash the Bug . On the platform, volunteers will be trained to evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotics on a given sample. Each evaluation will be checked by a scientist for accuracy and then used to train a computer program, which may one day make this process much faster and less labor intensive.

Out of This World

If you’re interested in contributing to astronomy research from the comfort and safety of your sidewalk or backyard, check out Globe at Night . The project monitors light pollution by asking users to try spotting constellations in the night sky at designated times of the year . (For example, Northern Hemisphere dwellers should look for the Bootes and Hercules constellations from June 13 through June 22 and record the visibility in Globe at Night’s app or desktop report page .)

For the amateur astrophysicists out there, the opportunities to contribute to science are vast. NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission is asking for volunteers to search for new objects at the edges of our solar system with the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project .

Galaxy Zoo on Zooniverse and its mobile app has operated online citizen science projects for the past decade. According to the project description, there are roughly one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. Surprisingly, identifying different types of galaxies by their shape is rather easy. “If you're quick, you may even be the first person to see the galaxies you're asked to classify,” the team writes.

With Radio Galaxy Zoo: LOFAR , volunteers can help identify supermassive blackholes and star-forming galaxies. Galaxy Zoo: Clump Scout asks users to look for young, “clumpy” looking galaxies, which help astronomers understand galaxy evolution.

If current events on Earth have you looking to Mars, perhaps you’d be interested in checking out Planet Four and Planet Four: Terrains —both of which task users with searching and categorizing landscape formations on Mars’ southern hemisphere. You’ll scroll through images of the Martian surface looking for terrain types informally called “spiders,” “baby spiders,” “channel networks” and “swiss cheese.”

Gravitational waves are telltale ripples in spacetime, but they are notoriously difficult to measure. With Gravity Spy , citizen scientists sift through data from Laser Interferometer Gravitational­-Wave Observatory, or LIGO , detectors. When lasers beamed down 2.5-mile-long “arms” at these facilities in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington are interrupted, a gravitational wave is detected. But the detectors are sensitive to “glitches” that, in models, look similar to the astrophysical signals scientists are looking for. Gravity Spy teaches citizen scientists how to identify fakes so researchers can get a better view of the real deal. This work will, in turn, train computer algorithms to do the same.

Similarly, the project Supernova Hunters needs volunteers to clear out the “bogus detections of supernovae,” allowing researchers to track the progression of actual supernovae. In Hubble Space Telescope images, you can search for asteroid tails with Hubble Asteroid Hunter . And with Planet Hunters TESS , which teaches users to identify planetary formations, you just “might be the first person to discover a planet around a nearby star in the Milky Way,” according to the project description.

Help astronomers refine prediction models for solar storms, which kick up dust that impacts spacecraft orbiting the sun, with Solar Stormwatch II. Thanks to the first iteration of the project, astronomers were able to publish seven papers with their findings.

With Mapping Historic Skies , identify constellations on gorgeous celestial maps of the sky covering a span of 600 years from the Adler Planetarium collection in Chicago. Similarly, help fill in the gaps of historic astronomy with Astronomy Rewind , a project that aims to “make a holistic map of images of the sky.”

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Rachael Lallensack | READ MORE

Rachael Lallensack is the former assistant web editor for science and innovation at Smithsonian .

220+ Captivating History Project Topics For Students In 2023

History projects are a fascinating gateway to the past, allowing students to delve into the annals of time, discover intriguing stories, and gain a deeper understanding of our world’s evolution. But what exactly are history projects? These are comprehensive assignments that engage students in researching, analyzing, and presenting historical events, figures, or themes.

In today’s world, the importance of history projects in a student’s life cannot be overstated. They foster critical thinking, research skills, and a sense of connection to the past, making them valuable learning tools. However, the key to a successful history project lies in understanding the essential elements it should encompass.

In this blog, we will explore the world of history project topics, providing a list of over 220 captivating ideas for students in 2023. We’ll also share tips for selecting the best topics and highlight common mistakes to avoid. Stay tuned with us to uncover the exciting realm of history project topics.

What Are History Projects?

Table of Contents

History projects are educational assignments where students explore and investigate events, people, or themes from the past. These projects typically require students to conduct research, gather information, and present their findings in various formats. 

In a history project, students might choose a specific historical topic that interests them, such as a famous historical figure, an important event, or a particular time period. They then gather information from sources like books, articles, and websites, and sometimes even conduct interviews or surveys. Once they have collected their data, they organize it and create a presentation, report, or other creative work to share their discoveries with their classmates and teachers. This process helps students gain a deeper understanding of history and strengthens their research, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Importance Of History Projects In Student’s Life

Here are some importance of history projects in student’s life: 

1. Clear Topic and Question

A good history project should have a clear and focused topic or question. This helps students stay on track and ensures the project’s purpose is evident.

2. Research and Sources

Thorough research is crucial. Students should use a variety of reliable sources, like books, articles, and interviews, to gather information and support their project.

3. Organization and Structure

A well-organized project is essential. Students should structure their work with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to make it easy for others to follow.

4. Visuals and Creativity

Visual elements and creativity enhance a history project. Using images, charts, and creative presentation methods can make the project more engaging and informative.

5. Proper Citations

To maintain academic integrity, students should include proper citations for all sources used. This shows respect for others’ work and helps avoid plagiarism issues.

Elements Must Be Present In A Good History Project

Here are some elements that must be present in a good history project:

In this section we provide 220+ captivating history project topics for students in 2023:

Ancient Civilizations

• The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire.
• Ancient Greece: Democracy and Philosophy.
• The Pyramids of Giza: Engineering Marvels of Ancient Egypt.
• Mesopotamia: Cradle of Civilization.
• The Indus Valley Civilization: Uncovering an Enigmatic Society.
• Mayan Civilization: Astronomy and Mathematics.
• Inca Empire: Engineering and Road Systems.
• Ancient China: The Great Wall and the Silk Road.
• The Olmec Civilization: Mesoamerica’s First Great Culture.
• Carthage and Rome: Punic Wars and Mediterranean Dominance.
• Ancient India: Maurya and Gupta Empires.
• The Hittites: Masters of Iron and Diplomacy.
• The Persian Empire: Darius and Xerxes.
• The Hellenistic Era: Alexander the Great’s Legacy.
• The Sumerians: Early Urbanization and Writing Systems.
• The Causes of World War I.
• The Treaty of Versailles: Seeds of World War II.
• The Battle of Stalingrad: Turning Point in World War II.
• The Holocaust: Nazi Atrocities and Genocide.
• D-Day and the Normandy Invasion.
• The race to build the first nuclear weapon is known as the Manhattan Project.
• The Nuremberg Trials: Accountability for War Crimes.
• The Pacific Theater in World War II: Island Hopping and the Atomic Bomb.
• The Cold War: The United States and the Soviet Union.
• The Cuban Missile Crisis: Brinkmanship and Diplomacy.
• The Armenian Genocide: A Forgotten Tragedy.
• The African Front in World War I and II.
• The Home Front: Civilian Experiences During World War II.
• The Treaty of Tordesillas: Impact on Colonial Expansion.
• The Russian Revolution: Bolsheviks and the Fall of the Tsar.

Civil Rights Movements

• The United States Civil Right Movement: Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
• Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela’s Struggle.
• Women’s Suffrage: The Fight for Women’s Voting Rights.
• The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Stonewall Riots and Beyond.
• Indigenous Rights Movements: Native American and Aboriginal Struggles.
• Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers’ Movement.
• The Anti-Apartheid Movement Worldwide.
• Disability Rights Advocacy: Americans with Disabilities Act.
• The Black Lives Matter Movement.
• LGBTQ+ Rights in Modern Europe.
• Environmental Justice: The Intersection of Civil Rights and Ecology.
• Disability Rights: International Perspectives.
• The Arab Spring: Protests and Uprisings in the Middle East.
• Human Rights in the 20th Century: Key Milestones.
• The 1960s and 1970s Women’s Liberation Movement.

Industrial Revolution

• The Impact of the Steam Engine on Industry.
• Child Labor in the Industrial Revolution.
• Urbanization and the Industrial Revolution.
• The Cotton Gin: Revolutionizing Agriculture.
• Innovations in Transportation: Trains and Steamships.
• The Factory System: Labor Conditions and Organizing.
• Technological Advancements in Textile Manufacturing.
• Urban Planning and the Industrial City.
• The Luddites: Workers’ Resistance to Machinery.
• Economic Impact of the Industrial Revolution.
• The Role of Women in the Industrial Workforce.
• The Spread of Industrialization to Europe and Beyond.
• Industrial Revolution in Japan: Meiji Restoration.
• Iron and Steel Industry: Building the Modern World.
• Environmental Consequences of Industrialization.

Medieval History

• The Crusades: Holy Wars and Their Impact.
• Feudalism in Medieval Europe: Lords, Vassals, and Serfs.
• The Black Death: Plague and Its Consequences.
• The Round Table Legends and King Arthur.
• The Viking Age: Raiders and Explorers.
• Charlemagne: Carolingian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.
• Byzantine Empire: The Eastern Roman Legacy.
• Medieval Castles: Fortifications and Siege Warfare.
• The Hundred Years’ War: England and France.
• Medieval Chivalry and Knights.
• Islamic Golden Age: Science, Medicine, and Philosophy.
• The Inquisition: Heresy and Religious Persecution.
• Joan of Arc: The Maid of Orleans.
• Medieval Monasticism: Monks and Monasteries.
• Gothic Architecture: Cathedrals and Church Building.

Ancient Egypt

• Pharaohs of Egypt: Power and Religion.
• Hieroglyphics and the Rosetta Stone.
• Tutankhamun’s Tomb: Discovery and Treasures.
• Ancient Egyptian Medicine and Healing Practices.
• The Nile River: Lifeblood of Ancient Egypt.
• Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture.
• The Great Sphinx: Symbolism and Mystery.
• Akhenaten and the Amarna Period.
• Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh of Egypt.
• Nubia: The Land of Ancient Kush.
• Ancient Egyptian Mummies and Burial Practices.
• Ancient Egyptian Mathematics and Geometry.
• The Book of the Dead: A Guide to the Afterlife.
• Ancient Egyptian Trade and Commerce.
• The Pyramid of Khufu (Great Pyramid): Construction and Purpose.

American Revolution

• The Boston Tea Party: Prelude to Revolution.
• The Declaration of Independence: Birth of a Nation.
• George Washington: Leadership in the Revolutionary War.
• The Battles of Lexington and Concord.
• The Loyalists: British Sympathizers in America.
• Women in the American Revolution.
• The Revolution’s Impact on Native Americans.
• The Continental Congress: Shaping the United States.
• African Americans in the Revolutionary Era.
• The Enlightenment and its Influence on American Revolution.
• The Siege of Yorktown: Final Battle of Independence.
• The Articles of Confederation: Early Government Challenges.
• The Marquis de Lafayette: A French Hero of the Revolution.
• The Constitutional Convention: Crafting the U.S. Constitution.

Colonial History

• Jamestown: The First Permanent English Settlement.
• The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony.
• The Mayflower Compact: Early American Governance.
• Roanoke Colony: The Lost Colony Mystery.
• New Amsterdam and Dutch Colonialism.
• The Salem Witch Trials: Hysteria and Accusations.
• The Spanish Colonization of the Americas.
• French and Indian War: Impact on North America.
• The Proprietors of Carolina: Origins of Southern Colonies.
• The New England Colonies: Puritans and Religious Freedom.
• Slavery in the Colonial Era.
• The Navigation Acts and Colonial Trade.
• The Albany Plan of Union: A Step Toward Independence.
• Indentured Servitude: Labor in the Colonies.
• The Triangular Trade: Commerce and the Slave Trade.

Women in History

• Susan B. Anthony: Pioneering Women’s Suffrage Activist.
• Hatshepsut: Ancient Egypt’s Female Pharaoh.
• Marie Curie: Breakthroughs in Science and Gender Barriers.
• Sojourner Truth: Advocate for Abolition and Women’s Rights.
• Queen Victoria: The Longest-Reigning British Monarch.
• Rosa Parks and Ella Baker were two women involved in the Civil Rights Movement.
• Hypatia of Alexandria: Scholar and Mathematician.
• Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady of British Politics.
• Women in World War II: Rosie the Riveter and Beyond.
• Malala Yousafzai: Advocating for Girls’ Education.
• Harriet Tubman: Leading the Underground Railroad.
• Queen Isabella I of Castile: Patron of Columbus and Spanish Expansion.
• The Brontë Sisters: Literary Contributions in the 19th Century.
• Hatsune Miku: The Virtual Pop Star and Technological Impact.
• Empress Matilda: A Heir’s Quest for the English Throne.

Environmental History

• The Dust Bowl: Environmental Disaster in the Great Plains.
• Silent Spring: Rachel Carson and the Environmental Movement.
• The Green Revolution: Agricultural Innovation and Challenges.
• Deforestation and its Global Impact.
• The Kyoto Protocol: International Climate Agreements.
• The Clean Water Act: Protecting Water Resources.
• Extinction Events in Earth’s History.
• National Parks System: Preserving Natural Wonders.
• The Love Canal Disaster: Environmental Contamination.
• Ecofeminism: Women’s Rights and Environmentalism.
• Ocean Pollution and Marine Conservation.
• Earth Day: Origins and Environmental Activism.
• Chernobyl Disaster: Nuclear Energy and Environmental Catastrophe.
• The Cuyahoga River Fire: Sparking Environmental Regulation.
• Solar Power Revolution: Sustainable Energy Solutions.

History of Science and Technology

• The Copernican Revolution: Heliocentrism and its Impact.
• The Gutenberg Printing Press: Spreading Knowledge.
• The Space Race: Cold War Competition and Exploration.
• The Internet: Birth and Evolution of the World Wide Web.
• The Steam Locomotive: Transforming Transportation.
• The Theory of Evolution: Charles Darwin and Natural Selection.
• The Manhattan Project: Science and the Atomic Bomb.
• The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of Powered Flight.
• The Human Genome Project: Decoding Life’s Blueprint.
• The Smartphone Revolution: Changing Modern Society.
• The Electron Microscope: Revealing the Microscopic World.
• The History of Medicine: Advancements in Health Care.
• The Transistor: The Foundation of Modern Electronics.
• The Green Revolution: Agricultural Innovation and Food Security.
• The History of Cryptography: From Caesar Ciphers to Cybersecurity.

Native American History

• The Trail of Tears: Forced Removal of Native American Tribes.
• Native American Tribes of the Great Plains: Nomadic Cultures.
• The Iroquois Confederacy: Political Structure and Diplomacy.
• Wounded Knee Massacre: The End of the Indian Wars.
• The Navajo Code Talkers: Native American Contributions in World War II.
• The Pueblo Revolt: Indigenous Resistance in Spanish America.
• Cahokia Mounds: Ancient Native American City in North America.
• Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest: Cultural Symbols.
• The Apache Wars: Conflicts in the Southwest.
• The Ghost Dance Movement: Spiritual Renewal and Resistance.
• Native American Treaties and Broken Promises.
• The Mound Builders: Pre-Columbian Indigenous Civilizations.
• Native American Art and Pottery.
• The Cherokee Nation: Removal and Rebuilding.
• Native American Languages: Preservation and Revival Efforts.

Cultural and Artistic Movements

• The Harlem Renaissance: African American Cultural Revival.
• Surrealism: Artistic Exploration of the Unconscious.
• The Beat Generation: Literary Rebellion and Counterculture.
• Renaissance Art: Masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
• The Bauhaus School: Influences on Modern Design and Architecture.
• Impressionism: Capturing Light and Atmosphere in Art.
• Romanticism in Music: Beethoven and the Expressive Symphony.
• Abstract Expressionism: Artistic Freedom and Expression.
• Dadaism: Anti-Art and the Avant-Garde.
• Baroque Music: Bach, Handel, and the Ornate Style.
• Pop Art: Consumer Culture and Mass Media.
• Chinese Cultural Revolution: Art, Politics, and Propaganda.
• Art Nouveau: Nature and Ornamental Design.
• Neo-Classicism: Reviving Ancient Styles in Art and Architecture.
• Expressionist Cinema: Silent Film and German Expressionism.

Modern Political History

• The Cold War: Ideological Conflict and Superpower Rivalry.
• Decolonization in Africa: Nationalism and Independence Movements.
• The European Union: Integration and Cooperation.
• Germany was once again united with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• The Arab-Israeli Conflict: A History of Tensions.
• The Vietnam War: Controversies and Consequences.
• The Korean War: Division and Stalemate.
• The Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro and Communism in the Americas.
• Apartheid in South Africa: Racial Segregation and Resistance.
• The Rwandan Genocide: Ethnic Conflict and International Response.
• The Islamic Republic’s ascent during the Iranian Revolution.
• The Falklands War: Sovereignty Dispute in the South Atlantic.
• The European Refugee Crisis: Migration and Global Impact.
• The Arab Spring: Protests and Political Change in the Middle East.

The Renaissance Era

• Leonardo da Vinci: Renaissance Man and Polymath.
• Michelangelo: Sculptor of the Renaissance.
• The Medici Family: Patrons of the Arts and Politics.
• Humanism and Renaissance Literature: Petrarch and Boccaccio.
• The Invention of the Printing Press: Gutenberg’s Impact on Knowledge.
• The Italian Wars: Conflicts of the Renaissance.
• The Sistine Chapel Ceiling: Michelangelo’s Masterpiece.
• Renaissance Architecture: The Beauty of Florence and Venice.
• Copernicus and the Heliocentric Model: Revolutionizing Astronomy.
• Raphael and His Artistic Legacy.
• The Reformation: Martin Luther and the Challenge to the Catholic Church.
• The Age of Exploration: Vasco da Gama and Columbus.
• The Scientific Revolution: Galileo, Kepler, and Newton.
• The Enlightenment: Rationalism and Philosophical Change.
• The Baroque Period: Transition from the Renaissance to the Modern Era.
• Podcast Topic Ideas 
• MBA HR Project Topics

Tips For Choosing The Best History Project Topics

Here are some tips for choosing the best history project topics:

Tip 1: Personal Interest

Select a history project topic that genuinely interests you. When you are passionate about the subject, it makes the research and presentation more enjoyable and compelling.

Tip 2: Relevance

Ensure your topic is relevant to the course or historical period you’re studying. A well-matched topic will align with your curriculum and help you gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Tip 3: Availability of Resources

Check if there are enough resources available for your chosen topic. Adequate books, articles, and online sources will make your research process smoother.

Tip 4: Scope and Manageability

Pick a topic that is manageable within your project’s timeframe. A topic that is too broad may result in a superficial presentation, while one that is too narrow might lack sufficient information for a comprehensive project.

Tip 5: Unique Perspective

Consider approaching your topic from a unique angle or perspective. This can make your project stand out and offer a fresh insight into a well-studied historical subject.

Common Mistakes That Must Be Avoid In History Project

In history projects, several common mistakes can hinder the overall quality and impact of your work. These mistakes should be avoided to ensure that your project is informative, well-researched, and effectively presented. Here are some common pitfalls to steer clear of:

• Lack of Clear Structure: If your project isn’t structured with a distinct introduction, body, and conclusion, it might be challenging for readers to follow your story.
• Inadequate Research: Relying on a limited number of sources or not thoroughly investigating the topic can lead to incomplete or inaccurate information.
• Plagiarism: Failing to properly attribute sources and ideas can result in plagiarism , a serious academic offense.
• Overcomplicated Language: Using overly complex language or terminology can make your project less accessible and harder to understand.
• Lack of Visuals: Neglecting to include relevant images, charts, or visuals can make your project less engaging and informative.
• Ignoring Citations: Failing to provide proper citations for your sources can lead to a loss of credibility and academic integrity.
• Procrastination: Waiting until the last minute to work on your project can result in rushed, subpar work that doesn’t reflect your true capabilities.

In conclusion, history projects are a valuable educational tool that enhances learning, critical thinking, research, and communication skills for students. To create a successful history project, it’s important to have a clear topic, comprehensive research, effective organization, and creativity with visuals. Proper citations are essential, and avoiding common mistakes like plagiarism and procrastination is crucial. We’ve also provided an extensive list of captivating history project topics to spark students’ interest. By following these guidelines and embracing the opportunities history projects offer, students can develop a deeper connection to the past, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the complexities and richness of history.

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Early modern mobility: knowledge, communication and transportation, 1500-1800.

A two year project of teaching, research, and publications supported by a UPS grant and the HPS program, STS, Urban Studies, Communications and Spatial History Lab.

Mapping the Republic of Letters

Mapping the Republic of Letters  is a collaborative, interdisciplinary, and international project in the digital humanities involving faculty, staff, and students. Since 2008, the scope of the project has been creating visualizations to analyze "big data" relating to the world of early-modern scholars focusing primarily on their correspondence, travel, and social networks. While quantitative metrics to examine the scope and dimensions of the data are utilized, the project remains committed to the qualitative methodologies of the humanities.

Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering, and Environment

Professor Londa Schiebinger's internationally funded and peer-reviewed project to employ sex and gender analysis within the fields of Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering and the Environment. Gendered Innovations as a resource to create new knowledge and technology.

The  Gendered Innovations  project:

• develops practical methods of sex and gender analysis for scientists and engineers;
• provides case studies as concrete illustrations of how sex and gender analysis leads to innovation.

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• Jens Amborg, PhD candidate, Humboldt Student Researcher from Uppsala Sweden; and
• Huimin Huang, PhD candidate, China

10 History Passion Project Ideas for High School Students

By Jin Chow

Co-founder of Polygence, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education

By Jordan Ellington

Project Support Manager at Polygence

5 minute read

If past events fascinate you or if you truly feel as if you were born in the wrong century, you should consider becoming a historian! Knowing when, why, and how decisions have been made over time is a great skill to have. Those who possess a good understanding of the outcomes of past events have the upper hand in helping create a better future.

Explore this topic even further by conducting your own history research project! Here’s a list of 10 history passion project ideas to get you started.

Interesting History Project Ideas to Research and Explore

1) history research paper about your favorite event.

Jump in and get your hands dirty by exploring your favorite historical event! Once you choose your theme, identify your primary questions, find primary sources, and study up on your topic, draft your findings into a history research paper. 

Idea by previous history research mentor Charles

Do your own research through polygence

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own.

2) Research Your Family History

Gain a better understanding of your family’s past and the historical events surrounding your ancestors. Start by interviewing your relatives and listening to their stories to collect as much information as possible. Ask questions about your ancestors, and places where they’ve lived, collect documents, record oral histories, etc. By using the information given, you can do a deeper dive into your family's past. Write your own family’s history or create a podcast!

Idea by history research mentor Luther

3) Explore Comparative (Ancient) History Topics

Conduct a research paper focused on an ancient historical event of your choosing. Once your topic is chosen, determine a research gap within your event that you would like to explore further. From there, identify five research questions revolving around your event gap that can help you fill in the blanks. Do your research to find the answers to your questions!

Idea by previous history research mentor Supratik

4) History vs. Hollywood

Choose a few different movies that revolve around real historical events. After watching the movies and taking detailed notes, do your research by reading up on each of these topics. How realistic are the movies? What information was added, left out, or exaggerated?

Idea by previous history research mentor Holly 

5) Propaganda in World War II

If the Second World War fascinates you, this is your project! Pull together as many pieces of propaganda from that period as you can find. This could range from anything relating to a poster, milk carton, comic book, etc. Analyzing your findings will provide you with an understanding of the different reactions portrayed through society at this time. How does this compare to today?

Idea by history research mentor Jonathan  

6) Create a Video or Podcast About History

Choose a recent event that revolves around race and capitalism within the U.S. Pull together articles, news stories, and social media posts to view the different reactions to this event that occurred. Compare this current event to a similar past event and create a podcast or video of your findings. 

Idea by previous history research mentor Samantha

Jump into the past

Interested in History? We'll match you with an expert mentor who will help you explore your next project.

7) The Interwar Herald: News of the World

Are you intrigued by the roaring 20s? If so, create your newspaper revolving around historical events from the 1920s! Choose multiple different news stories from that time and get creative. Get creative and design your paper using pictures, articles, ads, interviews, and letters all from that time period.  

Idea by previous history research mentor Erin

8) Finding Global History in China

Learn more about the history of China! Choose a specific time period and topic revolving around Chinese history that you would like to further explore. Conduct a research paper summarizing your findings.

Idea by previous history research mentor John

9) Henry VIII - The Misunderstood Tyrant

If you like to hear about the drama of other people's lives, studying up on Henry VIII might also entertain you! Henry is best remembered for establishing the Church of England and having six wives, but there has to be more to him than that. Dive into this project to uncover the secrets of this notorious British monarch!

Idea by previous history research mentor Rebecca

10) Nature's Past: Let's Do Environmental History!

When you think of “history” you might think of politics and battles but it is so much more than that! Instead of writing a paper on a specific event, try focusing on the environment and the material world. How much better was the environment when everyone rode horses instead of driving cars? What environmental problems did society face in the past and how do those compare or differ from today? 

Idea by previous history research mentor Gustave

Independent High School Research Project About History

Interested in taking part in a dedicated history research program for high school students ? Explore some of our previous students’ history research projects , or learn more about how to get started on your own history research project !

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Decades Project for US History

March 16, 2023

Have you ever assigned a decades project for your US History class?  It’s the end of the year.   You’ve finished your US History curriculum and need something engaging for students to go as an end of the year project?  It’s time to try a US History end of the year decades project!

Are you like me?

It’s May and standardized testing season is over.  You feel like you’ve done all of the fun review activities you can handle for the year.  You need to keep your students engaged and everyone is exhausted!  You want something that students can do independently that will hold their interest.  Sound familiar?

I have tried several projects over the years:  Oral History projects, “pick a topic from this year and research deeper”, Instagram summaries, etc.  All of these were fine, but I found that students really didn’t “get into them” and the work they produced was just ok.  

What is a decades project?

I created a one-pager type summary page for each decade covering the 1920s – 2010s.  Students will research a decade and create images for a variety of topics that relate to that decade.  Finally, they explain how each image relates to the decade they chose.  

The final product is a highly visual representation of each decade!

Benefits of a decades project?

• High interest due to student choice and topics
• Independent research means no direct teaching from you!
• Hand drawn or digital – students get to choose!
• Students love to research the “non history” stuff of a decade such as fashion and music.

How does it work?

• I created a sign up sheet for each decade.
• Students sign up for the decade of their choice.  I capped each decade at 4 because, let’s be honest, 1999s rap is cool.
• After students sign up, they choose to complete the digital version or hand drawn version.
• Students begin their research on the following topics for their decade:  fashion, innovations, music, fads, key events, literature, popular culture, kids/toys.  
• For each topic, students would include 4 images.  You could require more or less.
• I allowed students to include keywords with their visuals, but told them not to use sentences.  The point is to have each decade be a visual representation.
• I required students to use color and be neat.
• Students created a separate document/paper that explained each image for the decade.  They stapled it to their decades page or added a slide before turning it in. 

Student feedback?

Students love this project.  They love the ability to have free research time and that they can be creative.  

Why do I love it?

• The creativity students have is outstanding!
• I love the high quality work they produce on this project!
• We have been so content/standards driven all year, it’s nice to allow students a chance to breathe and research the fun stuff!  
• While they are working I can wrap up end of the year requirements for my school, like grades.

High interest, low stress = it’s a win, win for both teachers and students.  Check out this free and editable decades project and let me know how your students love it! 

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