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300+ American History Research Paper Topics

American History Research Paper Topics

American history is a vast and complex subject that encompasses a wide range of events, movements, and individuals who have shaped the country’s past and present. From the struggles for independence and civil rights to the exploration and settlement of the continent, American history provides an abundance of topics for research papers . Whether you’re interested in politics, social issues, cultural trends, or military history, there are numerous topics to choose from that will help you delve deeper into the fascinating story of the United States. In this arcticle, we will explore some of the most compelling and thought-provoking American history topics that you can choose to explore in your own research .

American History Research Paper Topics

American History Research Paper Topics are as follows:

  • The Salem witch trials: religious hysteria and persecution.
  • The California Gold Rush: immigration and economic boom.
  • The Harlem Renaissance: cultural movements and African American creativity.
  • The Stonewall riots: LGBTQ+ rights and activism.
  • The Underground Railroad: abolitionist movement and escape from slavery.
  • The New York City Draft Riots: racial tensions and class conflict during the Civil War.
  • The Battle of Little Bighorn: Native American resistance and US expansionism.
  • The Scopes Monkey Trial: evolution and religion in the public school system.
  • The assassination of Abraham Lincoln: political upheaval and the aftermath.
  • The Bracero Program: labor migration and Mexican American relations.
  • The Japanese American internment: civil liberties and government policies during WWII.
  • The Black Panthers: civil rights and revolutionary politics.
  • The Montgomery bus boycott: racial segregation and nonviolent protest.
  • The War of 1812: US-British relations and national identity.
  • The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution: US involvement in Vietnam and presidential power.
  • The Trail of Tears: forced relocation of Native Americans and government policy.
  • The Louisiana Purchase: westward expansion and territorial acquisition.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation: Abraham Lincoln and the end of slavery.
  • The Boston Tea Party: colonial resistance and the American Revolution.
  • The Haymarket Riot: labor movements and the struggle for workers’ rights.
  • The Sacco and Vanzetti trial: political prejudice and the justice system.
  • The Nixon administration and Watergate: political corruption and media coverage.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg: turning point in the Civil War and military strategy.
  • The United States’ entry into WWI: neutrality and international relations.
  • The assassination of JFK: conspiracy theories and the impact on American politics.
  • The Montgomery GI Bill: post-WWII veterans’ benefits and education.
  • The 1968 Democratic National Convention: anti-war protests and police brutality.
  • The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster: NASA and government accountability.
  • The Wounded Knee Massacre: Native American activism and government response.
  • The Oklahoma City bombing: domestic terrorism and extremism.
  • The Pentagon Papers: government secrecy and media freedom.
  • The American eugenics movement: racial science and government policy.
  • The Zoot Suit Riots: racial tensions and discrimination in WWII-era Los Angeles.
  • The Tet Offensive: turning point in the Vietnam War and media coverage.
  • The 1920s: flappers, jazz music, and cultural transformation.
  • The Seneca Falls Convention: women’s suffrage and gender equality.
  • The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.: civil rights and the struggle for racial justice.
  • The Tea Party movement: conservative populism and political polarization.
  • The space race and the moon landing: US-Soviet competition and national pride.
  • The Gulf War: US military action in the Middle East and international relations.
  • The Hurricane Katrina disaster: government response and racial inequality.
  • The Rodney King verdict and LA riots: police brutality and racial justice.
  • The Iran-Contra scandal: government corruption and foreign policy.
  • The civil rights movement and the Freedom Riders: nonviolent protest and desegregation.
  • The Flint water crisis: environmental racism and government negligence.
  • The Occupy Wall Street movement: economic inequality and social justice.
  • The AIDS epidemic: public health crisis and societal attitudes.
  • The American Revolution: causes and consequences.
  • The impact of slavery on the development of the United States.
  • The Reconstruction Era: successes and failures.
  • The Civil War: social, political, and economic impacts.
  • The women’s suffrage movement: progress and setbacks.
  • The rise of industrialization and its impact on society.
  • The Progressive Era: reforms and political changes.
  • The New Deal: success or failure?
  • The impact of the Great Depression on American society.
  • The Second World War: America’s involvement and impact.
  • The Cold War: the US and Soviet Union’s global influence.
  • The civil rights movement: leaders and strategies.
  • The Vietnam War: political, social, and cultural impacts.
  • The Watergate scandal: corruption and the presidency.
  • The Reagan Revolution: conservatism and change.
  • The Gulf War: America’s role in international conflict.
  • The 9/11 terrorist attacks: effects on domestic and foreign policy.
  • The Obama presidency: achievements and controversies.
  • The rise of Silicon Valley: technology and innovation.
  • The labor movement: unionization and workers’ rights.
  • The Trail of Tears: the forced relocation of Native Americans.
  • The Mormon migration: religious freedom and settlement.
  • The gold rush: economic and social impacts.
  • The women’s liberation movement: progress and setbacks.
  • The rise of the suburbs: lifestyle changes and the American Dream.
  • The Harlem Renaissance: cultural and artistic movements.
  • The Dust Bowl: environmental disasters and migration.
  • The Ku Klux Klan: racism and terror in America.
  • The rise of the Christian Right: religion and politics.
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis: America and the Soviet Union on the brink of war.
  • The Manhattan Project: the development of nuclear weapons.
  • The Bay of Pigs invasion: US foreign policy in Latin America.
  • The Space Race: America’s competition with the Soviet Union.
  • The Black Power movement: self-determination and political activism.
  • The Stonewall riots: the birth of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.
  • The War on Drugs: the impact on minority communities.
  • The rise of hip hop: cultural expression and social commentary.
  • The Iraq War: America’s intervention in the Middle East.
  • The Tea Party movement: populism and conservative politics.
  • The Dakota Access Pipeline protests: Indigenous rights and environmentalism.
  • The #MeToo movement: sexual harassment and assault in the workplace.
  • The 2020 presidential election: controversies and historical significance.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic: social, economic, and political impacts.
  • The climate crisis: America’s role in mitigating global warming.
  • The opioid epidemic: public health crisis and government response.
  • The gig economy: labor rights and the changing nature of work.
  • The immigration debate: policies and social attitudes towards immigrants.
  • The Black Lives Matter movement: racial justice and police reform.
  • The Battle of Antietam: bloodiest day in American history and its impact on the Civil War.
  • The Salem Witch Trials: causes and consequences of the infamous witch hunt.
  • The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment: examining the unethical medical study conducted on African American men.
  • The Stonewall Riots: analyzing the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the impact of the Stonewall uprising.
  • The Bay of Pigs Invasion: evaluating the failed US attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba.
  • The Battle of Little Bighorn: examining the conflict between the US Army and Native American tribes.
  • The Red Scare: analyzing the fear of communism in the US during the Cold War.
  • The Manhattan Project: evaluating the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
  • The Seneca Falls Convention: examining the first women’s rights convention and its impact on American society.
  • The My Lai Massacre: analyzing the massacre of Vietnamese civilians by US soldiers during the Vietnam War.
  • The Treaty of Versailles: evaluating the impact of the treaty that ended World War I.
  • The Dust Bowl Migration: examining the migration of farmers from the Great Plains to California during the Great Depression.
  • The Black Lives Matter Movement: analyzing the movement for racial justice and police reform in the US.
  • The Oregon Trail: examining the westward expansion of the US and the impact of the Oregon Trail.
  • The 1968 Democratic National Convention: evaluating the protests and violence that occurred during the convention.
  • The Indian Removal Act: examining the forced relocation of Native American tribes in the 1830s.
  • The Great Society: evaluating the social and economic reforms of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
  • The Wounded Knee Massacre: analyzing the US Army’s killing of Native American men, women, and children in 1890.
  • The Ku Klux Klan: examining the rise and fall of the white supremacist group.
  • The Gadsden Purchase: evaluating the US acquisition of land from Mexico in 1853.
  • The Second Great Awakening: analyzing the religious revival of the early 19th century and its impact on American society.
  • The Haymarket Riot: examining the labor unrest and violence that occurred during the 1886 Chicago labor rally.
  • The Dust Bowl Art: analyzing the art and literature inspired by the Great Plains drought.
  • The Roe v. Wade Decision: evaluating the impact of the landmark Supreme Court decision on abortion rights.
  • The Salem Customs House: examining the significance of the customs house in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel “The Scarlet Letter.”
  • The Homestead Strike: analyzing the violent labor dispute that occurred at the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892.
  • The War of 1812: evaluating the US conflict with Great Britain and its impact on American society.
  • The Sacco and Vanzetti Trial: examining the controversial trial of two Italian immigrants in the 1920s.
  • The Scopes Monkey Trial: evaluating the trial that pitted science against religion in the 1920s.
  • The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty: examining the US treaty with Panama that led to the construction of the Panama Canal.
  • The Bonus Army: analyzing the World War I veterans who marched on Washington, D.C. to demand government benefits.
  • The O.J. Simpson Trial: evaluating the impact of the high-profile murder trial on American culture.
  • The Iran-Contra Affair: examining the political scandal that involved the US selling weapons to Iran and using the profits to fund anti-communist rebels in Nicaragua.
  • The Buffalo Soldiers: analyzing the history of the African American soldiers who served in the western frontier.
  • The American Civil War: examining the factors that led to the conflict.
  • The New Deal: evaluating the impact of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s economic policies.
  • The Space Race: the competition between the US and Soviet Union to explore space.
  • The Vietnam War: analyzing the US involvement in the conflict.
  • The American Revolution: evaluating the role of key figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
  • The Civil Rights Movement: examining the fight for racial equality in the US.
  • The Gold Rush: exploring the impact of the California Gold Rush on American society.
  • The Watergate Scandal: the political scandal that brought down President Nixon.
  • The Great Migration: analyzing the movement of African Americans from the South to Northern cities.
  • The Harlem Renaissance: examining the cultural and artistic movement of the 1920s.
  • The Trail of Tears: evaluating the forced removal of Native American tribes from their lands.
  • The Cold War: analyzing the political and economic tensions between the US and Soviet Union.
  • The Industrial Revolution: examining the changes brought about by industrialization in the US.
  • The Boston Tea Party: evaluating the impact of the colonial protest against British taxation.
  • The Underground Railroad: analyzing the network that helped slaves escape to freedom.
  • The Women’s Suffrage Movement: examining the fight for women’s right to vote.
  • The Dust Bowl: evaluating the environmental and economic impact of the Great Plains drought.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation: analyzing Lincoln’s decision to free slaves in Confederate states.
  • The Transatlantic Slave Trade: examining the forced migration of Africans to the US.
  • The Louisiana Purchase: analyzing the impact of the US acquisition of Louisiana from France.
  • The Spanish Flu Pandemic: examining the global pandemic that killed millions.
  • The Attack on Pearl Harbor: evaluating the impact of the Japanese attack on the US.
  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott: analyzing the nonviolent protest against segregated public transportation.
  • The Panama Canal: examining the construction of the canal and its impact on international trade.
  • The Salem Maritime Trade: analyzing the economic and social impact of maritime trade in the colonial period.
  • The Cuban Revolution: examining the overthrow of Batista and the rise of Fidel Castro.
  • The Iraq War: analyzing the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.
  • The New York City Draft Riots: evaluating the racial and class tensions that led to the riots.
  • The Black Panther Party: examining the political and social impact of the Black Panther movement.
  • The American West: analyzing the expansion and settlement of the American West.
  • The Berlin Wall: examining the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall.
  • The 19th Amendment: evaluating the impact of women’s right to vote on American society.
  • The United States and the United Nations: analyzing the US involvement in the UN.
  • The Jim Crow Laws: examining the laws that enforced racial segregation in the US.
  • The Bracero Program: analyzing the US-Mexico labor agreement during World War II.
  • The Korean War: evaluating the US involvement in the conflict.
  • The Alamo: examining the battle that became a symbol of Texas independence.
  • The Assassination of JFK: analyzing the impact of the assassination on American politics and society.
  • The Great Chicago Fire: evaluating the impact of the fire that destroyed much of Chicago in 1871.
  • The Americanization Movement: examining the movement that sought to assimilate immigrants into American culture.
  • The Spanish American War: US imperialism and expansion in the late 19th century.
  • The Red Scare: political repression and the fear of communism in the 20th century.
  • The National Parks system: conservation and environmentalism in the US.
  • The Women’s Liberation Movement: feminism and gender equality in the 1960s and 1970s.
  • The Brown v. Board of Education decision: landmark ruling on desegregation in public schools.
  • The Gulf of Mexico oil spill: environmental disaster and corporate responsibility.
  • The American Revolution: causes, major events, and legacy.
  • The Great Depression: economic crisis and government response in the 1930s.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964: legislative landmark in the struggle for racial justice.
  • The Dust Bowl: ecological disaster and its impact on American agriculture.
  • The Waco Siege: government overreach and religious extremism.
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire: workplace safety and labor reform.
  • The Black Lives Matter movement: police brutality and racial justice in the 21st century.
  • The Homestead Strike: labor dispute and the fight for workers’ rights.
  • The Panama Canal: engineering marvel and US influence in Central America.
  • The Marshall Plan: US aid to Europe after World War II and the Cold War.
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis: nuclear brinksmanship and US-Soviet relations.
  • The Montgomery Improvement Association: nonviolent resistance and the bus boycott.
  • The Roe v. Wade decision: reproductive rights and the women’s movement.
  • The My Lai Massacre: war crimes and US military conduct in Vietnam.
  • The Salem-Keizer school desegregation case: busing and the limits of integration.
  • The Flint sit-down strike: labor unrest and unionization in the auto industry.
  • The transcontinental railroad: westward expansion and economic growth.
  • The Iranian Hostage Crisis: US foreign policy and Middle East tensions.
  • The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty: US control of the Panama Canal and sovereignty issues.
  • The Black Sox Scandal: corruption and gambling in Major League Baseball.
  • The Freedom Summer: civil rights activism and voter registration in the South.
  • The Salem maritime trade: piracy and international commerce in the colonial period.
  • The Stono Rebellion: slave rebellion and resistance in South Carolina.
  • The Alaska Purchase: US acquisition of Alaska and its impact on Native Alaskans.
  • The United States and the League of Nations: US foreign policy and internationalism.
  • The Chicago Seven trial: political dissent and government repression during the Vietnam War.
  • The Reagan Revolution: conservative politics and the changing face of American politics.
  • The American Indian Movement: Native American rights and activism.
  • The Battle of Bull Run: first major battle of the Civil War and its impact.
  • The Wounded Knee Occupation: Native American sovereignty and government response.
  • The Whiskey Rebellion: taxation and the limits of federal authority in the early US.
  • The Iran-Iraq War: US involvement and Middle East politics.
  • The United States and the Cold War: US-Soviet relations and the arms race.
  • The Ku Klux Klan: white supremacy and domestic terrorism in American history.
  • The Battle of Midway: turning point in World War II and military strategy.
  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott: analyzing the civil rights movement and its impact on segregation in the South.
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis: evaluating the US and Soviet Union’s tense standoff in 1962.
  • The Trail of Tears: examining the forced removal of Native American tribes from their lands in the 1830s.
  • The Space Race: analyzing the competition between the US and Soviet Union to explore space.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation: evaluating the impact of President Lincoln’s proclamation on slavery during the Civil War.
  • The Black Panthers: examining the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s and 1970s.
  • The Harlem Renaissance: analyzing the cultural movement that celebrated African American art, literature, and music in the 1920s and 1930s.
  • The Korean War: evaluating the US and UN’s conflict with North Korea and China in the 1950s.
  • The Boston Tea Party: examining the protest that sparked the American Revolution.
  • The National Parks System: analyzing the history and impact of the National Parks System in the US.
  • The New Deal: evaluating President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s economic reforms during the Great Depression.
  • The Black Codes: examining the laws passed in Southern states after the Civil War to restrict the rights of African Americans.
  • The Watergate Scandal: analyzing the political scandal that led to the resignation of President Nixon.
  • The War on Drugs: evaluating the US government’s policies and actions to combat drug use and trafficking.
  • The McCarthy Hearings: examining the anti-communist hearings led by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s.
  • The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake: analyzing the disaster and its impact on the city and American society.
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: examining the tragedy that led to significant labor reforms in the early 20th century.
  • The Rodney King Riots: analyzing the 1992 riots in Los Angeles following the acquittal of police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
  • The Transcontinental Railroad: evaluating the construction of the railroad and its impact on American transportation and commerce.
  • The New York Draft Riots: examining the violent protests against the Civil War draft in New York City in 1863.
  • The Tulsa Race Massacre: analyzing the 1921 race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma and its aftermath.
  • The 1918 Influenza Pandemic: examining the deadly global pandemic and its impact on American society.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg: evaluating the pivotal Civil War battle and its impact on the war and American history.
  • The Mexican-American War: analyzing the US conflict with Mexico and its impact on American expansion.
  • The American Indian Movement: examining the Native American organization and its activism for Indigenous rights.
  • The War in Iraq: evaluating the US-led war in Iraq and its impact on US foreign policy.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964: analyzing the landmark legislation that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
  • The Jim Crow Laws: examining the laws that enforced racial segregation in the South after the Civil War.
  • The Women’s Suffrage Movement: evaluating the fight for women’s right to vote in the US.
  • The Anti-Vietnam War Movement: analyzing the protests and activism against the US involvement in the Vietnam War.
  • The Donner Party: examining the ill-fated wagon train journey and its impact on westward expansion.
  • The Great Migration: analyzing the mass movement of African Americans from the South to the North and West in the early 20th century.
  • The Red Scare: examining the anti-communist hysteria in the US during the Cold War era.
  • The Alamo: evaluating the 1836 battle in Texas and its significance in American history.
  • The Cuban Revolution: analyzing the revolution led by Fidel Castro and its impact on US-Cuban relations.
  • The Dust Bowl: examining the environmental disaster that devastated the Great Plains in the 1930s.
  • The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.: analyzing the impact of the civil rights leader’s death on American society.
  • The California Gold Rush: evaluating the rush of people to California in search of gold in 1849.
  • The Salem Witch Trials: examining the 1692 witch hunt and its impact on American society.
  • The Reconstruction Era: analyzing the period of US history following the Civil War that aimed to rebuild the South and integrate newly freed slaves into society.
  • The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster: evaluating the tragic 1986 event that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.
  • The Great Society: examining President Lyndon B. Johnson’s domestic policies in the 1960s and their impact on American society.
  • The Bataan Death March: analyzing the brutal forced march of American and Filipino prisoners of war by the Japanese in World War II.
  • The Detroit Race Riot: examining the violent 1967 riots in Detroit and their impact on American race relations.
  • The Wounded Knee Massacre: analyzing the 1890 massacre of Sioux Indians by US troops and its impact on Native American relations with the US government.
  • The Spanish-American War: evaluating the US conflict with Spain in 1898 and its impact on American imperialism.
  • The Cold War: examining the geopolitical tensions between the US and Soviet Union from 1945-1991.
  • The Underground Railroad: evaluating the network of secret routes and safe houses used to help enslaved people escape to freedom in the 19th century.
  • The Tuskegee Airmen: examining the all-Black fighter squadron that served in World War II and their impact on American history.
  • The Boston Massacre: analyzing the 1770 event in which British soldiers killed five colonists and its impact on American revolutionary sentiment.
  • The 1968 Democratic National Convention: examining the protests and clashes between police and anti-war demonstrators during the convention.
  • The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision: evaluating the landmark decision legalizing abortion in the US in 1973.
  • The Louisiana Territory: analyzing the US acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803.
  • The Stock Market Crash of 1929: examining the causes and impact of the crash that led to the Great Depression.
  • The Lusitania sinking: analyzing the 1915 sinking of a British passenger ship by a German submarine and its impact on American entry into World War I.
  • The Second Great Awakening: evaluating the religious revival movement in the US in the early 19th century and its impact on American society.
  • The Black Panthers: analyzing the impact of the Black Panther Party on the civil rights movement and American society in the 1960s.
  • The Mexican-American War: examining the US conflict with Mexico in the 1840s and its impact on US expansionism.
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: analyzing the 1911 tragedy and its impact on workplace safety regulations.
  • The Transcontinental Railroad: evaluating the building of the railroad in the late 19th century and its impact on American transportation and economy.
  • The Stono Rebellion: examining the 1739 slave uprising in South Carolina and its impact on American slavery laws.
  • The Battle of Gettysburg: analyzing the 1863 battle and its significance in the Civil War.
  • The Black Sox Scandal: evaluating the 1919 scandal in which members of the Chicago White Sox baseball team were accused of throwing the World Series.
  • The Oregon Trail: examining the westward expansion of American settlers to the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964: analyzing the landmark legislation outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
  • The Indian Removal Act: evaluating the 1830 law that authorized the forced removal of Native American tribes from their lands in the Southeastern US.
  • The Battle of Antietam: analyzing the 1862 battle and its impact on the Civil War.
  • The Iran-Contra Affair: examining the political scandal involving the Reagan administration’s secret arms sales to Iran and illegal funding of Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
  • The Pullman Strike: analyzing the 1894 labor strike by railway workers and its impact on American labor laws.
  • The 1920s: examining the cultural, social, and political changes that occurred during the “Roaring Twenties.”
  • The Battle of Little Bighorn: analyzing the 1876 battle between US forces and Sioux and Cheyenne warriors and its impact on Native American relations with the US government.
  • The Montgomery GI Bill: evaluating the legislation that provided education and training benefits to US veterans after World War II.
  • The Black Codes: examining the laws enacted in the South after the Civil War that restricted the rights and freedoms of newly freed slaves.
  • The Korean War: analyzing the US involvement in the conflict and its impact on American foreign policy.
  • The Seneca Falls Convention: evaluating the 1848 convention advocating for women’s suffrage and its impact on the women’s rights movement.
  • The Bay of Pigs Invasion: examining the failed 1961 US attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro’s government in Cuba.
  • The Homestead Strike: analyzing the 1892 labor strike by steelworkers and its impact on American labor relations.
  • The Gadsden Purchase: evaluating the US acquisition of land from Mexico in 1853 and its impact on American territorial expansion.
  • The Harlem Renaissance: examining the cultural and artistic movement in the 1920s and 1930s that celebrated Black creativity and identity.
  • The Fourteenth Amendment: analyzing the constitutional amendment that granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all persons born or naturalized in the US.
  • The Battle of New Orleans: evaluating the 1815 battle in which American forces led by Andrew Jackson defeated British troops and its impact on American nationalism.
  • The Birmingham Campaign: analyzing the 1963 civil rights campaign in Alabama and its impact on the movement.
  • The Pullman Palace Car Company: examining the company’s history and impact on American railroad travel and labor relations.

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US History Research Paper Topics: Moments that Shaped a Nation

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Table of contents

  • 1.1 Interesting US History Topics for Research Paper Before 1877
  • 1.2 US History Paper Topics on the Civil War
  • 1.3 American History Topics for Research Paper on Industrialization
  • 1.4 American History Research Topics on Reconstruction
  • 1.5 20th-Century American History Paper Topics
  • 1.6 US History Term Paper Topics in World War I and II
  • 1.7 American History Paper Topics about the Civil Rights Movement
  • 1.8 Native American History Thesis Topics
  • 2 Which Topics to Choose for History Research?
  • 3 Conclusion: Reflections on America’s Past

Exploring the rich and complex narrative of the United States, this article is designed as a resource for students and researchers embarking on assignments that require a deep dive into American history. Perfect for term papers, thesis projects, and detailed historical analyses, the guide presents a curated selection of interesting US history research paper topics.

  • We provide a comprehensive guide for students, researchers, and history enthusiasts seeking engaging and insightful topics for their research papers on American history.
  • These topics cover critical eras and events shaping America, from the early days before 1877 to the transformative 20th century.

With these good US history research topics in mind, let’s go over each one in-depth, creating a foundation for smart research and analysis.

List of 160 American History Research Paper Topics

History is a rich and complex subject, ripe for exploration in academic research. Whether you’re a student seeking a topic for an assignment or a history enthusiast looking to delve deeper into America’s past, this list offers a diverse range of subjects. From early colonial times to the modern era, each topic provides a unique lens through which to examine the nation’s history.

Interesting US History Topics for Research Paper Before 1877

  • The impact of European colonization on Native American societies.
  • The Salem Witch Trials: Causes and effects.
  • The role of the Seven Years’ War in shaping early American society.
  • The Declaration of Independence: Context and legacy.
  • The Articles of Confederation: Strengths and weaknesses.
  • The Constitutional Convention of 1787: Key debates and outcomes.
  • The Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist debate: Impact on the US Constitution.
  • The Louisiana Purchase: Motivations and consequences.
  • The War of 1812: Causes, course, and outcomes.
  • Manifest Destiny: Ideology and impact on westward expansion.
  • The Trail of Tears and Native American Removal Policies.
  • The role of slavery in antebellum America.
  • The Mexican-American War: Origins and effects.
  • The Gold Rush of 1849 and its impact on American expansion.
  • The Compromise of 1850 and its role in the lead-up to the Civil War.
  • The Dred Scott Decision: Implications and controversy.
  • The Underground Railroad: Key figures and operations.
  • The election of 1860 and its role in the secession crisis.
  • The role of women in antebellum America.
  • Early American foreign policy: Principles and practices.

US History Paper Topics on the Civil War

  • The causes of the American Civil War: A comprehensive analysis.
  • Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and its impact on the Civil War.
  • The role of slavery in sparking the Civil War.
  • Military strategies of the Union and the Confederacy.
  • The Emancipation Proclamation: Intentions and effects.
  • Key battles of the Civil War: Gettysburg, Antietam, and others.
  • The role of technology in the Civil War.
  • The impact of the Civil War on civilian life in the North and South.
  • The role of African American soldiers in the Civil War.
  • The diplomatic dimensions of the Civil War.
  • Reconstruction plans: Lincoln vs. Johnson.
  • The assassination of Abraham Lincoln: Impact on post-war America.
  • The economic consequences of the Civil War for the South.
  • The role of women during the Civil War.
  • The Draft Riots of 1863: Causes and impact.
  • The impact of the Civil War on American literature and art.
  • The role of nurses and medical practices during the Civil War.
  • The use of propaganda in the Civil War.
  • The transition from slavery to freedom during and after the Civil War.
  • The legacy of the Civil War in American memory.

American History Topics for Research Paper on Industrialization

  • The Second Industrial Revolution: Key innovations and their impact.
  • The rise of American industrial tycoons: Carnegie, Rockefeller, and others.
  • The impact of the railroad expansion on American society and economy.
  • Urbanization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • Labor movements and strikes of the late 19th century.
  • The rise of monopolies and antitrust laws in the United States.
  • The impact of immigration on American industrial growth.
  • The role of women and children in industrial labor.
  • Technological advancements and their societal impact during industrialization.
  • The emergence of consumer culture in the late 19th century.
  • The environmental impact of industrialization.
  • Social Darwinism and its influence on American society.
  • The rise of organized labor and the American Federation of Labor.
  • The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and its aftermath.
  • The Homestead Strike: Causes and consequences.
  • The impact of the Industrial Revolution on American agriculture.
  • The role of education during the Industrial Revolution.
  • Transportation innovations and their impact on American life.
  • The evolution of American business practices during industrialization.
  • The Gilded Age: Wealth, poverty, and social disparity.

American History Research Topics on Reconstruction

  • The Reconstruction Amendments: Impact and limitations.
  • Presidential vs. Congressional Reconstruction: A comparative analysis.
  • The role of the Freedmen’s Bureau in post-Civil War America.
  • Sharecropping and tenant farming: Continuation of slavery by another name?
  • The rise and impact of the Ku Klux Klan during Reconstruction.
  • The Compromise of 1877 and the end of Reconstruction.
  • The Black Codes: Purpose and effects.
  • The impeachment of President Andrew Johnson: Causes and consequences.
  • The role of African Americans in politics during Reconstruction.
  • Economic challenges of the South during Reconstruction.
  • The establishment of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • The legacy of Reconstruction in the South.
  • The Jim Crow laws: Origins and impact.
  • The role of women during Reconstruction.
  • The Slaughterhouse Cases and their impact on civil rights.
  • The Enforcement Acts and their effectiveness in protecting African American rights.
  • The impact of Reconstruction on Northern society and politics.
  • Education reform in the South during Reconstruction.
  • The role of the U.S. military in enforcing Reconstruction policies.
  • The long-term effects of Reconstruction on American race relations.

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20th-Century American History Paper Topics

  • The Progressive Era: Reforms and key figures.
  • The impact of World War I on American society and politics.
  • The Roaring Twenties: Culture, economics, and politics.
  • The Great Depression: Causes and the New Deal response.
  • The impact of World War II on the American home front.
  • The Cold War: Key events and American foreign policy.
  • The Civil Rights Movement: Key figures and legislative milestones.
  • The Vietnam War: Causes, course, and impact on American society.
  • The Women’s Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
  • The Watergate Scandal and its impact on American politics.
  • The Space Race: Technological advancements and Cold War implications.
  • The rise of environmentalism in the 20th century.
  • The impact of the automobile on 20th-century American life.
  • The rise of the American suburbs in the post-World War II era.
  • The counterculture of the 1960s and its impact on American society.
  • The Reagan Era: Policies and impact on the United States.
  • The War on Drugs: Origins, strategies, and consequences.
  • The impact of technological advancements on late 20th-century life.
  • The rise of the internet and its impact on society and culture.
  • The 9/11 attacks and their aftermath on American foreign policy.

US History Term Paper Topics in World War I and II

  • The causes and consequences of American entry into World War I.
  • The impact of the Treaty of Versailles on post-war America.
  • American isolationism between World War I and World War II.
  • The Lend-Lease Act and American support for the Allies before entering World War II.
  • The attack on Pearl Harbor: Causes and immediate effects.
  • The home front during World War II: Women, minorities, and the war effort.
  • The role of propaganda in American support for World War II.
  • The development and use of the atomic bomb.
  • The impact of World War II on American foreign policy.
  • The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
  • The role of African Americans in World War II.
  • The D-Day invasion: Planning, execution, and significance.
  • The Battle of Midway: Turning point in the Pacific War.
  • American military strategy in the European and Pacific theaters.
  • The Holocaust and American responses to it.
  • The post-war world order and the establishment of the United Nations.
  • The GI Bill and its impact on post-war American society.
  • The Nuremberg Trials: Legal and moral implications.
  • The Marshall Plan and American post-war economic policy.
  • The start of the Cold War: Origins and early confrontations.

American History Paper Topics about the Civil Rights Movement

  • The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Causes and outcomes.
  • The role of Martin Luther King Jr. in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The Little Rock Nine and school desegregation.
  • The Freedom Rides: Objectives and impact.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964: Development and effects.
  • The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Importance and consequences.
  • The role of women in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The Black Power Movement: Ideals and key figures.
  • The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on other minority groups.
  • The assassination of Malcolm X: Context and aftermath.
  • The Selma to Montgomery marches: Significance and outcomes.
  • The role of the NAACP in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The Birmingham Campaign and the use of nonviolent protest.
  • The role of the media in shaping public perception of the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The Civil Rights Movement in the North: Challenges and Achievements.
  • The Economic Bill of Rights proposed by the Poor People’s Campaign.
  • The role of music in the Civil Rights Movement.
  • The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on American law and society.
  • The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC): Contributions and challenges.
  • The legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in contemporary America.

Native American History Thesis Topics

  • The impact of European colonization on Native American cultures.
  • The Trail of Tears: Causes, course, and consequences.
  • Native American resistance movements: King Philip’s War, Pontiac’s Rebellion, and others.
  • The impact of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
  • Native American life on reservations in the 19th and 20th centuries.
  • The role of Native Americans in American wars.
  • The Ghost Dance Movement and the Wounded Knee Massacre.
  • Native American boarding schools: Policies and impact on culture.
  • The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 and its implications.
  • The American Indian Movement (AIM): Goals and major actions.
  • The impact of the Dawes Act on tribal land and culture.
  • The role of Native American women in their societies.
  • Contemporary Native American issues: Sovereignty, land rights, and cultural preservation.
  • The Native American Renaissance: A cultural and literary overview.
  • The impact of environmental changes on Native American communities.
  • The repatriation of Native American artifacts and remains.
  • The role of treaties in Native American history.
  • Native American spiritual beliefs and practices.
  • The impact of the fur trade on Native American societies.
  • Contemporary Native American political activism.

Which Topics to Choose for History Research?

Given the breadth and diversity of US history topics, choosing one to write about can be difficult. To reduce your options, think about your interests and the extent of your investigation. Look for themes that provide a balance of available materials and new perspectives to explore.

When choosing a topic, consider its significance in the larger context of American history. Consider how the topic has influenced or reflected societal, political, or economic trends. For example, topics such as the Civil Rights Movement and World War II provide insights into moments of revolutionary change and struggle.

Also, examine the availability of primary and secondary sources. A well-documented topic provides for a more thorough study and a stronger argument. Always ensure that your chosen topic adheres to the criteria and objectives of your assignment or research aim.

Conclusion: Reflections on America’s Past

In this journey through American history, we have explored various topics that offer a window into the nation’s complex and multifaceted past. From the struggles and triumphs of early American society to the transformative events of the 20th century, these topics provide a foundation for understanding how the United States has evolved. Engaging with these topics enriches our historical knowledge and deepens our understanding of the present. As students, scholars, or simply curious minds, delving into these aspects of America’s past can provide valuable insights and perspectives on the nation’s journey and its ongoing story.

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interesting research paper topics us history

197 Fascinating US History Research Topics To Top The Class

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There is no doubt that America is one of the greatest countries in the world. With its rich history and diverse culture, America has something to offer everyone. The good news is that a wealth of information is available on American history, so you will find one of the research topics that interest you. Today, we will talk about those very US history research topics.

Whether you are looking for a specific event in American history or want to learn more about the country, there is plenty of material to help you get started. If unsure where to begin, try starting with a general search on American history. You can also look for specific topics, such as the American Revolution or the Civil War.

Once you have chosen a US History research topic, you’re on the way to greatness. 

Table of Contents

US History Research Topics: Classic, Neo-Classic, Mind Blowing

The initial step in writing a  research paper  on the history of the United States is to decide on a fascinating topic. If you’re experiencing difficulty finding an excellent US History research topic, don’t fret – we have you covered. This article includes a list of intriguing American History research paper topics for your convenience and to help you ace your thesis. You can also avail History Research Help Service to achieve good grades.

Classic US History Research Topics

classic us history research topics

  • Voyage to Indies and Discovery of North America
  • Influence of The New World On the Lives of American Indians
  • British colonization of North America: Reasons and motives
  • Life and conditions for early settlers in America
  • The difference between Southern Colonies and Northern Colonies
  • The role of women in the Appalachian colonies 
  • The causes of slavery in Newfound America
  • Benefits and harms of slavery in the United States of America
  • Puritans influence American society and prejudice against other communities
  • Conflicts and battles between native Americans and European settlers
  • The reasons behind American Revolution and war for freedom
  • Research on Salem Witch Trials: Causes and Consequences
  • American Revolution War: Causes and Consequences
  • Status of African-Americans and condition of slavery after the civil war
  • Who were the pilgrims?

More from our blog:  Argumentative Research Topics : Religion, Health, Economics, etc.

Neo-Classical US History Research Topics

neo classical us history research topics

  • Why was the Civil Rights Movement in the United States influential?
  • Is John Kennedy’s death still a mystery?
  • Legal Trials and Investigations over JF Kennedy’s Assassination
  • Media works, documentaries, and films based on the Life and Death of John Kennedy
  • Cuban Missile Crisis: The Threat of Escalation and War
  • The reasons behind America fighting the Korean War and its consequences
  • Primary causes and consequences of The Vietnam War for The United States
  • Analysis of Apocalypse Now in the light of the Vietnam War
  • The Iraq War: Causes and Consequences
  • What was the Cold War?
  • Was The Iraq War a mistake?
  • History of the Cold War and its impact on The World and United States
  • Impacts of the Iraq War on the global scenario
  • War on Terror in Afghanistan
  • Reasons behind 9/11 attacks and what could we have done to avoid this?
  • Importance of political stability in Pakistan for Global Peace
  • Hiroshima Bombing: The Greatest Crime Against Humanity in the history of humankind
  • Was the bombing of Hiroshima justified?
  • Robert Oppenheimer: The Maker Maker of The Atomic Bomb
  • History of Nuclear Weapons in the light of the sentence “Now I become death, destroyer of the world.”
  • The attack of Pearl Harbor: The First Major Allies Defeat
  • The role of the United States in World War II
  • The Great Depression: Causes and Consequences
  • The reasons for Americans Entering World War I
  • Causes and consequences of The National Ban
  • Purpose of the First Constitution Amendment

Read More:  Social Work Research Topics

American History Research Topics For High School

american history research topics for high school

  • The role of the Sons of Liberty in the history of the United States
  • History of Slavery and Racism
  • Native American opposition against the settlers
  • A wave of slavery in the United States
  • President impeachment over moral issues
  • President’s impeachment over national security
  • Can the Vietnam War be justified?
  • Possibilities of neutrality for the United States in World War I
  • Did the world become safer after the Cold War
  • Countries involved in The Cold War
  • The role of America In The Cold War in The Middle East
  • The history behind the Russo-Ukrainian War and the role of America
  • Role of Slavery in the American Civil War
  • Was slavery the only reason behind American Civil War?
  • Imagine yourself in America of 1776? What would be your role? A revolutionary or not?
  • Influence of Puritanism On Modern American Culture
  • The reasons why America is called The Land Of Opportunity
  • The reasons for the creation of the Articles of Confederation
  • Difference between North and South American Politics
  • The influence of George Washington on the results of the American Revolution

Explore some more  history research paper topics

US History Research Topics for College

us history research topics for college

  • The time of president Jackson
  • Monroe doctrine: “America is for The Americans.”
  • Presidency of Jefferson
  • Conquest of the wild west
  • Systematic plunder and annihilation of the Indians
  • Constitution of the united states
  • Constitutions of the states: the sovereignty of the people, division of powers, the election of positions
  • Public, church and state separation
  • Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
  • War of independence
  • Bill of rights; suspension of trade with England
  • Boston tea party against England
  • First English emigrants to North America
  • From the end of the great depression to the consumer fever
  • The marginalized societies
  • Black people as a marginalized society
  • Transgender as a marginalized community
  • Women as a marginalized community in America
  • The time of interwar
  • The great depression
  • From the civil war to the 1st world war
  • Consumer society
  • The war of secession
  • The war against Mexico
  • The destruction of Indian cultures
  • Persecution against Indian People
  • The policy towards Latin America and the Caribbean during the second presidency of Barack Obama
  • Americans and political influence in Latin America
  • Changes in the power equation, strategic constants in the last two centuries
  • Defense Policies in a Global Economic Context and unstable politician
  • The United States and anti-Americanism
  • Cultural identity and national security
  • Political and economic reforms
  • The four pillars of US foreign policy toward the Western Hemisphere in the 21st century
  • History of Science and technology in the United States
  • Work, job insecurity and inequalities youth income in the United States
  • History of  US-Russian relations  and the crisis in Ukraine
  • Hegemony, geopolitics and the United States
  • The Capitalist World System and the New Alignments Geopolitics in the 21st Century

Read More:  Nursing Research Topics

Political US History Research Topics

political us history research topics

  • Ages of consent and marriage: steps throughout US History
  • History of sexual freedom in America
  • The history of Political Science
  • Political wounds before and after the death of John F. Kennedy
  • Jimmy Hoffa as, a notable figure
  • Involvement of Sicilian Mafia in the Political History of the United States
  • Right to abortion: Past and present
  • Immigration to the United States over the last century
  • Evolution in the rights of immigrants
  • History of Human Rights in The US
  • History of Capital Punishments
  • The US In International rankings
  • Issue of Mass Surveillance: Predictions of George Orwell
  • Political terrorism by the United States officials
  • Economic terrorism
  • Separation of the church from politics
  • Foundation of Healthcare policies
  • Issue of national security and crimes against prisoners
  • War crimes in Iraq
  • Environmental politics over the year
  • Business vs. working-class conflicts
  • Poverty among marginalized societies and the role of the state to overcome the issue
  • Global politics and the role of America
  • Religious prejudice in the United States
  • Racism in Politics
  • The political history of American capitalism

Let us write your research Paper at Paper Perk:  Order a research paper .

US Industry History Research Topics

us industry history research topics

  • The United States Patent and Trademark Office
  • History of Science and Technology in The United States
  • History of NASA and space quest
  • Attempts to land on the moon
  • History of American Medicine and Pharma
  • History of American discoveries
  • History of American inventions
  • Appreciative research about American engineers and industrialists
  • Research on African-American Inventors
  • A deep look into the National Investors Hall of Fame
  • Science and technology in the United States
  • Industrial revolution in the United States
  • Role of Capitalism in industrial America
  • History of Astrophysics 
  • Research in molecular genetics and genomics 
  • Health care in the United States and the History of biotechnology
  • History of nuclear weapons
  • Manhattan Project: Historical Aspects
  • The space race between USA and Russia
  • Technology during World War I and Technology during World War II
  • The military-industrial complex in the United States
  • History of Banking and Finance
  • History of Wall Street
  • Labour unions in the United States and Immigration to the United States
  • The agricultural history of the United States
  • History of the automobile and Interstate highway system
  • Ford Vs. Ferrari: Historical Industrial elements portrayed in the movie
  • History of electromagnetism and War of currents
  • History of the oil industry and Pennsylvania Oil Rush
  • The invention of the telephone
  • History iron industry 
  • History of the steel industry
  • History of Iron and Steel Manufacturing
  • History of rail transportation in the United States
  • Second industrial revolution
  • Role of industry and technology in World War I
  • Role of industry and technology in World War II
  • History of coal mining
  • Efficiencies introduced during the industrial revolution by motorways and canals
  • Highways and road structures in the US 
  • History of freeways and canals in the United States
  • Native American inventors: A more profound look
  • Native American Industrialists in the United States
  • Structures and industries built by the indigenous people

Business and industry go side by side; you might want to explore:  Business Research Topics  through Paper Perk.

International Relations: History of US Research Topics

international relations history of us research topics

  • The institutionalization of Political Science
  • Studies and Trends in Politics and International Relations
  • Historical threats to the US International Relations
  • The origin of international relations
  • Traditional thought of international relations
  • The objective study of historical international relations of the United States
  • Origin of Globalization as the US as the center of it
  • The United States regarding the international exchange of Technology and cultural industries
  • Humanitarian intervention, conflicts and genocide
  • Environment, migrations and development
  • Security in Relationships Contemporary Internationals

Related to International Relations and Diplomacy:  266 Political Science Research Topics To Get All The Votes

History of Hollywood Research Topics

history of hollywood research topics

  • Filmmakers from New York
  • Life at Hollywood
  • History of Visual Effects in American films
  • Mafia movies as the rise of emerging US Cinema
  • History of American cinema
  • Origin and History of Hollywood
  • History of motion picture
  • Cinema: from the end of the 19th century to the present day
  • Reflection of social and historical facts in Hollywood
  • Pioneering studies on ideological and historical traits
  • Historical Trends That Have Impacted Movies
  • Movies explain the past and relate to it
  • Initial studies on cinema and its impact on the society

Talking about Hollywood, let’s look at some  Music research topics

In conclusion, this article has provided 197 US history research topics. With such a wide range of topics, you will find one that interests you. With careful research and a well-written thesis, you can win your supervisor’s heart and write the year’s thesis. If you are still confused, you can contact  our writers  for an immediate consultation.

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153 US History Topics [2024 US History Essay Ideas]

American history is not as long as the European one. However, it’s one of the richest histories in the world. It’s full of controversies, different opinions, and interesting facts. Those who study American history will find how many voices, perspectives, and points of view can coexist.

When writing an essay about America, you should try to stay as objective as possible. Think creatively and consider historical events from a new perspective.

This abundance of information and events can intimidate anyone. That’s why it can be very challenging to select one single US history topic to write about. There are so many!

To decide on it, students should answer several questions:

  • What time period interests me the most?
  • What specific event sounds the most appealing to me?
  • What historical figure impresses me?

It is indeed a daunting task to attempt to put the remarkable story of the US into an essay list. Fortunately, we’re not trying to do so.

Tired of researching historical encyclopedias? This is the perfect article for you – read through this collection of 153 US history essay topics prepared by our team .

🌎Top 10 American History Topics to Write about

  • 🏗️ Topics before 1877
  • 🌻 Topics: 1878-1899
  • 🏙️ US Topics: 1900s

🧊 Cool American History Topics

  • 🧐 US Regents Topics
  • ✊ Black History Topics

🎉 Fun US History Essay Topics

👌 easy american history essay topics, ❓ us history essay questions, 📋 how to cite an american history essay.

  • The 20th Century.
  • America’s Role in Normandy Landings.
  • Conquest of California.
  • The Great Depression.
  • USA: Colonial History.
  • The Oregon Trail.
  • African American Slave Trade.
  • Who was Harriet Tubman?
  • America in the Modern World.
  • Klondike Gold Rush.

☝️ Good US History Topics by Period

This is the IvyPanda list of American history topics that can help students get inspired!

We divided the history into epochs and organized the US history essay topics accordingly. Besides, this US history topics list structured thematically. It, hopefully, will make it easier to navigate and get started.

One of the best ways to look at history is to examine it from a chronological perspective. The topics in this section are structured based on the time period.

Every period is filled with key events and figures. American society is the product of those events—it’s vital to have a closer look at it.

🏗️ History Topics before 1877

  • America before Columbus . In this topic, you can talk about the first people in the Americas and what historians know about them. There are a lot of archeological findings and artifacts that survived thousands of years. Write about Christopher Columbus and how “the discovery” was not a discovery. The Americas have been inhabited and had developed civilizations long before Europeans put their foot there.
  • The first landing of Christopher Columbus and the New World

These ideas are for essays and research papers.

  • Christopher Columbus: Biography, Discoveries, Contributions . You can talk about Christopher Columbus and his biography. Track how his image has been changing throughout history. Modern historians see him as a person who contributed to the genocide of Native Americans. What is your opinion about him?
  • The British Rule in the Americas and the first British Settlements. Explore the first permanent colony in North America and what English wanted the colonies to be. There were a lot of obstacles, which first settlers had faced before Jamestown became a prosperous city. They suffered from a shortage of food, severe climate conditions, and disease. Plus, there were problems with the Indians. Research what “the middle ground” was and why this concept is relevant to this topic.
  • What is Puritanism?
  • Puritans in Great Britain
  • The Puritan Ethic in the United States . Who the Puritans were? Why were they sent to the New World? What were their religious beliefs? Explore the influence puritans had in the past. Is puritanism still relevant in the US today?
  • The Effects of the Spanish Rule and The Conquistadors in the Americas. Spanish Colonization of the Americas laid foundations for the Latin American identity. It is also considered the very first mass genocide in the world. It is indeed a matter of perspective. You can talk about how the contact between the Native Americans and the Spaniards affected both parties.
  • The Protestant Reformation and its influence on the US History. Religion was one of the main reasons why the first settlers decided to travel to the New World. Write about the connection between the freedom of religion in the US. What influence did it have on the nation as a whole in the future? Why is it crucial? How did it affect the lifestyle of people in the US?
  • Native Americans and “the Middle Ground” . Not everyone knows that the famous Disney cartoon Pocahontas is based on the true story. If this story was told by a Native American, it would be different. In this essay, you can comment on the role that Native Americans played in the European Colonization. Elaborate on the disappearance of “the Middle Ground.”
  • The beginning of slavery in British America and the Middle Passage. You can analyze the way this institution was established. Write about the factors that influenced it in the 17th century, try to include first-person accounts of slavery. Use the American Slave Narrative , for instance, Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa . This inclusion will demonstrate how inhumane slavery was and will open a good discussion.
  • Christianity, slavery, and colonialism in the US
  • The witchcraft trials . Elaborate on religious views of the New England public. How such views made it possible for more than 200 people to be accused of witchcraft. Discuss a Puritan code, the structure of the society, and what type of women were prosecuted.

Salem was an epicenter of the witchcraft trials in the US.

  • The Boston Tea Party as the key event of the American Revolution. The Boston Tea Party is a highly celebrated event in the history of the US. Discuss why is that? Why is it so important for the Americans? Talk about the birth of patriotism, resistance and the revolt against colonialism. What did the rebels mean by “taxation without representation?”
  • The American Revolutionary War and the Declaration of Independence. This topic is one of the most popular in the history of the United States. First, you could write about a military battle with Great Britain and the reasons for it. Second, talk about political battles within the US at that period. Examine the establishment of the new nation.
  • How the Revolutionary war changes American Society
  • Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
  • Was the American Revolution really revolutionary?
  • The meaning of the Constitution. This is one of the most fruitful and fascinating debates in US history. Some people argue that it is written in a very vague way to allow American society to evolve. Others say that its text allows minorities to be deprived of the very things it promises to establish. Elaborate if you find the Constitution to be a liberal, radical, or a conservative document.
  • Why the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. Talk about the first 10 amendments to the Constitution and explore why these amendments are so important. What did the amendments guarantee? Why was The Bill of Rights added to the Constitution in the first place?

James Madison wrote the amendments in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties.

  • The Founding Fathers’ influence on the US. The Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence are sacred documents. The Founding Fathers are major figures for the Americans as well. Writing about the influence of the Founding Fathers, select one or two members to focus on. Consider the diversity among the members. How did it help the Founding Fathers in leading the war and framing a sustainable government?
  • What is the role of the Founding Fathers in American society and religion?
  • European Colonization influence on the Native American population
  • Removal of Indian tribes. American History is unjust at times. Explore how unconstitutional the treatment of Indian Americans was and why they find it this way. Look at the way the Founding Fathers addressed this issue. Examining the Indian Removal Act of 1830 will allow you to fully develop this topic. Analyze why the policy was accepted in the first place. Why is it called “ethnic cleansing” by the majority of historians nowadays?
  • Native Americans lost their freedom
  • The impact of railroads in America. The rapid expansion of America would be impossible without the railroad construction. The railroads triggered the development of the Midwest and the West. Despite that, the construction of the railroads was highly monopolistic and undemocratic. Comment on the richest men in the US – John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
  • The role of cotton in the American economy. The American Economy in the 19th century heavily depended on cotton production. There was even a saying “Cotton is King” that was very popular at that time. Besides cotton, it heavily depended on the slaves. This period in American History is called the Antebellum Era. Look at the role of cotton from several perspectives. How profitable was it? How did slaves contribute to the American economy? How financially unviable was the abolition of slavery?

he cotton plantation is “the Second Middle Passage.

  • History of American Transcendentalism.
  • Why was Transcendentalism important for American Culture? The essay can start with a broad explanation of what transcendentalism is. Explain where it started and how it evolved. Explore what views the group had on women’s rights, slavery, education, government, and religion. You could write about the most prominent transcendentalists – Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry Thoreau.
  • Religions in the 19th Century America. Known as the Second Great Awakening or Christian Revivalism, religion in the 19th century America was altered. Look back at the beginning of the American Revolution. Anglicans, Methodists, and Quackers were the fastest-growing religious groups then. Discuss all of them.
  • The abolition of slavery and the Civil War . A lot of historians believe that slavery in itself did not cause the conflict. In this essay, you could elaborate on this idea and consider the other point of view. For a long essay, write about Abraham Lincoln’s thoughts on slavery. His ideas about slavery and racial inequality were one of the most discussed aspects of his entire life. Look at his letters and write about the complexity of his views.
  • The causes of the Civil War and the aftermath of war. This essay is one of the easiest American history essays to write. Talk about the causes and effects of the Civil War (1861-1865) in the US. Why did it happen? What was achieved?
  • The struggle over the goal and the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment . You can elaborate on the goal of the amendment. Was it able to protect the rights of black citizens? Why was it still possible for the states to deny them their right to vote?
  • How did Reconstruction change the United States after the Civil war?
  • The Reconstruction governments. What type of reforms did the reconstruction government implement? What positive reforms happened during the Reconstruction Era? You could discuss radical reconstruction and white supremacy that spawned during the Reconstruction period. Elaborate on the idea of manifest destiny. Why was it so popular in the 19th century in the US?
  • The Compromise of 1850 . Why was reaching the compromise necessary? You can describe the terms of the compromise. Explain what results were achieved: political, economic, and cultural.

🌻 American History 1878-1899

The United States was going through many changes during this period: from various social changes and changes in foreign and domestic policies to rapid economic and cultural changes. This time saw the country changing for the best in some aspects and for the worst in others.

  • Industrialization after the Civil war. Industrialization of the United States was going on for almost half a century. However, the most impressive growth happened in 1880-1900. The expansion of the steel, iron and oil industries drove the American economy. Comment on all the inventions, technological advancements that happened in the US at that time.
  • Immigrants and their ideas of the American Dream
  • Social reforms during the Progressive Era
  • American Foreign Policy in the 1890s

George Washington's quote from his Farewell Address to the American people.

  • The importance of the Progressive Era reforms
  • Race relations during the Progressive Era reforms
  • Japanese Americans Immigration in the 19th century

🏙️ 20th Century US History Topics

The 20th century for the United States and the world, in general, was highly eventful. Economic crises, two World Wars, the Cold War, and the fight over civil rights. Plus, a huge economic and technological upheaval, the space program.

This list of American History topics after 1900 can be great for those looking for inspiration for a paper.

Here you go:

  • The door to America— Ellis Island. What are America’s best features? Economic opportunities, political and religious freedom? An abundance of jobs and opportunities? Land and natural resources? All of these made the United States experience the migration flux from all over the world. Elaborate on how Ellis island is a symbol of American immigration and the American dream.

Many immigrants entered the US through Ellis Island

  • The rise of capitalism
  • Work environments during the Progressive Era
  • Women’s suffrage movement in America
  • The causes and effects of women’s suffrage movement in the US
  • Changes in American Government after WWI
  • Is prohibition to blame for the organized crime in The United States?
  • The economic impact of the Great Depression. The Great Depression is one of the longest economic downturns in the history of the United States. You can talk about several main causes of the crisis. Another good approach would be to analyze the way American presidents handled this crisis.
  • Japanese American discrimination during the Great Depression
  • How did Roosevelt plan to end the Great Depression?
  • The Great Depression and what is the new deal?
  • The Role of the United States during World War 2
  • Why did the United States fight and lose the Vietnam War?
  • The war in Vietnam and the Civil Rights Movement
  • A Comparison of the traditional and the revisionist arguments regarding the Origins of The Cold War
  • The Cold War and US diplomacy
  • The Cold War and how it influenced American society

History is tough, but some significant historical events take our breath away even centuries later. Here is our list of cool American history topics. Even if you don’t find any topic that works for you, it can inspire you to look for moments in history that appeal to you personally.

  • The true Story of Pocahontas: An untold story of a Native American girl. The true story of Pocahontas is covered with myths. Critically examine the story of her life and death. Try to understand it from a standpoint of a 12 years old Native American girl kidnapped by a white colonizer.
  • Native American tribes in the US History
  • What was discussed at the Constitutional Convention?
  • The history of the Statue of Liberty
  • Henry Ford and how his inventions changed America
  • Moon landing conspiracy
  • The war on drugs in US History
  • Illegal immigrants in the US
  • The American sense of humor
  • American pop culture in the 1920s . This time period is called “the roaring twenties.” It was filled with drastic political and cultural changes in the United States. Jazz, flapper culture, prohibition, and economic abundance are important elements of the 1920s.

The 20s were“roaring” due to the popular culture of the decade.

  • The history of gangs in the US
  • What did hippies believe in?
  • History of Hippie’s Culture
  • Presidential assassinations in the United States History. Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, and JFK were the only US Presidents murdered while in office. You don’t have to retell the stories of their deaths! Instead, explore how these assassinations triggered some vital political reforms.
  • The history of the Fifth Amendment

🙌 Most Interesting American History Topics

Use the following list of most interesting US History topics for your next essay. Choose what US history interesting event or a historic figure captures your attention the most.

🧐 US History Regent Topics

  • The Relationships Between Federal and State Governments
  • Was there a need to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
  • The Cold War: Origins, Causes, Phases, and the Results
  • Why and How the Cold War Was Fought
  • The US Army in the Iraq War
  • The Iraq War: Background and Issues
  • Why did the Iraq War go against the plan?
  • Executive Orders and Presidential Power in the United States
  • History of the American Constitution
  • The Turning points of the American Revolution

The Battle of Saratoga was a key turning point of the Revolutionary War.

✊ Black History Essay Topics

Studying the history of the United States without studying slavery is impossible, mainly because the issue of race is ingrained into the DNA of America.

Black African American history allows students to get a different perspective on the same events. It lets them hear the voices that are so often erased from the history books. These African American history essays can help anyone looking for a good topic to write about.

  • Slave Resistance in the Eighteen Century. Continuously throughout history, African American slaves were portrayed as voiceless and victimized. Others presented them as almost indifferent and passive to their own destiny. You can examine a different perspective, an Afrocentric one. The history of slavery was not the history of passivity, it was a history of black resistance.
  • African American Music as a Form of Resistance
  • African American Religion and Spirituality in the United States
  • The 13th Amendment and the End of Slavery
  • The Jim Crow Laws in the United States History . Jim Crow Laws were the laws that enforced racial segregation in the country. Dedicate an introduction to discuss where the name “Jim Crow” comes from. Give a historical background to how the laws were used. This topic can make a strong essay because no one can stay indifferent.
  • Gender and Jim Crow
  • The Role of Martin Luther King, Jr in The Civil Right Movement
  • Martin Luther King’s speech “I have a dream”
  • Brown vs The Board of Education . The ruling in Brown vs. The Board of Education was one of the most fundamental changes in the US educational system. How did the general public receive the news about the desegregation of public schools? How did the American educational system change after this case?
  • The Significance of the Harlem Renaissance
  • Barack Obama: The First African American President
  • Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms
  • Has Obama’s Presidency changed America?

Obama prevented a few crises in the US.

  • The Cowboy Culture in the US
  • How Did Yellow Journalism Start?
  • Why is Superman the most American of all the heroes?
  • The History of American Flag
  • History of Sports in the United States
  • History of Thanksgiving Turkey in the United States
  • How Did Highways Change the United States of America?
  • American History through Hollywood Film

Sometimes you simply do not have enough time to write a profound essay. These American history topics are relatively easy, and you don’t have to research them a lot. Even if you do, there is a ton of information available.

  • British Colonization of the Americas
  • Slavery and racism in the United States
  • The Puritans Influence on the American Society
  • The pilgrims and the puritans
  • The Causes of the Vietnam War
  • Why Was Martin Luter King Assassinated?
  • American Moon Landing
  • What Are Major Events in the US History?
  • What Started the US History?
  • What Is the Most Important Piece of the US History?
  • What Is the US History Summary?
  • What City Was the First Capital in the US History?
  • What Was the First American State in the US History?
  • What Are Some Controversies in the US History?
  • How Far Was the New Deal a Turning Point in the US History up to 1941?
  • How the Airplane Industry Changed US History?
  • What Was President Reagan Known For in the US History?
  • How Reagan’s Ideology Shaped the US History?
  • Why Is the Reagan Revolution in the US History?
  • How Richard Nixon Influenced the US History?
  • What Vietnam War Showed About US History?
  • Did the Concept of Imperialism Exist in the US History?
  • Why Did the Wars in the Middle East Go Down in the US History as Unnecessary?
  • What Is the Most Popular Ideology in the US History?
  • How Does the US History Describe George W. Bush?
  • How Did the Use of Nuclear Weapons in Japan Affect the US History?
  • What Are Some Horrible and Forgotten Events in the US History?
  • Is Donald Trump the Second Worst President in the US History?
  • What Was the Biggest Political Miscalculation in the US History?
  • Who Is the Most Overrated First Lady in the US History?
  • How Well Do US History Teachers Really Know About the US History?
  • Who Was the Wimpiest President in the US History?
  • Who Are Some of the Great Asian Americans in the US History?
  • What Was the Most Corrupt Time in the US History?
  • What Was the Bloodiest Single Day Battle in the US History?
  • Who Is the Greatest Hero in the US History?
  • How Did King Philip’s War Change the US History?

Your citation will depend on the type of requirements your instructor will provide you with. You can ask your teacher which style of citation is preferable before the essay writing. The school itself may have specific guidelines for every typeof academic writing.

Chicago, MLA, APA are the main styles of citation in academic writing.

For history essays, there are two key methods of referencing both primary and secondary sources:

  • In-text citation. In this method, you mention the author and the year in the body of the essay. The list of references is placed at the end of the essay.
  • Footnote Referencing. In this method, you put a number in the body. It corresponds with the reference at the bottom of each page. At the end of the essay, a list of works read rather than cited should be included.

All the citation entries should be listed in alphabetical order. If you mention the same author multiple times with different works, use chronological order.

Keeping track of all the sources, both read and cited, is time-consuming. For that, students can try to use different online software systems. These systems can help arrange the list alphabetically and correctly organize all the citations.

Reference list

These digital tools are worth checking out:

Thank you for reading so far! Now you’re ready to start an amazing paper on US history. Share this article with those who may find it helpful, and leave a comment below.

🔗 References

  • U.S. History and Historical Documents: USAGov, the Official Guide to Government Information and Services.
  • All Topics: National Museum of American History.
  • TIMELINE, United States History: World Digital Library.
  • How Do I Cite Sources: Plagiarism.org.
  • Citing Primary Sources, Chicago: Teacher Resources, Library of Congress.
  • Black History, Topical: National Archives.
  • Black History Month: National Geographic Society.
  • College Writing: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  • Writing Historical Essays, A Guide for Undergraduates: Department of History, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
  • Writing an Essay Introduction: Research & Learning Online.
  • Research and Citation Resources: Purdue Writing Lab, College of Liberal Art.
  • Citing Your Sources, Citing Basics: Research Guides at Williams College Libraries.
  • Citing Electronic Sources: Academic Integrity at MIT, a Handbok for Students.
  • Generate Topic Ideas Quickly and Easily: Online Research Library Questia.
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 12). 153 US History Topics [2024 US History Essay Ideas]. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/us-history-essay-topics/

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85 Intriguing American History Topics for Academic Writing

Table of Contents

History is a vast subject. It ends at the present day but begins from the time undated. American history, to be specific, is quite complicated whether one studies it out of curiosity or as a part of academics. Hence when students are assigned to create an academic paper on American history topics, they get confused. Unlike other countries around the globe, America has witnessed many revolutions, from the colonial settlement in 1600 to the nonviolent resistance of Martin Luther King in the 1960s. As a result, choosing a topic on this subject for all these events that highlight the best writing skills of the student is difficult. Find here, a list of outstanding American History topics you can consider for writing a research paper. Before that, let’s learn how to choose accurate   topics .

American History Topics

3 Tricks To Shortlist the Best American History Topics

Choosing topics for academic papers on American history that can help showcase your knowledge of the subject and writing skills is no child’s play. However, following specific tricks can help you to complete the job without much effort or stress.

Here are the 3 simple tricks that one can use to choose some of the best topics .

  •   Look for the areas of interest:  The first step to choosing topics on American history is to look for interesting areas. It can be civil wars in America, the LGBTQ community revolution in the 20th century, or the art and entertainment revolution post World War 2.  However, these subjects are exhaustive. It would be best if you narrowed down the scope of the issue to include it in a single assignment. Hence, look for specific events in the areas of interest.
  • Look for primary sources of information:  Choosing a topic on American history   on which no information is available to craft a paper is worthless. Hence, after selecting the areas of interest and narrowing down some topics, find information from the primary sources.
  • Drafting a hypothesis:  One may create a hypothesis on the selected topics to examine the one that sits well within the historical context. It indicates that none of the chosen topics is trans-historical; it must not indicate “people like this.
  • A moved forward with the legislation since an individual got inspired and educated on the subject by his mother, who was a reformer.
  • In 1870, an enslaved man responded to his enslaver in a specific code language without expressing anger or irritation.

Go with the subjects that help create a definite historical hypothesis.

List of Interesting American History Topics

Now that you know the drills to choose the best topics on American history, you may wonder what topics on American history are ruling the college and university assignments. From here, get the most fascinating and unique assignment topics on American history.

Trending American History Topics

Here are the top 10 most trending topics related to American history for college assignments:

  • Black Panthers – What was their ideology?
  • How is the USA affected by foreign settlements?
  • The controversy about the Wilmot provision
  • Features that rule the Roaring Twenties?
  • What caused the Missouri Compromise, and how was America affected by it?
  • Function of women in the Great Depression
  • Who profited the most from the crash of the 1929 Stock Market?
  • What contribution did Michael Collin make the space exploration?
  • Impact of the Bracero Program on the United States of America
  • How did the Western countries develop from the contribution of Birmingham Young?

Unique American History Research Topics

Students pursuing their research studies on American history find the following   topics useful.

  • How did the Red Scare take place?
  • The primary mission of the loyalists
  • What was the importance of education during Puritan times?
  • How did the Great Awakening impact the American subcontinent?
  • Did the Boston Tea Party significantly benefit the Americans?
  • The immediate effects of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
  • Causes of failure of the presidential reconstruction?
  • Why did the 1870 economic recession take place in America?
  • Role of Railroad development on America’s industrial development
  • Contribution of Fredrick Douglass to the abolition of slavery

American History Topics Based on Events between 1763 and 1865

Do you want to build your history assignment on events between 1763 and 1865? Consider these topics.

  • How did the American culture evolve?
  • Shed some light on the legacy of the joint stock organizations
  • What was the impact of the American Revolution on American society?
  • How did the rituals of Thanksgiving evolve?
  • What justifications do Americans have for their faith in Manifest Destiny?
  • Events led to the sovereign republic entity of Texas
  • Aftermath of the Royal Proclamation of 1763
  • What impact did the American Revolution have on the other states of the subcontinent?
  • How did the War of 1812 take place?
  • Problems that increased with the beginning of the Missouri Compromise
  • When was the USA declared independent, and what is its legacy?
  • Why was the right to carry arms included in the Bill of Rights?
  • Aftereffects of the American war with Mexico
  • Why did America choose Washington, DC, as its national capital?
  • How did the French Revolution impact America?

American History Topics Based On Events Before 1877

You can use these   topics on history to discuss events in America before 1877.

  • What was the condition of America before Columbus discovered it?
  • The New World that developed after the landing of Christopher Columbus
  • What were the discoveries and contributions of Christopher Columbus to America?
  • Explain when the British began to rule in America and how their first settlement looked like
  • Discuss the ethnicity of Puritans and their settlement in the United States of America
  • What were the effects of British rule in America?
  • How did the protestant reformation impact the history of the USA?
  • What is the Middle Ground for the Native Americans?
  • How did the American colonization impact the American population?

1878-1899 American History Topics

Here are the most popular ideas on events that occurred between 1878 and1899 in America:

  • How did industrialization evolve after the Civil War?
  • America from the eye of the immigrants
  • What social reforms took place during the Progressive Era?
  • Why was the Foreign Policy developed during the 1890s?
  • How did the Foreign Reforms impact the Americans?
  • Shed light on interracial relations in the Progressive era
  • Did anything in America change after the Japanese immigrated to America in the 19th century?

Read more: Top Fascinating History Research Topics For Students

Afro-American History Essay Topics

Are you assigned to compose a history assignment on Afro-Americans? Take a look at the most popular topics.

  • What led to the slave resistance in the 18th century?
  • How did the African Americans use music as a tool of their opposition?
  • The religion and spirituality followed by African Americans in the United States of America
  • How did the amendment of the 13th century lead to the end of slavery in the United States of America?
  • How was the news of the rules of the Brown vs. Board of Education received by the public?
  • Why is the Harlem Renaissance one of the most significant American history topics?
  • What is the importance of Martin Luther King’s speech – “I have a dream.”
  • Significance of Barack Obama’s presidency on the black communities of America?
  • What healthcare reforms did Barack Obama bring to the United States of America?
  • How has Barack Obama’s presidency impacted the United States of America?

Fascinating American History Ideas for Academic Work

The following are some excellent American history topics that you can consider for writing your academic papers such as essays, research papers, dissertations, or theses.

  • Discuss the emergence of the “Old American West.”
  • Analyze the effects of European colonization of the North American continent
  • Discuss European reactions to the American Civil War.
  • How did urbanization affect American life?
  • Explain the role of Oil in Industrializing America.
  • Analyze the impact of the Cold War on the American economy.
  • Write about the Women’s suffrage movement in America.
  • Explain how the early Americans justified slavery.
  • Research and write about the history of Sports in the United States.
  • Investigate the role of students in advancing civil rights for African Americans.
  • Explain how the GI Bill affected African-American veterans
  • Write about the American-Iranian Tough Relations
  • Explain how migration shaped American society in the 1930s and ‘40s

Wrapping Up

From the above-mentioned list of striking American History topics, choose any topic based on the historical period of your choice and draft an excellent academic paper. In case, you experience difficulties with identifying the right topic, feel free to connect with us. We have skilled historians on our platform to offer you help with academic paper topic selection, writing, and proofreading.

If you wish to take our history assignment help online, simply fill out your requirements on the order form available on our website and submit it. Based on your specifications, our subject professionals will provide high-quality assignment guidance on all kinds of American History topics and will help you in submitting a plagiarism-free paper on time. Most importantly, the flawless papers that our scholars dispatch will aid you in impressing your professors and getting top scores in your class.

Just book your order and buy personalized history research papers or essays from our experts at affordable prices.

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Raise Your Grades with Assignment Help Pro

520 Excellent American History Topics & Tips for an A+ Paper

How can you define America? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, studying US history will help you find the answer.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

This article will help you dive deeper into this versatile subject. Here, you will find:

  • Early and modern US history topics to write about. We’ve also got topics for DBQ essays for students taking an AP US history class.
  • Tips on how to create a great history paper.

Have you checked out our custom writing service yet? Our experts are always ready to help you with your assignments.

🔝 Top 10 American History Topics

✅ how to write a history paper, ⭐ top 10 us history topics to research.

  • 🦅 Topics Before 1865
  • ⚔️ Civil War Topics
  • 🛠️ Reconstruction & Industrialization
  • 🗽 20th Century Topics
  • 🔫 Topics on WWI & II
  • ☮️ Civil Rights Movement Topics
  • 💬 Debatable Topics
  • ✊🏿 Black History Topics
  • 🏞️ Native American Topics
  • ⭐ Topics on Famous People

🔍 References

  • The ideology of the Black Panthers
  • How did tenements affect America?
  • Why was Wilmot Proviso so controversial?
  • What characterizes the Roaring Twenties?
  • Cause and effect of the Missouri Compromise
  • The role of women during the Great Depression
  • Did anyone profit from the 1929 Stock Market Crash?
  • Michael Collins’ contribution to the space exploration
  • How did the US benefit from the Bracero Program?
  • Brigham Young’s contribution to the development of the West

History writing is controversial by nature. Selecting questions and topics is already a subjective process. On top of that, you need to interpret the sources. So, there is much to think about when it comes to history papers.

We’ve compiled several tips to make it easier for you. Check it out:

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

  • Don’t be afraid to disagree . People explain many issues by conventional wisdom. Be skeptical and examine your own bias.
  • Explore new terrains . Not all historical events get the attention they deserve. Writing about generally neglected topics can yield fascinating results.
  • Consider how situations change over time . Frame your subject with a start- and endpoint.
  • Wonder . History is not just descriptions of what happened—it also questions how and why specific events took place.
  • Avoid relating everything to the present . Examine the past on its own terms. In doing so, keep the chronological order straight.
  • Don’t judge your subject . Your goal is to understand the past. Remember: moral norms might have been different in the period you’re studying.
  • Give context . It’s crucial to engage with and interpret your sources. Pinpoint their place in the grand scheme of events.

Finally, you might want to write in the present tense. While this works for other social sciences, it’s not advisable for history. It’s best to keep the past in the past! Also, if you need to construct a MLA title page , there’s nothing wrong in using a specialized tool to do that, as long as it allows you to concentrate on the more important part—writing.

  • What caused the Red Scare?
  • What did the Loyalists fight for?
  • Literacy rates during Puritan times
  • The effects of the Great Awakening
  • Why was the Boston Tea Party justified?
  • The aftermath of the Battle of Bunker Hill
  • Why was presidential Reconstruction a failure?
  • The causes of the economic recession of the 1780s
  • Railroads development role in the Industrial Revolution
  • Frederick Douglass’s contribution to the abolition of slavery

🦅 Essay Topics on US History before 1865

The period of colonial America is packed with turmoil. Think of the Boston Tea Party or the American Revolution. And these are only two of that era’s most notable events. In this rubric, you’ll find colonial American history essay topics. The period in question starts with the British arrival in the New World and ends with the Civil War.

  • The origins of Thanksgiving . One idea is to find out why the Pilgrims started celebrating it in the first place. Alternatively, you could examine how it became a national holiday.
  • Why did the British begin settling in the New World ? This topic allows you to explore the rivalry with Spain. Or you could investigate England’s problem with poverty.
  • Discuss the emergence of joint-stock companies. Who profited from them? What is their legacy? You might also want to study their role in early settling attempts.
  • Compare and contrast the Jamestown and Plymouth settlements. You can concentrate on areas such as religion and government.

Barack Obama quote.

  • Why did Americans start revolting? An excellent place to begin might be America’s position in global power struggles. The impact of the European Enlightenment movement is also something to consider.
  • The history of African American culture . Ask yourself these questions: How does it differ from the way it is now? What factors influenced its development?
  • What problems arose during the drafting of the Constitution ? You might want to write about the economic crisis. Other important factors include different interest groups and their expectations.
  • How did the American Revolution influence society? Your essay can be concerned with its immediate or long-term impact. Find out how women, slaves, and other groups reacted to the revolutionary spirit.
  • Consequences of the Royal Proclamation of 1783. American settlers didn’t obey the proclamation, but it still proved to be influential. Your paper could discuss why. Perhaps you’d also like to ponder if it was a good idea.
  • The role of nationalism in the westward expansion . Explore how Americans justified their belief in Manifest Destiny .

Don’t forget to check out these essay topics on early American history:

  • Why did the settlers start importing slaves?
  • How did Texas become a sovereign republic?
  • Why was the American Revolution successful?
  • Discuss the significance of the Louisiana Purchase .
  • What events led to the war of 1812 ?
  • How did the French Revolution impact America?
  • Describe the changes the American Revolution brought to the states.
  • What did “American” mean in the 18 th century?
  • The role of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty in achieving unity.
  • Why was the right to bear arms included in the Bill of Rights ?
  • The first President of the United States .
  • Investigate the origins of the two-party system.
  • Alexander Hamilton’s financial policies: opposition and political consequences .
  • How did Washington, DC become the national capital?
  • Trace the Lewis and Clark expedition.
  • Analyze the importance of cotton for the South’s economy in the 1800s.
  • How did the relations between the settlers and Native Americans develop over time?
  • Who formed the abolitionist movement , and why?
  • How did Kansas become a battleground for proponents and opponents of slavery ?
  • Who were the Border Ruffians?
  • What was the Compromise of 1850 ?
  • Consequences of the Mexican-American war .
  • Long-term influences of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin .
  • Compare the real Underground Railroad with the Underground Femaleroad in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale .
  • The Declaration of Independence and its legacy.
  • What did the philosophy of transcendentalism entail?
  • Abigail Adams and the fight for women’s rights in the new republic.
  • Who was Daniel Shays?
  • Trace the ratification process of the United States’ Constitution .
  • What problems arose with the Missouri Compromise ?
  • The revival of religion in the US after achieving independence.
  • How did the mass immigration of Germans and Irish people impact the US?
  • Nativism in the US: riots and the politics of the Know-Nothings.
  • How did the South and the North respectively argue for and against slavery?
  • Investigate the emergence of the “Old American West.”
  • Study the connection of the blue jeans’ invention with the California gold rush .
  • Describe a day in a life of a slave .
  • Why was the Dred Scott Decision significant?
  • How does the 1860 election relate to the southern states seceding from the Union?
  • Explain the term “ popular sovereignty .”

⚔️ Civil War Topics for Your Paper

In the pre-war period, tensions in the US over state rights and slavery were high. The differences seemed impossible to overcome. Eventually, this led to several southern states seceding from the Union. What followed was the bloodiest war ever to take place on American ground. In writing about the Civil War, you can explore military, political, and social issues.

  • Did the South ever have a chance to win? The conflict seemed to be heavily in favor of the more industrialized North. Still, it took four years of fighting to get the South to surrender. Your essay could examine the South’s underestimated strengths.
  • Compare and contrast the South’s and North’s economic situation on the eve of the Civil War . You might want to investigate the following questions: What did they produce? How did this influence the decision to wage war?
  • How did the Emancipation Proclamation affect the war? You could focus on the contributions of African American soldiers.
  • Discuss the fatal mistakes made on the battlefields of the Civil War . What decisive moments impacted its results the most? Your paper might explore what the generals could have done differently.
  • Was the Civil War inevitable ? It may be interesting to contemplate a possible compromise. In doing so, think about whether this would have merely delayed the war.
  • The general public’s position on the Civil War . It might be compelling to analyze who supported the effort and why. One focal point could be on differences between social classes.
  • The role of beliefs during the Civil War . You could investigate what the South and the North respectively held sacred. Were religious beliefs a crucial motivator for one or both sides?
  • The “Angel of the Battlefield”: Clara Barton. An essay could analyze how she contributed to the recognition of women’s war participation . It could also examine how it forwarded the struggle for women’s rights.

Clara Barton.

  • What were the political reasons to fight the Civil War ? Investigating this question might yield surprising insights.
  • Contrasting Stonewall Jackson and Ulysses Grant might be engaging for those who are interested in military strategies.

Do you want more? Have a look at the following topic samples for high and middle school students:

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  • Analyze why Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address became a critical moment in American history .
  • Was the Civil War justified?
  • Why was Fort Sumter relevant?
  • How did the Civil War battles impact the American social sphere?
  • What does the notion of the “Lost Cause” mean?
  • Would the election of a different man other than Abraham Lincoln as president have prevented the Civil War?
  • Why did many former slaves enlist in the Union army after the Emancipation Proclamation ?
  • Describe the consequences of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination .
  • Why was slavery essential for the South?
  • Foreign US policy during the 1860s.
  • European reactions on the American Civil War .
  • How did Jefferson Davis’ government differ from Abraham Lincoln’s ?
  • Analyze the notion “A rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” Why was this especially true in the South?
  • Why did the Union rely heavily on blockades to weaken the Confederation ?
  • Examine how Mary Boykin Chesnut’s A Diary from Dixie reflects on the war.
  • How did the war affect life in the South vs. the North ?
  • Investigate the events that led to the Union victory in 1864-65.
  • Was the abolitionist movement the catalyst for the war ?
  • The impact of industrialization on the battlefield.
  • What technologies emerged during the Civil War?
  • Discuss the societal effects of war photography .
  • How did the Civil War affect the many immigrants who recently entered the United States?
  • Did the American Civil War impact the rest of the globe? If so, how?
  • Can one consider Abraham Lincoln one of the best presidents in American history? If so, why?
  • Compare and contrast the most important generals and their tactics.
  • Debate the influence of Manifest Destiny on exacerbating tensions.
  • What states were devastated the most after the war, and why?
  • Describe the South’s and North’s goals during the Civil War.
  • What does the term “Bleeding Kansas” mean?
  • Newspaper coverage of the Civil War in the South vs. the North.
  • Analyze various letters to understand how people from different backgrounds perceived the Civil War .
  • Art and theater in 1860s America.
  • Debate how sectionalism and protectionism contributed to pre-war tensions in the US.
  • Why did the Crittenden Compromise fail?
  • How did the border states perceive the battles of the Civil War?
  • Explore the war contributions and legacy of Mary Edwards Walker.
  • The importance of the US navy in leading the Union to victory.
  • What happened on the West Coast during the Civil War?
  • Trace a timeline of the Civil War’s key battles.
  • Nation-building and national identity: how did the Civil War shape the idea of “Americanness”?

🛠️ Essay Topics on Reconstruction & Industrialization

After the war, industrialization was rapidly changing the American landscape. Additionally, restoring the order after years of fighting proved a challenge. In abolishing slavery, Republicans took the first step to ensure constitutional rights for African Americans. But not everyone shared the same viewpoints. Dive deeper into these confusing times with one of our topics on American history before 1877:

  • Why did scholars initially view the Reconstruction Era in a bad light ? When answering this question, you can focus on the idea of “Black Supremacism.” You also might want to analyze what compelled them to shift their perspective.
  • Another option is investigating what caused Reconstruction to fail . You can further argue where it succeeded and perhaps offer a new interpretation.
  • Maybe you’d prefer an essay on why the Reconstruction Era mattered . This topic allows you to highlight crucial contemporary debates still relevant today.
  • Tracing the origins of the Ku-Klux-Klan has much to offer. You can link this topic to today and question if handling them has changed.
  • Why did President Johnson veto the enactment of the Civil Rights Act in 1866? It might be interesting to contrast his political reasoning and his personal beliefs.
  • Compare the phases of Reconstruction. How did the concept change from Lincoln’s initial plans to President Johnson’s execution?
  • How did urbanization affect American life? Your paper could contrast life in the city and the countryside. You can take economic, social, and health factors into account.
  • How did the American landscape change during industrialization? You might want to examine city growth and architecture.
  • The invention of electricity was one of the most important events in human history. It might be compelling to wonder what side effects its implementation had.
  • Why not investigate the symbolism of skyscrapers? Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead is a fascinating source for this subject.

But wait, that’s not all of it. We’ve got more, including topics on American history since 1877:

  • Did the situation for freedmen improve after Reconstruction ?
  • How did industrialization affect African Americans?
  • Discuss what consequences the Compromise of 1877 had.
  • The role of transportation during industrialization .
  • How does an assembly line work?

The first ever assembly line was installed by Henry Ford.

  • The invention of the automobile.
  • Describe in what ways mass production affected American society.
  • What was the Panic of 1873?
  • Long-term effects of Plessy v. Ferguson .
  • How did the Freedmen’s Bureau help former slaves?
  • Why did rebuilding the South prove so difficult?
  • Debate the effects of the print revolution on American society.
  • What was the primary goal of Reconstruction ?
  • How did the Reconstruction Act affect politics in the South?
  • What caused the formation of Radical Republicans ?
  • The transformation of leisure in late 19 th century America.
  • Analyze why landownership was a crucial issue in establishing African American equality .
  • Was President Johnson’s attempted impeachment in 1868 justified?
  • How did the US government help exacerbate the wealth gap in the late 19 th century?
  • What changes did transcontinental railroad transportation bring ?
  • How did John D. Rockefeller influence the American economy?
  • The role of oil in industrializing America.
  • Discuss the relevance of the Great Upheaval.
  • Changing gender roles in times of urbanization.
  • Industrialization and Education: obstacles and opportunities for women and African Americans.
  • Analyze how industrialization and urbanization in the USA challenged old values.
  • How did the American newspaper business change in the 19 th century?
  • The impact of sensationalism on the American public.
  • Why did steel become such a crucial material during the late 1800s?
  • What caused the Reconstruction Era to come to an end?
  • How did contemporary cartoons attempt to depict the mood during Reconstruction?
  • What problems did Ulysses S. Grant have to face with his administration?
  • Compare and contrast reconstruction measures in various states.
  • Why did cities become increasingly attractive for America’s rural population in the 19 th century?
  • Examine the significance of the Slaughterhouse Cases.
  • Determine the difference between Presidential Reconstruction and Radical Reconstruction?
  • From the black code to Jim Crow: institutionalized racism in the southern states.
  • The combined rise of populism and imperialism in the 1800s.
  • Discuss the significance of regional differences during industrialization .
  • The impact of labor unions on the American work environment.

🗽 20th Century US History Topics to Write About

By the turn of the century, the US was a significant global player. Events such as the Great Depression affected the whole world. In addition, American contributions to the arts changed the cultural sphere forever. If you’re looking for modern US history thematic essay topics, this section is for you.

  • Why did the “final frontier” gain such importance in the 20 th century? Your essay could examine if the space race was an extension of Manifest Destiny .
  • How did the Titanic’s sinking influence innovation and safety regulations ? The ship was the biggest and most technologically advanced ocean liner at the time. Carrying over 2000 passengers, it sank on its maiden voyage. Investigating its legacy might yield fascinating results.
  • How did progressivism shape the political landscape in America at the turn of the century? In the early 1900s, the USA was almost a different country than it was 50 years prior. How did this happen? And who were the leading figures of this process?
  • Are you curious about the development of American workplace laws? Write about the consequences of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire .
  • If you’re into corporate history, look into the rise and fall of America’s formerly largest retailer, Sears .
  • The real William Randolph Hearst vs. his portrayal in David Fincher’s Mank . This topic allows you to combine film theory and the history of American journalism.
  • The impact of Citizen Kane on movies around the globe. To this day, Citizen Kane is considered one of the most influential films ever made. In a paper on the 1941 masterpiece, you can focus on what made it special. Which features are still prominent in cinema today?
  • How did the eugenics movement affect American society? You might want to investigate marriage laws or forced sterilizations.
  • Consequences of the Spanish-American War . The brief battle didn’t last long, but its impact was immense. Your essay could highlight the war as a stepping stone to making the US a global power.
  • Escalating racial violence: The Rosewood Massacre. In 1923, the entire town of Rosewood, Florida, was wiped out by white aggressors. How did racial tensions get so far?

Haven’t found anything yet? Here are some other American history thesis topics for you to explore:

  • The impact of the Cold War on the American economy.
  • What caused the Great Depression ?
  • Ellis Island as a beacon of hope for immigrants and refugees.
  • The transformation of the American school system in the 1920s.
  • What were pop art’s main concepts?
  • Moral vs. political considerations during the annexation of Hawaii.
  • Who were the Social Gospel preachers?
  • John Dewey’s role in advancing education.
  • What sources fueled American progressivism ?
  • Trace the timeline of Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency.
  • What was laissez-faire capitalism?
  • How did President Woodrow Wilson reform businesses?
  • A dive into the speakeasy culture.
  • How did the widespread availability of cars impact American dating life?
  • Prohibition : reasons and consequences.
  • Connecting arts and civil rights: The Harlem Renaissance .
  • Al Capone and the rise of organized crime in the 1920s.
  • What was the New Deal, and why was it necessary?
  • How did FDR’s “Alphabet Agencies” help the economy after the Great Depression ?
  • Explore the funding of the UN .
  • Discuss the significance of the Berlin Airlift.
  • Screen rebels: how James Dean and Marlon Brando changed American cinema forever.
  • Find a connection between McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials .
  • How did affordable television perpetuate the idea of the ideal American family?
  • Analyze the political consequences of the Watergate scandal .
  • A new American culture: variety shows in the 1950s.
  • The origins of Rock’n’roll .
  • What caused the US to slide into inflation in the 1970s?
  • Counterculture literature in the middle of the century: The Beat Generation.
  • The aftermath of the Vietnam War .
  • What made John F. Kennedy a popular president ?
  • The development of Hippie culture in the 1960s.
  • Reproductive rights and the rise of American feminism in the late 20 th century.
  • Intertwining show-business and government: Ronald Reagan’s presidency .
  • Outline the tactical maneuvers of Operation Desert Storm.
  • How did MTV revolutionize the music industry ?
  • Why did drug use become an existential problem in America during the 1970s and 80s?
  • American environmental reform policies from 1960 to 1980.
  • ’70s fashion as a social and political statement in the US.
  • How did the sexual revolution redefine American social life?

🔫 Topics about America in World Wars I & II

America during the World Wars is an engaging writing prompt. But it may be too broad for an essay. That’s why it makes sense to narrow your focus. Which area do you find most interesting about the subject? For example, you can choose between culture, economy, technology, and, of course, the military.

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  • Repressions and progress went hand in hand in the postwar US. Writing about the impact of WWI on domestic American politics would give you various directions to research.
  • President Woodrow Wilson was against entering the war until 1917. What events led the US to break its neutrality?
  • Many Germans of the time called the Treaty of Versailles a “dictate of shame.” It is often considered a significant reason for World War II. What was the US’ position on the Treaty of Versailles?
  • After WWI, America followed isolationist politics. Until 1941, when they declared war on Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor . Could the USA have stayed out of WWII?
  • How did WWII affect the American economy? Think about military needs and rationing.
  • President Woodrow Wilson was a fierce supporter of the League of Nations . But congress coerced him not to have the USA join. Should America have become a member of this organization?

Woodrow Wilson quote.

  • How did American civilians contribute to the war effort? Your essay can focus specifically on women. Be sure to examine new arrangements in daily life.
  • If you’re more into art, why not analyze how the world wars influenced American art?
  • WWII changed all aspects of American life, including their diet. What new methods of food preservation emerged during that time?
  • Another fascinating topic to engage in is propaganda and advertisement in the US during WWII. Your focus might lie on how they targeted different members of society.

Don’t forget to read the rest of our topics on this issue:

  • Evaluate Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points program.
  • How did the American army recruitment work in WWII?
  • “Kilroy was here”: examine where the mysterious slogan comes from.
  • Outline the history of Japanese Americans in Japanese internment camps.
  • US spies: where and how did they operate?
  • The Manhattan Project: trace the making of the atomic bomb .
  • How did migration shape American society in the 1930s and ‘40s?
  • The notion of freedom in America before, during, and after the wars.
  • What role did communication play for the military in WWI vs. WWII?
  • Canadian-American relations during WWII.
  • How did the wars spur transportation developments in the US?
  • Discuss the significance of D-Day .
  • Could the allies have won WWII without the USA?
  • Why did America emerge as a “Global Policeman” after the world wars?
  • The effects of National Socialism in America.
  • In what ways does the outcome of WWII still influence American society today?
  • Compare and contrast military strategies in Europe vs. the Pacific.
  • Was the dropping of the atomic bomb necessary?
  • After the Little Boy’s devastating results, why did the American government decide to drop Fat Man?
  • What made the Zimmerman telegram such a central document for American war participation?
  • What happened to prisoner-of-war camps in the US after the fighting was over?
  • Compare the leadership styles of Franklin D. Roosevelt in WWII and Woodrow Wilson in WWI.
  • Why did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor ?
  • What methods did the American government use to conceal their operations?
  • Growing up in the ‘40s: how did the war impact the manufacture of toys?
  • Which medical advancements were helpful to American soldiers in WWII that didn’t yet exist in WWI?
  • How did the 1940s fashion in the USA reflect the global situation?
  • Did the two world wars change the civil rights situation for African Americans ? If so, how?
  • How did the war affect employment in the US?
  • What was unique about the Higgins boats?
  • The role of submarines in WWI.
  • How did America cooperate with the allied forces in Europe in WWI?
  • Discuss how the American citizens reacted to being drawn into WWI vs. WWII.
  • Did anyone in the US profit from the wars? If so, who?
  • Describe how American families changed during WWII.
  • What stories do letters that soldiers sent to their families back home tell?
  • Joseph Heller’s depiction of World War II in the novel Catch-22 .
  • Compare and contrast memory culture concerning WWII in Russia vs. the USA.
  • How did the perception of America on the global stage change after World War I?
  • The role of women in the US military .

☮️ Essay Topics About the Civil Rights Movement

The struggle for African American equality finally intensified in the 1950s and 60s. Influential figures such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks emerged. Their resilience inspired countless others. Seventy years later, the fight is far from over. The rights of minorities and people of color are still a crucial topic in American society today.

  • Nine months before the Montgomery Bus Boycott , Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat to a white woman. Yet, Rosa Parks is the one commonly associated with sparking the event. Why is Claudette Colvin often ignored in history?
  • Everybody knows Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr , but who were the Civil Rights Movement’s lesser-known figures? Start your research with Aurelia Browder and Susie McDonald.
  • Which concepts and themes can you find in Martin Luther King Jr. ’s I Have A Dream speech ? One idea is to focus on how he expresses hope and freedom for black Americans.

Martin Luther King Jr Quote.

  • Which committees and organizations were central to the Civil Rights Movement’s success ? Discuss the roles of the SNCC, CORE, and NAACP.
  • What makes Malcolm X a controversial figure? Be sure to mention his nationalist ideas and membership in the Nation of Islam.
  • The Little Rock Nine: what made their integration into Little Rock Central High School difficult? In your research paper, you can write about harassment issues and military intervention.
  • What did the Civil Rights Act of 1957 change? On the one hand, you can talk about the history of voter rights. On the other, you might want to investigate how the public reacted to the new law.
  • If you prefer personal stories, you can trace Ruby Bridges’ experiences. She became famous as the first black person to go to an all-white school. She’s still alive today.
  • History can be ugly. If you’re not afraid to encounter violence during your research, check out the Freedom Rides. How did they help attract international attention to the Civil Rights Movement ?
  • Consequences of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Did the movement die with him? How did the government respond?

Are you curious for more? Have a look at these prompts:

  • Compare the modern Black Lives Matter movement with the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
  • What did the Black Panthers party achieve?
  • The best way to teach about the Civil Rights Movement in 8 th grade.
  • What happened at the Greensboro sit-ins?
  • Why did the civil rights activists encounter so much violence, even though they mostly protested peacefully ?
  • Compare and contrast Gandhi’s methods and those of Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Why was Bloody Sunday a crucial moment for the Civil Rights Movement ?
  • What was the “long, hot summer”?
  • Examine the creation of the Kerner Commission.
  • The role of students in advancing civil rights for African Americans .
  • What rights did black Americans gain through the Civil Rights Movement ?
  • Describe the Nation of Islam’s goals.
  • Who were the members of the Black Panther Party ?
  • What distinguishes the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s from previous movements to establish more rights for African Americans?
  • Give a brief overview of the most important Supreme Court decisions concerning the struggle for equality.
  • The importance of the church for the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Compare the effects of various marches for freedom.
  • What made Martin Luther King Jr. a great leader for the movement?
  • How did the murder of Emmett Till affect the public’s view on segregation and racism?
  • How did the press support or hinder the Civil Rights Movement ?
  • Loving v. Virginia: legacy and contemporary significance.
  • What did the notion of “miscegenation” entail?
  • What were the Jim Crow laws ?
  • Describe the goals and achievements of Operation Breadbasket.
  • Who was Stokely Carmichael?
  • Analyze Ralph Abernathy’s autobiography And the Walls Came Tumbling Down . Why do some people consider it controversial?
  • Debate the criticism brought up against the Congress of Racial Equality.
  • Why did some civil rights activists in the 1960s radicalize?
  • Did the election of Barack Obama mark the end of the struggle for equal rights?
  • Discuss the success of the Baton Rouge bus boycott.
  • What events led to Lyndon B. Johnson’s signing of the Voting Rights Act?
  • Examine Coretta Scott King’s career after her husband’s passing.
  • Investigate conspiracy theories concerning James Earl Ray’s role in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
  • The publishing and writing process of Malcolm X’s autobiography .
  • How and why did the 2020 election undermine parts of the Voting Rights Act?
  • Is studying the Civil Rights Movement still relevant today? If so, why?
  • How did CORE help desegregate schools in Chicago?
  • Who is Jesse Jackson?
  • Contemporary commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement .
  • How did John F. Kennedy’s death impact the Civil Rights Movement?

💬 Debatable US History Topics to Research

Controversy has been a constant companion of American history. And it’s not only questionable segregation practices that are up for debate. Women’s and LGBT rights, as well as welfare programs, are issues still unresolved today. If you want argumentative or persuasive essay topics about American history, check out this section.

  • Memories are always socially constructed. “How do various communities around the US perceive monuments of slaveholders?” is an engaging question to explore in your essay.
  • In 1995, an exhibition at the Smithsonian centered around the Enola Gay sparked a nationwide controversy. Critics said the exhibit focused too much on the Japanese suffering the nuclear bomb dropped from the aircraft caused. Was that criticism justified?
  • In the past, Colonial Williamsburg’s issues with slavery were often overlooked. Instead, when creating and developing the historical site, the focus lay on its democratic values. Is Colonial Williamsburg still a good place to learn about American history?
  • What does the Liberty Bell stand for today? You can include recent and older controversies surrounding the location and custody of the bell.
  • Tracing the history of LGBT rights will yield many debatable insights. Which court decisions would you consider especially controversial, and why?
  • The legacy of the Centralia massacre in 1919: are the events linked to the Red Scare ? How did the town try to obscure the truth?
  • In 1887, President Eisenhower supported a campaign to promote patriotism. Part of this was the addition of “under God” to the American Pledge of Allegiance. Analyze the debates surrounding the issue.
  • The history of prostitution laws in the US. Your thesis could suggest a connection between decriminalizing sex work and the workers’ wellbeing.
  • In the 2020 election, several states voted to legalize not only marijuana but also other drugs. History shows many movements to legalize recreational drug use. What was different now?
  • Many older Disney cartoons depict racist stereotypes. The question of adjusting them to modern values sparked much debate. Using this discussion to explore how America should deal with problematic media from the past might be promising.

Keep reading and discover more controversial United States history topics.

  • Did President Barack Obama deserve his Nobel Peace Prize?
  • What did the US gain from the Iraq War ?
  • Would Germany have won WWII without America’s intervention?
  • Should the presidents of the previous century have done more to promote animal rights ?
  • Given its historical context, should we keep celebrating Thanksgiving?
  • Why did it take so long for American women to achieve legally equal rights ?
  • Find historical reasons why the US never instituted universal healthcare .
  • The necessity of cow’s milk in America: past vs. present.
  • Was the annexation of Puerto Rico justified?
  • Did the Chicano Movement achieve positive changes for Mexican Americans?
  • John F. Kennedy’s most controversial presidential actions.
  • The ratification of the 8 th amendment .
  • Was the government’s response to 9/11 justified?
  • The role of faith in American history before 1877 and after.
  • Who or what caused the US’ drug overdose epidemic?
  • HIV/AIDS denialism in America in the 1990s.
  • What should Locust Grove do to restore its deteriorating African American cemetery? Can the place be considered a historical site?
  • Why did some states introduce felon disenfranchisement in 1792? Did the new law spark any outrage?
  • Trace the historical timeline of the same-sex marriage debate .
  • The USA has always been a country of immigrants. How did this lead to immigration being a fiercely discussed topic nowadays?
  • How did the US contribute to the current instability in the Middle East ?
  • Was the “Lost Generation” reckless?
  • How do US historians influence public opinion?
  • Does the Red Scare reflect on Russian-American relations today?
  • Should Bill Clinton have stayed in office ?
  • Discuss the benefits of being a hippie in the 60s.
  • Can the members of the Beat Generation serve as role models for travel enthusiasts today?
  • Roe v. Wade : what made the court case a turning point in the fight for women’s reproductive rights?
  • Did American feminism become too radical by the late 19 th century?
  • The rise and fall of DDT: Why was it allowed in the first place?
  • What should US history education for high school students look like?
  • From a historical perspective, does the reality in Watchmen seem like a likely scenario for the future?
  • Psychiatric methods in early 1900s America.
  • The role of performance-enhancing drugs in the history of American sports achievements.
  • Why do some people believe that the moon landing was staged?
  • Criticism against Ayn Rand’s objectivism and its influence.
  • Before opening America’s first women’s hospital, gynecologist J. Marion Sims experimented on slaves. Should he still be celebrated as the ‘father’ of modern gynecology?
  • Is the notion of “American Century” accurate?
  • American exceptionalism in the 20 th century vs. now.
  • Has technological innovation always been beneficial for the American public?

✊🏿 Black History Topics for an Essay

African American experiences are still very different than those of their white compatriots. That’s why it’s crucial to analyze people of color’s perspectives of and contributions to history. Black history includes thematic topics on education, society, and culture.

  • Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave adapts the 1853 memoirs of Solomon Northup. Though the film doesn’t shy away from brutal images, critics argued it was too soft. Should film writers surrender accurate historical representation to make their content more accessible?
  • After the Civil War, slavery was officially banned in the US. Still, the South continued to find ways to exploit black labor. Examine the consequences of new methods such as convict leasing and sharecropping .
  • Many of those who opposed slavery complied with the system by staying silent or inactive. What did this mean for the reality of African Americans ? Why didn’t these people stand up?
  • A paper on what caused the Red Summer of 1919 can focus on the South to North migration of African Americans during WWI.
  • In the 20 th century, the Great Migration relocated many African Americans. How did this event impact the development of black culture? Your paper could concentrate on art movements or political activism.
  • The GI Bill promised financial benefits to veterans. But former black soldiers didn’t profit as much as their white compatriots. To analyze a concrete example of racist inequality, you can write about how the GI Bill affected African American veterans.
  • For decades, American universities did their best to keep African Americans from receiving higher education . How is education inequality still impacting black students today?
  • After WWI, Tulsa was a prosperous city home to the so-called “ Black Wall Street .” Then the Tulsa Race Massacre happened, and the area was left in shambles. Explore the moving history of Tulsa’s Greenwood District.
  • Do you want to investigate the powerful interplay between cinema and reality? Dedicate your essay to the connection between D.W. Griffith’s 1915 picture The Birth of a Nation and the Ku Klux Klan’s revival. What did this mean for black lives in the early 20 th century?
  • Pan-Africanism in the United States: Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Writing about this topic, you might want to highlight African American nationalism in the 20 th century.

Are none of these prompts for you? Don’t worry; we’ve got more African American history paper topics for college students:

  • Booker T. Washington vs. W. E. B. Du Bois : similarities and disagreements.
  • African American innovators who never received credit for their inventions.

The most important African American inventors.

  • From Hiram Rhodes Revels and Shirley Chisholm to Barack Obama: African Americans who paved the way for modern American democracy .
  • Should the US government pay reparations to descendants of former slaves?
  • Sojourner Truth : how did the former slave fight to end injustice?
  • How did job competition in the North intensify racial tensions in the 20 th century?
  • The accomplishments of Dorothy Johnson Vaughan.
  • Ida B. Wells’ legacy and the history of lynching in America.
  • Why do we celebrate Black History Month, and why is it important?
  • What does Juneteenth commemorate?
  • Histories of the most famous black scientists in the United States.
  • How did the geographic distribution of black people in America transform over time?
  • Key activists of the abolitionist movement .
  • How did African Americans contribute to NASA’s success?
  • African Americans in the age of Prohibition: views and effects.
  • Juxtapose the development of black rights and felon rights.
  • Analyze the significance of Marian Anderson’s show on the National Mall for the Civil Rights Movement.
  • African American women in the beauty business: the story of Madame C. J. Walker.
  • What motivated many black Americans to fight in WWI voluntarily?
  • How did enslaved people manage to escape to the Northern states ?
  • Compare the origins and outcomes of the Civil Rights Movement’s various marches.
  • The New Deal’s effect on African Americans.
  • Explore the connection between black history in the US and cotton .
  • What does the term “black flight” mean, and why might the phenomenon be a problem?
  • How did white capping inhibit the development of black communities?
  • What were the goals of the Che Lumumba Club?
  • Analyze the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke case . What did its outcome mean for equality?
  • What makes Angela Davis a crucial figure in the black history discourse?
  • Analyze how Jackie Robinson broke the “color line” to pave the way for African American participation in professional sports.
  • Discuss the long-term consequences of the Tuskegee experiment .
  • How did the Watts Riots affect African American communities in California?
  • Explore the origins of Kwanzaa.
  • African American poetry before 1877: Lucy Terry’s Bars Fight .
  • Not so free after all: enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law.
  • Did the situation for American people of color improve after the implementation of Affirmative Action laws ? If so, how?
  • Trailblazing black Americans in education.
  • How did sports help promote equality for African Americans in the 1900s?
  • Who were the Scottsboro boys?
  • Journalism’s fight for social justice: The Crisis magazine then and now.
  • How did Prohibition help dissolve segregation?

🏞️ Native American Topics to Write About

Much effort has gone into improving the relations between Americans and the indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, this hasn’t always been the case. The history of native Americans is tainted with cruel battles. Taking a closer look reveals the interplay of various cultures and customs.

  • Pocahontas is one of the most renowned figures in Native American history . Compare Pocahontas’ real life vs. how she is depicted in the media. Why was she often romanticized?
  • How did Andrew Jackson’s government justify the Indian Removal Act ? Moral standards during that time and economic reasoning might be a compelling area to focus on.
  • Native American participation in American wars. The colonists fought many battles with each other. France, Spain, and England all competed for the new territory. Did Native Americans participate in these fights? If so, whose side were they on?
  • African peoples were not the only ones who suffered serfdom. Your research paper could cover the colonial enslavement of Native Americans .
  • In the 18 th century, settlers and natives negotiated a variety of treaties. What did they say? Were these treaties ever beneficial for the natives?
  • The Indian Appropriations Act of 1851 organized Native American lives into reservations. What did life look like for natives in these reservations? Additionally, you could examine how reservations affect their lives today.
  • Attempts to deal with Native Americans included assimilation and “civilization.” How did these methods work out? For a concrete example, investigate Henry Pratt’s Carlisle Indian Industrial school.
  • If you want to know more about Indian belief systems, research the emergence of the Ghost Dance. Originating in the late 19 th century, many native communities adapted the new tradition.
  • Geronimo escaped captivity countless times before turning himself in. How did he do that? Your essay can look at his beliefs and this geographical knowledge.
  • The Narragansett was the first tribe to encounter European settlers . What were their relations? How did they develop? Consider territorial struggles and the role of Roger Williams.

Are you looking for something else? Check out these US history essay questions and prompts:

  • Compare and contrast American and Australian historical relations to their native population.
  • What events led to the breakout of King Philip’s War?
  • Ancient Indian burial rituals and modern myths.
  • How did the Cherokees rebuild their lives after the Trail of Tears ?
  • Sacagawea’s contribution to the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition .
  • Great Native American leaders: Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull.
  • What happened at the Battle of the Little Bighorn?
  • Consequences for Native American lives after the proclamation of 1763.
  • The crucial role of Navajo Code Talkers in WWII.
  • How did integration into American culture transform tribal life for different tribes?
  • Explore naming customs of various Native American tribes.
  • Is Black Elk Speaks an accurate representation of Lakota culture?
  • What did the American Indian Movement achieve?
  • What makes the Massacre of Wounded Knee significant?
  • Trace Leonard Peltier’s career in politics and activism.
  • Chief Tecumseh and the Indian confederacy.
  • Compare and contrast the cultures of native tribes from various regions in America before colonization.
  • How did American policies regarding the indigenous population change from the Mayflower’s arrival until now?
  • What happened to California’s extensive Native American population after it became a state?
  • The development of Native American music.
  • Traditional Cherokee farming tools and techniques.
  • Native Americans and religion : what compelled some chiefs to convert to Christianity?
  • How did N. Scott Momaday’s House Made of Dawn shape indigenous cultures’ image for the general public?
  • How did native spiritualism relate to the environment?
  • Gender roles of the Sioux tribe before 1900.
  • The greatest battles between First Nations and Americans.
  • Why were the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee considered the “ Five Civilized Tribes ”?
  • America’s first native newspaper: The Cherokee Phoenix and its modern equivalent.
  • How did many of today’s Native Americans become entangled with alcohol and gambling ?
  • Myths and speculations on the ancient origins of indigenous Americans.
  • Economic development of Native American tribes in the 20 th century.
  • Why did Cochise and his Apache warriors raid American settlements?
  • Trace the history of indigenous feminism.
  • What were the blood quantum laws, and why were they introduced?
  • Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill: forging an unlikely friendship.
  • The accomplishments of Oglala Lakota chief Red Cloud.
  • How did the Louisiana Purchase impact First Nations in the region ?
  • The history of Native Americans in law and politics.
  • The political aftermath of the Sand Creek Massacre
  • Cheyenne warrior societies: the emergence of Dog Soldiers as a separate band.

⭐ Topics on Famous People in American History

People shape history. Many of America’s leading historical figures made it to global importance. This section provides you with history essay topics on American artists, presidents, innovators, and more.

  • The “King of Pop” Michael Jackson died a decade ago. Why is he still one of the most debated American celebrities? Your essay could focus on the controversial allegations of child abuse towards him.
  • The social influence of Benjamin Franklin’s journalism is an enticing topic. It allows you to look at the founding father from a different angle. Make sure to include in your essay his desire to educate Americans in morality.
  • John Harvey Kellogg was a progressive healthcare leader. He was also a fierce follower of Adventism. If you endorse obscure things, write about Kellogg’s “warfare with passion.”
  • Mural made Jackson Pollock famous. Reflect on his career before and after the painting. How did the artist find his passion for drip painting?
  • As a First Lady , Betty Ford was a strong advocate for women’s rights. But her political influence didn’t end with her husband’s career. Discuss Betty Ford’s accomplishments after her time in the White House. Mention her addiction and the subsequent establishment of the Betty Ford Center.
  • In 1935, J. Edgar Hoover founded the FBI. In his later years, he became a controversial figure due to his abuses of power . Examine Hoover’s investigations of subversion. What do you find surprising about them?
  • Before his brother’s assassination, Bobby Kennedy wasn’t particularly popular in the US. Analyze his speeches during his political career after the event. What made him a compassionate orator?
  • The Kennedy-Nixon debates provide a rich foundation for those interested in political campaigning . How did the public react to them? What did the polls say? Keep in mind that it was America’s first televised presidential debate.
  • If you seek to combine environmentalism and politics, Al Gore is your man. How did Al Gore shape America’s political discourse in the 2000s? Consider his loss against George Bush in the controversial 2000 election.
  • Literature enthusiasts know Allen Ginsberg for his explicit poem Howl . How did he express his political and social activism in his works? You could focus on his fight for free speech and the Howl trial.

We’ve got more topics on regents and other famous Americans for you to check out:

  • Just Say No: Nancy Reagan and the failure of her anti-drug campaign.
  • Why was Abraham Lincoln such a controversial figure?
  • Kurt Cobain and Nirvana: the voice of the ‘90s youth.
  • Ronald Reagan was an actor before he became president. What drove him into politics?
  • What circumstances made Donald Trump’s presidency possible?
  • Why was Jimmy Carter such an unpopular president?
  • Discuss what Eleanor Roosevelt achieved for women.
  • Stanley Kubrick: was he the greatest filmmaker of the 20 th century?
  • The role of First Ladies before the Civil War.
  • Judith Butler’s influence on American feminism.
  • Margaret Sanger: the initiator of the birth control movement.
  • How did Oprah Winfrey get to where she is now?
  • Steve Jobs and the revolution of computer technology.
  • Research the mysterious Zodiac Killer and his ciphers. Why were many people obsessed with him?
  • How did the Wright Brothers shape the history of aviation?
  • Amelia Earhart’s disappearance: myths and facts.
  • J. Robert Oppenheimer’s contributions to physics.
  • Bruce Lee and the transformation of martial arts.
  • How did O.J. Simpson end up in the US’ most famous car chase?
  • Charles Goodyear and the road to vulcanized rubber.
  • Creating nanotechnology : the legacy of Eric Drexler.
  • Muhammad Ali’s influence on raising awareness for Parkinson’s research.
  • Describe how Bobby Fischer impacted the world of chess.
  • What made Chuck Norris so famous?
  • How did Marilyn Monroe change the American attitude towards sexuality?
  • Truman Capote’s role in advancing LGBT rights.
  • Harper Lee’s biography after the publishing of To Kill A Mockingbird .
  • Transforming science fiction: the legacy of Philip K. Dick .
  • Andy Warhol as a global anti-capitalist icon.
  • Bringing quantum physics forward: the brilliance of Richard Feynman.
  • Samuel Colt and the consequences of inventing the revolver.
  • Analyze the significance of Helen Keller’s work for women’s and disabled persons’ rights.
  • How did Sam Walton become the wealthiest American in 1985?
  • Discuss the importance of Thurgood Marshall for the Civil Rights Movement.
  • What inspired Bill W. to found Alcoholics Anonymous ?
  • Paving the way for gay politicians: the activism of Harvey Milk .
  • What was Louis B. Mayer’s management style with MGM?
  • Walt Disney : who was the person behind the chipper cartoons?
  • Trace Estée Lauder’s success story.
  • How did Olympia Brown contribute to advance gender equality in the religious sphere?

We hope you found your ideal essay or project topic on US history. Good luck with your assignment!

Further reading:

  • Americanism Essay: Examples, Tips & Topics [2024 Update]
  • 497 Interesting History Topics to Research
  • 460 Excellent Political Topics to Write about in 2024
  • 149 Interesting History Essay Topics and Events to Write about
  • A List of 450 Powerful Social Issues Essay Topics
  • 210 Immigration Essay Topics
  • A List of 175 Interesting Cultural Topics to Write About
  • 512 Research Topics on HumSS (Humanities & Social Sciences)
  • Pre-Columbian to the New Millenium: US History
  • A Brief Guide to Writing the History Paper: Harvard
  • American Civil War: History.com
  • Reconstruction: Encyclopedia Britannica
  • Industrialization and Urbanization in the United States: Oxford Research Encyclopedias
  • The United States in WWI: Khan Academy
  • America Goes to War: The National WWII Museum
  • Controversies: National Council on Public History
  • The 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time: Smithsonian Magazine
  • American History: History Central
  • The 25 Moments From American History That Matter Right Now: Time
  • All Topics: American Historical Association
  • Native American: Library of Congress
  • African American History: National Archives
  • Civil Rights Movement: ADL
  • US 20th Century: Princeton University
  • The Progressive Era: Lumen Learning
  • Timeline: United States History: World Digital Library
  • Explore by Timeline: The New Nation (1783-1860): US General Services Administration
  • The Emergence of Modern America: Smithsonian Institution
  • What Was the Cold War?: National Geographic
  • The Story of the Atomic Bomb: The Ohio State University
  • Continental Feminism: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
  • The Constitution: The White House
  • The US During World War I: Delaware.gov
  • America in the First World War: The British Library
  • Key Events and Figures of Reconstruction: The City University of New York
  • Reconstruction and Its Impact: IDCA
  • 400 Years since Slavery: a Timeline of American History: The Guardian
  • American Revolution Facts: American Battlefield Trust
  • The Presidents of the United States: Constitution Facts
  • What Caused the American Industrial Revolution: Investopedia
  • Reasons Behind the Revolutionary War: NCpedia
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American history research guide, american history: smithsonian institution resources, american immigration history, american industrial history.

  • American Music History

American Presidency and Political History

American religious history, american studies and history, american women's history.

  • American Automobile and Transportation History

Basic History Research Tools

Design and decorative arts, environmental history, food and beverage history.

  • Graphic Arts

History of American Education

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History of the Computer and the Internet

Lewis and clark expedition, medical history, military history.

  • Naval History

Numismatic Resources

Photography history, railroad history, united states cartography and maps.

  • World's Fairs and Expositions Resources

The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' American History Research Guide is a select list of resources for students, teachers, and researchers to learn about various topics of American History. 

  • Anacostia Community Museum
  • Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
  • From Smithson to Smithsonian: The Birth of an Institution :  Bibliography on the History of the Smithsonian Institution
  • National Air and Space Museum
  • National Museum of African American History and Culture
  • National Museum of American History
  • National Museum of the American Indian
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • National Postal Museum

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  • Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies : The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies which documents and interprets the ethnic and immigrant experience in the United States. Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies has recently merged into the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
  • Bracero History Archive : The Bracero History Archive collects and makes available the oral histories and artifacts pertaining to the Bracero program, a guest worker initiative that spanned the years 1942-1964. Millions of Mexican agricultural workers crossed the border under the program to work in more than half of the states in America.
  • Ellis Island : The Ellis Island Immigration Museum and their online American Family Immigration History Center (AFIHC) allows visitors to explore the collection of immigrant arrival records stored in the Ellis Island Archives.
  • Immigrant Arrivals: A Guide To Published Sources : Library of Congress bibliography of print and web based resources.
  • Immigration History Research Center : The IHRC develops and maintains a library and archival collection, provides research assistance, produces publications, and sponsors academic and public programs. Its work supports the parent institution, the University of Minnesota.
  • Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930 : Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930, is a web-based collection of selected historical materials from Harvard's libraries, archives, and museums that documents voluntary immigration to the US from the signing of the Constitution to the onset of the Great Depression.
  • I mmigration: The Changing Face of America : A Library of Congress site for teachers and students.
  • National Archives & Records Administration Immigration Records: Immigration Records : NARA has immigration records for arrivals to the United States from foreign ports between approximately 1800 and 1959. The records are arranged by Port of Arrival.
  • Beyond Steel: An Archive of Lehigh Valley Industry and Culture : This Lehigh University Digital Library site highlights the Lehigh Valley's mid nineteenth-century boom, late twentieth-century decline and continuing community readjustment. Through the digitization and presentation of letters, books, photographs, maps, essays, and oral histories the site will aid researchers in understanding not only the lives of railroad barons and steel titans, but also the experiences of average folks who worked and lived in the community.
  • Inside an American Factory: Westinghouse Works Collection : A part of the Library of Congress American Memory Project, this collection of films, images and text. The collection contains 21 films showing various views of Westinghouse companies. Most prominently featured are the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, and the Westinghouse Machine Company.
  • U.S. Steel Gary Works Photograph Collection : The Indiana University Digital Library Program is produced this series of more than 2,200 photographs of the Gary Works steel mill and the corporate town of Gary, Indiana held by the Calumet Regional Archives at Indiana University Northwest.

American Music History Resources

  • African-American Sheet Music, 1850-1920 : The sheet music in this digital collection has been selected from the Sheet Music Collection at the John Hay Library at Brown University. The full collection consists of approximately 500,000 items, of which perhaps 250,000 are currently available for use. It is one of the largest collections of sheet music in any library in the United States.
  • Azúcar! The Life and Music of Celia Cruz

A bibliography of monographs and lesson plans for teachers from K to 12.

  • Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments : Features descriptions and images of many items in the collection and publication lists.
  • Historic American Sheet Music : The Historic American Sheet Music Project provides access to digital images of 3,042 pieces from the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library at Duke University, published in America between 1850 and 1920.
  • Historic Sheet Music, 1800-1922 : This sheet music collection from the Library of Congress consists of approximately 9,000 items published from 1800 to 1922, although the majority is from 1850 to 1920. The bulk was published in many different cities in the United States, but some of the items bear European imprints. Most of the music is written for voice and piano; a significant minority is instrumental. Notable in this collection are early pieces by Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern, as well as music by other popular composers such as Victor Herbert, Jean Schwartz, Paul Dresser, Ernest R. Ball, Gussie L. Davis, Charles K. Harris, and George M. Cohan. Numerous arrangements of classical tunes by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert and other famous classical composers are also well-represented.
  • Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music : This collection, at the Milton S. Eisenhower Library of The Johns Hopkins University, contains over 29,000 pieces of music and focuses on popular American music spanning the period 1780 to 1960. All pieces of the collection are indexed on this site and a search will retrieve a catalog description of the pieces and an image of the cover and each page of music.
  • RoJaRo Index : An index to more than 300,000 entries, covering 250 music magazines from 20 countries, covering all types of contemporary popular music: rock, jazz, roots, blues, rap, soul, gospel, country, reggae, etc.

The Sheet Music Consortium : The Archive of Popular American Music is a non-circulating research collection covering the history of popular music in America from 1790 to the present. The collection is one of the largest in the country, numbering almost 450,000 pieces of sheet music, anthologies, and arrangements for band and orchestra, and 62,500 recordings on disc, tape, and cylinder. Subject strengths within twentieth-century holdings include music for theater, motion picture, radio and television, as well as general popular, country, rhythm and blues, and rocksongs.

  • A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation : A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation consists of a linked set of published Congressional records of the United States of America from the Continental Congress through the 43rd Congress, 1774-1875.  A select number of documents and reports from the monumental U.S. Congressional Serial Set are available as well.
  • American Presidency : This online exhibition from the National Museum of American History has a bibliography under the Resources and Teacher Materials which are age and grade specific.
  • American Presidency Project : The American Presidency Project was established in 1999 as a collaboration between John Woolley and Gerhard Peters at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The archives contain 75,117 documents related to the study of the Presidency.
  • American President : This resource is sponsored by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. Launched originally in 2000 as the online companion to "The American President" -- the six-part PBS television series -- American President is a resource on the history of the presidency and the nature of contemporary policy making.
  • Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress : Online publication of the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, published by the Senate Historical Office and the Legislative Resource Center of the House of Representatives. Includes images from the Senate Historical Office. Database is searchable by name, position, and state.
  • Center for the Study of the Presidency : The Center is a non-profit educational institution devoted to the study of the presidency, government, and politics.
  • Data.gov : The purpose of Data.gov is to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. Data.gov includes searchable data catalogs providing access to data in three ways: through the "raw" data catalog, the tool catalog and the geodata catalog.
  • Encyclopædia Britannica's profile of the American Presidency : Read about the presidents and explore the electoral process, election results, images, video, and important documents related to the evolution of the nation's highest office.
  • I Do Solemnly Swear... Presidential Inaugurations : This Library of Congress collection offers approximately 400 items or 2,000 digital files from each of the 54 inaugurations from George Washington's in 1789 to George W. Bush's inauguration of 2001. This includes diaries and letters of presidents and of those who witnessed inaugurations, handwritten drafts of inaugural addresses, broadsides, inaugural tickets and programs, prints, photographs, and sheet music.
  • JFK Assassination Records Collection Reference System : Over 170,000 assassination-related documents. Contributing agencies include: the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); the Department of Justice; and the Department of State.
  • Miller Center of Public Affairs : The Scripps Library and Multimedia Archive serves as a research facility for scholars of U. S. public policy. The Library’s collection is a specialized one focused on American politics and history with special attention paid to the American Presidency.
  • POTUS: Presidents of the United States : This resource you will find background information, election results, cabinet members, notable events, and some points of interest on each of the presidents. Links to biographies, historical documents, audio and video files, and other presidential sites are also included.
  • Presidential Libraries of the National Archives & Records Administration : The Presidential Library system is made up of ten Presidential Libraries. This nationwide network of libraries is administered by the Office of Presidential Libraries, which is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), located in College Park, MD. These are not traditional libraries, but rather repositories for preserving and making available the papers, records, and other historical materials of U.S. Presidents since Herbert Hoover.
  • The Role of the Vice President : A brief history of the role of the Vice President as President of the U.S. Senate.
  • THOMAS - The Library of Congress : THOMAS has the Congressional Record and full text of legislation available from 1989 (101st Congress) to the present. In addition, THOMAS has summaries (not full text) of legislation from 1973 (93rd Congress). From the Library of Congress.
  • Voting America: United States Politics, 1840-2008 : This University of Richmond project examines the evolution of presidential politics in the United States across the span of American history. It offers a wide spectrum of cinematic and interactive visualizations of how Americans voted in presidential elections at the county level over the past 164 years. There are expert analysis and commentary videos that discuss some of the most interesting and significant trends in American political history.
  • Voting and Registration (U.S. Census Bureau Data) : Contains information on reported voting and registration by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics for the United States.
  • White House Historical Association : The White House Historical Association is a charitable nonprofit institution whose purpose is to enhance the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the White House.
  • The White House Building : Information on the White House, including historical details.
  • Women in Congress : This web site, based on the book Women in Congress, 1917–2006, contains biographical profiles of former women Members of Congress, links to information about current women Members, essays on the institutional and national events that shaped successive generations of Congresswomen, and images of each woman Member, including rare photos.
  • American Jewish Historical Society : The American Jewish Historical Society is the oldest national ethnic historical organization in the United States. The Society’s library, archives, photograph, and art and artifacts collections document the American Jewish experience.
  • American Religion Data Archive : The ARDA collection includes data on churches and church membership, religious professionals, and religious groups (individuals, congregations and denominations).
  • Divining America: Religion and the National Culture : Divining America: Religion and the National Culture is designed to help teachers of American history bring their students to a greater understanding of the role religion has played in the development of the United States.
  • Journal of Southern Religion : JSR is an online journal targeted toward scholars, students, and others who are engaged in or interested in the study of Southern religion and culture.
  • Material History of American Religion Project : The Material History of American Religion Project studied (1995-2001) the history of American religion in all its complexity by focusing on material objects and economic themes.
  • North Star: A Journal of African-American Religious History : An online journal sponsored by Princeton University.
  • Religion and the Founding of the American Republic (Library of Congress) : Encompassing over 200 objects including early American books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings, artifacts, and music from the Library’s collections and complemented by loans from other institutions, Religion and the Founding of the American Republic explores the role religion played in the founding of the American colonies, in the shaping of early American life and politics, and in forming the American Republic.
  • Religious Movements Homepage Project at the University of Virginia : This Web site presents detailed profiles of more than two hundred different religious groups and movements in the United States.
  • Santos: Substance and Soul : There are nine separate reading lists on topics related to the history, culture, preservation, and identification of Santos objects.
  • Brooklyn Daily Eagle Online  (1841-1902) : The Brooklyn Daily Eagle was published from October 26, 1841 to 1955 and was revived for a short time from 1960 to 1963. Currently, the digitized newspaper collection includes the period from October 26, 1841 to December 31, 1902, representing half of the Eagle's years of publication.
  • Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers : This Library of Congress site allows you to search and read newspaper pages from 1900-1910 and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
  • Common-Place: The Interactive Journal of Early American Life : Common-Place is an electronic quarterly journal about early American history and culture before 1900.
  • Documenting the American South - University of North Carolina : Documenting the American South (DocSouth) is a digital publishing initiative that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. Currently DocSouth includes ten thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs.
  • Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History : The Gilder Lehrman Collection is the largest private collection of American history documents in the world. It preserves, exhibits, and disseminates archival resources chronicling the history of the United States from the beginning of European colonization, with emphasis on the period from 1760 through 1876. The collection contains resources on the history of colonial settlement, Indian relations, the American Revolution and its origins, the Constitution, the struggle over slavery, and the Civil War.
  • H-Net Web Site : H-Net Web Site includes archived copies of all history related listserv discussion lists and vacancy announcements for various fields in the humanities.
  • Making of America - Cornell University : Materials accessible here are Cornell University Library's contributions to Making of America (MOA), a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology.
  • The G.I. Roundtable Series : The American Historical Association produced the G.I. Roundtable Series to help win World War II. The site is comprised of three main sections. Section I: The pamphlets, reproduced here as primary documents, provide a unique insight into what Americans were thinking about at the end of the war, and how the recent past was seen as a prelude to the future. Section II: A still-evolving selection of Background documents and related readings to provide context on the origins and production of the series and the historiography of the period. Section III: The site provides an extensive analysis of the origins of the series, and how it fit into both the Army's larger program of preparation for postwar changes as well as the larger culture in which they were produced.
  • Within These Walls : An annotated reading list for elementary and middle school students and an extensive bibliography for older students interested in the themes related to the Ipswich House exhibition.
  • Cookery and Foodways Collection : The University of Denver Cookery and Foodways Collection is particularly strong in American regional cookery, and contains a large number of privately published fund-raising cookbooks from churches, service organizations, and other community groups.
  • Heaven Will Protect the Working Girl: Immigrant Women in the Turn-of-the-Century City : This web site is based upon curriculum materials produced by American Social History Project as part of the Who Built America? series.
  • National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Collection : The complete National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) Collection is a library of 700-800 titles collected between 1890 and 1938 by members of NAWSA and donated to the Rare Books Division of the Library of Congress on November 1, 1938. The bulk of the collection is derived from the library of Carrie Chapman Catt, president of NAWSA from 1900-1904, and again from 1915-1920. Additional materials were donated from the libraries of other members and officers, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Alice Stone Blackwell, Julia Ward Howe, Elizabeth Smith Miller, and Mary A. Livermore.
  • Online Biographical Dictionary of the Woman Suffrage Movement in the United States : This free crowd-sourced project contains over 3,000 biographical sketches of grassroots women suffragists, including a special section focused on nearly 400 Black Women Suffragists.
  • Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College : The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history.
  • Women & Social Movements in the United States, 1775-2000 : The Women and Social Movements website is a project of the Center for the Historical Study of Women and Gender at the State University of New York at Binghamton and includes roughly 900 documents, 400 images, and 350 links to other websites.
  • Women in America: 1820-1842 : During the first half of the nineteenth century, Tocqueville and Beaumont were joined by scores of other European travelers curious about the new republic, and anxious to fill the European demand for accounts of American life. One of the most striking was the status of women--their domestic roles, their freedom in youth, their responsibilities in marriage, and their importance to the moral and religious life of the republic. Tocqueville and Beaumont observed all manner of social gatherings and recorded the conversations with prominent American citizens on a number of matters, including morality and the status of women.
  • Women Working, 1800 - 1930 : Women Working, 1800 - 1930 focuses on women's role in the United States economy and provides access to digitized historical, manuscript, and image resources selected from Harvard University's library and museum collections. The collection features approximately 500,000 digitized pages and images.

Automobile and Transportation History

  • America on the Move : Teachers and parents can use the resource guides, lessons, and activity plans to teach children (K- Middle School) about transportation in American history.
  • Antique Automobile Club of America : The Antique Automobile Club of America, founded in 1935, is dedicated to perpetuating the memories of early automobiles by encouraging their history, collection and use.
  • Automobile in American Life and Society : This site was created and developed by the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the Henry Ford Museum. Each of the site’s five sections (design, environment, gender, labor, race) contains two essays—an overview of the topic and a more focused case study—plus a select annotated bibliography or bibliographic essay to guide further reading.
  • Carriage Association of America : The Carriage Association of America is an organization devoted to the preservation and restoration of horse drawn carriages and sleighs. The site features information about the organization and links to related sites.
  • Hemmings Motor News : This is the online resource of the advertising monthly that is devoted to antique, classic, vintage, muscle, street rod, and special interest automobiles, catering to car collectors and restorers. HMN also features the hobby's most complete calendar of upcoming events, hobbyists' legislative alerts, and a monthly listing of stolen collector cars.
  • Henry Ford Museum : The Henry Ford Museum began as Henry Ford's personal collection of historic objects. Today, the 12 acre site is primarily a collection of antique machinery, pop culture items, automobiles, locomotives, aircraft, and other items. 
  • Rural Heritage : The online version of the print journal in support of small farmers and loggers who use draft horse, mule and ox power. It features articles and dialogues on animals, equipment, health information, and other resources.
  • Society for Commercial Archeology : Established in 1977, the SCA is the oldest national organization devoted to the buildings, artifacts, structures, signs, and symbols of the 20th-century commercial landscape.
  • Best of History Web Sites
  • Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy
  • Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History  
  • History Matters: The U. S. Survey Course on the Web
  • National Archives Research Room
  • National History Day
  • Smithsonian History Explorer
  • Using Primary Sources on the Web
  • Architecture and Urbanism of the Southwest : Architecture and Urbanism of the Southwest, is an illustrated essay by John Messina (AIA, Research Architect) and the University of Arizona Southwest Studies Center and the School of Architecture. The site also provides a recommended readings list of books and articles.
  • Bata Shoe Museum : Located in Toronto, the Bata Shoe Museum holds over 10,000 shoes in the collection.
  • Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) 1933 to present : The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) collections are among the largest and most heavily used in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. This online presentation of the HABS/HAER collections includes digitized images of measured drawings, black-and-white photographs, color transparencies, photo captions, data pages including written histories, and supplemental materials.
  • City Beautiful: The 1901 Plan for Washington, DC : A University of Virginia American Studies project, this site documents the first explicit attempt to utilize the vaguely classical Beaux-Arts architectural style, which emerged from the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, for the explicit intent of beautification and social amelioration was the Senate Park Commission's redesign of the monumental core of Washington D.C. to commemorate the city's centennial. The McMillan Plan of 1901-02, named for Senator James McMillan, the commission's liaison and principal backer in Congress, was the United States' first attempt at city planning.
  • Corning Museum of Glass : The Corning Museum of Glass's home page begins with its local address and phone numbers and provides a menu of places to visit within the museum site, including, "A Resource for Glass," a collection of information developed to answer questions about glass, and "Glossary of Glassmaking Terms," an alphabetical list of terms with in-depth definitions.
  • Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture : The Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture collects electronic resources for study and research of the decorative arts, with a particular focus on Early America. Included are electronic texts and journals, image databases, and information on organizations, museums and research facilities. The site was created and is maintained at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries.
  • Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture: Image and Text Collections : The Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture collects and creates electronic resources for study and research of the decorative arts, with a particular focus on Early America. Included are electronic texts and facsimiles, image databases, and Web resources. Made possible by the Chipstone Foundation, the project is produced at the University of Wisconsin Madison General Library System.
  • Furniture Glossary : A compilation of terms and acronyms on furniture styles, design and construction.
  • Harper's Bazaar Magazine : A browse-able collection of issues from the 19th Century magazine, Harper's Bazaar (1867-1900). 
  • MAD: Maine Antique Digest : MAD's bulletin board, with table of contents from current issues, and over 90 book reviews of books dealing with antiques and collectibles.
  • Museum of Glass: International Center for Contemporary Art : The Museum of Glass: International Center for Contemporary Art in Tacoma Washington presents contemporary art with a sustained concentration on the medium of glass. The Museum exhibition schedule includes works by internationally known artists and trends in contemporary art. The exhibition program offers artists and audiences the opportunity to experiment with and experience a full range of media in the visual arts.
  • National Building Museum : Created by an act of Congress in 1980, the National Building Museum is America’s premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning.
  • National Register of Historic Places : The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation.  Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed in the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
  • The Noble Craftsman We Promote: The Arts and Crafts Movement in the American Midwest : An online version of the Toledo University exhibition, looks at four particular areas of Arts and Crafts in the Midwest: the book arts, architecture, interior and exterior design, and the decorative arts and attempts to explain how the movement in the heartland differed from its purer British counterpart.
  • Paint by Number: Accounting for Taste in the 1950s : A brief resource list for a unique subject.
  • Quilt Index : The Quilt Index aims to be a central resource that incorporates a wide variety of sources and information on quilts, quiltmakers and quiltmaking. The Quilt Index was conceived and developed by The Alliance for American Quilts and implemented in collaboration with Michigan State University's MATRIX: The Center for Humane Arts, Letters and Social Sciences Online and the Michigan State University Museum.
  • Sears Modern Homes : This site features a history of the Sears Modern Homes program, photos, catalog advertisements, references and a registry of owners. More than 100,000 Sears ready-made houses were sold from 1908 to 1940.
  • Skyscraper Museum : Founded in 1996, THE SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM is a private, not-for-profit, educational corporation devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future. Located in New York City, the world's first and foremost vertical metropolis, the museum celebrates the city's rich architectural heritage and examines the historical forces and individuals that have shaped its successive skylines. Through exhibitions, programs and publications, the museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence.
  • Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) : Founded in 1940, the Society encourages scholarly research in the field and promotes the preservation of significant architectural monuments that are an integral part of the worldwide historical and cultural heritage.  They publish the quarterly Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians and bimonthly Newsletter.  There are several bibliographies and links to related organizations.
  • Stained Glass Magazine : Stained Glass Magazine on the World Wide Web, featuring the Stained Glass Association of America's conference schedule, professional announcements, calls for papers, and lists of useful catalogues and resources of interest to collectors and historians of stained glass.
  • Strong Museum (Rochester, NewYork) : The Strong Museum's more than 500,000 objects include the world's largest and most historically significant collection of dolls and toys, America's most comprehensive collections of homecrafts and souvenirs, and nationally important collections of home furnishings and advertising materials.
  • Textile Society of America : The Textile Society of America provides a forum for the exchange and dissemination of information about all aspects of textiles: historic, artistic, cultural, social, political, economic, and technical.
  • Urban Planning, 1794-1918: An International Anthology of Articles, Conference Papers, and Reports : These documents are primary source material for the study of how urban planning developed up to the end of World War I. They include statements about techniques, principles, theories, and practice by those who helped to create a new professional specialization. This new field of city planning grew out of the land-based professions of architecture, engineering, surveying, and landscape architecture, as well as from the work of economists, social workers, lawyers, public health specialists, and municipal administrators.
  • Vernacular Architecture Forum : The term "vernacular architecture" applies to traditional domestic and agricultural buildings, industrial and commercial structures, twentieth-century suburban houses, settlement patterns and cultural landscapes.  The Vernacular Architecture Forum was formed in 1980 to encourage the study and preservation of these informative and valuable material resources.
  • Victoria & Albert Museum (London) : The Museum's ceramics, glass, textiles, dress, silver, ironwork, jewellery, furniture, sculpture, paintings, prints and photographs span the cultures of Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa, and date from ancient times to the present day. There are 2000 images of the collection available for online viewing.
  • Winterthur Museum & Library (Delaware) : The Winterthur Library contains approximately half a million imprints, manuscripts, visual materials, and printed ephemera for research from the 17th century to the early 20th century. The museum collections include 85,000 domestic artifacts and works of art made or used in America to 1860.
  • Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention : This site is in association with the Eames exhibition tour
  • American Environmental Photographs, 1891-1936: Images from the University of Chicago Library : This collection consists of approximately 4,500 photographs documenting natural environments, ecologies, and plant communities in the United States at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. The photographs were taken by Henry Chandler Cowles (1869-1939), George Damon Fuller (1869-1961), and other Chicago ecologists on field trips across the North American continent.
  • Bureau of Reclamation History : The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation History site is a collection of oral histories, photographs, and papers on the agency and it's work.
  • Conservation and Environment - Library of Congress : The historic and more recent maps contained in this category show early exploration and subsequent land use in various areas of the United States. These maps show the changes in the landscape, including natural and man-made features, recreational and wilderness areas, geology, topography, wetland area, vegetation, and wildlife. Specific conservation projects such as the growth and development of U.S. National Parks are included in this category.
  • Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920 : The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920 documents the historical formation and cultural foundations of the movement to conserve and protect America's natural heritage, through books, pamphlets, government documents, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and motion picture footage drawn from the collections of the Library of Congress. The collection consists of 62 books and pamphlets, 140 Federal statutes and Congressional resolutions, 34 additional legislative documents, excerpts from the Congressional Globe and the Congressional Record, 360 Presidential proclamations, 170 prints and photographs, 2 historic manuscripts, and 2 motion pictures.
  • Forest History Society Databases : The Forest History Society has six databases that are searchable on the website via InMagic's Web Publisher software. All of the databases provide useful, detailed information about primary or secondary resource materials that aid research in the broad fields of forest, conservation, and environmental history.
  • H-Environment - H-NET, the Humanities & Social Sciences Online initiative : This website is intended as a general resource for people interested in environmental history. Much of its content is compiled from the discussion list H-Environment and includes book reviews, conference announcements, a course syllabus library, and a survey of films. There are also links to other organizations and websites where you can find materials of interest.
  • History of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service : Official website of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with links to their archival collections, oral histories, and other information sources.
  • Love Canal Collection : The University Of Buffalo Library holds the records of the Ecumenical Task Force, 1979-1991 which contain extensive documentation of the toxic waste controversies associated with the Love Canal and related toxic waste sites in Niagara County, New York. The ETF assembled a resource file of government and other reports concerning the Love Canal and related environmental issues. The reports in the resource file and elsewhere in the records include draft documents, photocopied statements prepared by Love Canal residents, scientists and ETF members for hearings on the Love Canal, speeches, consultant reports, articles, as well as printed and online reports.
  • Bon Appétit! Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian : The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History website of their Julia Child's Kitchen exhibition.
  • Doubtless as Good: Thomas Jefferson's Dreams of American Wines Fulfilled : This short bibliography, prepared by staff at the National Museum of American History, includes books on the material culture of viniculture, some historic works on American winemaking not included in the Gabler bibliography, and some relevant works on American culture and taste.
  • Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project : The Michigan State University Library and the MSU Museum have created an online collection of some of the most influential and important American cookbooks from the late 18th to early 20th century.
  • Food Reference Website : A fairly comprehensive private website that provides links to articles, information, food history dates, and a wide range of useful information on food.
  • Food Timeline : A resource about food history, social history, manners and menus covering Prehistory through modern day.
  • Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive : The Janice Bluestein Longone Culinary Archive at the William L. Clements Library on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor contains thousands of items from the 16th to 20th centuries - books, ephemera, menus, magazines, graphics, maps, manuscripts, diaries, letters, catalogues, advertisements, and reference works. It is a work in progress, and material is being added and catalogued daily.
  • New York Food Museum : A new and developing web-based resource on New York City foodways and food history.
  • Peacock Harper Culinary Collection - Virginia Tech University : The Peacock Harper Culinary Collection is a collection of cookbooks and related items housed in the Virginia Tech Library. The VT Image Base contains over 700 images pertaining to culinary history and the collection. They publish an online newsletter called the Virginia Culinary Thymes
  • Southern Foodways Alliance : The Southern Foodways Alliance website contains links to ongoing research projects, symposiums and their oral history texts. It is a subsidiary of the University of Mississippi's, Center for the Study of Southern Culture.
  • Taking America to Lunch : This Smithsonian exhibition in the National Museum of American History features samples from the museum's collection of lunch boxes from the 19th century plain metal buckets to 20th century popular culture images on boxes made of synthetic materials.

Graphic Art

  • American Printing History Association : The American Printing History Association was founded to encourage the study of printing history and its related arts and skills, including calligraphy, typefounding, typography, papermaking, bookbinding, illustration, and publishing. APHA is especially, but by no means exclusively, interested in American printing history.
  • Fine Press Book Association : The Fine Press Book Association is an organization formed by individuals interested in the art of fine printing to promote printing skills and the appreciation of beautiful books.
  • Graphic Artists Guild
  • Robert C. Williams Paper Museum : This Web site traces the history, art, and science of paper making.
  • Society for the History of Authorship, Reading & Publishing : The Society (SHARP) provides a global network for book historians, 1000 members in over 20 countries, including professors of literature, historians, librarians, publishing professionals, sociologists, bibliophiles, classicists, booksellers, art historians, reading instructors, and independent scholars.
  • Separate Is Not Equal: Brown vs. Board of Education : The annotated bibliography includes information about related Web resources and teacher materials, as well as fiction and non-fiction books for children, young adults, and adults.
  • Slates, Slide Rules, and Software: Teaching Math in America : A collection of reference resources on the tools used in teaching mathematics in the United States from the 1800s onward.

History of Technology - Invention and Inventors

  • Canada Science and Technology Museum : This site links you to the various collections within the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
  • Edison After Forty : This listing includes Edison's Papers, book-length studies, children's books, and museums.
  • Edison Papers Web Site : The Edison Papers Web Site is a searchable database, based on the University Press of America's editions of Thomas Edison's papers, which detail the first 31 years of his life.
  • Hagley American Patent Models : The largest privately-owned collection of United States patent models in the world. Containing nearly 4,000 patent models and related documents, the collection spans America's Industrial Revolution.
  • Lighting a Revolution: A Bibliography of Lighting : A collection of books, articles, and web sites on the history and technology of electrical lighting.
  • National Inventors Hall of Fame : Web site for the National Inventors Hall of Fame, in Akron, Ohio. Features a collection of biographies of members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
  • Powering a Generation of Change : This bibliography lists books, journal articles, and reports documenting the story of electrical power restructuring in North America.
  • Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) : The Society for the History of Technology (SHOT) is dedicated to the historical study of technology and its relations with politics, economics, labor, business, the environment, public policy, science, and the arts.
  • The Office Museum : This commercial website engages in research on the history and evolution of offices, antique office machines and equipment, and business technology based on original documents and artifacts.
  • U.S. Patent & Trademark Office : The official web site of the USPTO has a searchable database. Patents issued between 1790 and 1976 are searchable only by patent number and current US classifications.
  • Yesterday's Office : This site contains articles on antique or redundant office technology and links to related sites.
  • Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota : CBI is dedicated to promoting study of the history of information technology and information processing and their impact on society.
  • Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers : A timetable of significant events in the history of computing, with product announcements and delivery dates from a variety of sources.
  • Computer Museum History Center (Silicon Valley) : The Computer Museum History Center is a non-profit entity dedicated to the preservation and celebration of computing history. It holds one of the largest collections of computing artifacts in the world.
  • Intel Museum (Santa Clara) : This museum documents the development and construction of computer chips by one of the leading manufacturers of chip technology.
  • Internet Archive : The Internet Archive is a non-profit that was founded to build an Internet library, with the purpose of offering permanent access for researchers, historians, and scholars to historical collections that exist in digital format. Founded in 1996 and located in the Presidio of San Francisco, the Archive has been receiving data donations from Alexa Internet and others. In late 1999, the organization started to grow to include more well-rounded collections. Now the Internet Archive includes texts, audio, moving images, and software as well as archived web pages in the collections.
  • Internet Histories : A collection of links about the history of the Internet, from the ISOC , the Internet Society, a non-governmental international organization, committed to global cooperation and coordination for the Internet.
  • Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley : "Making the Macintosh" is an online project documenting the history of the Macintosh computer. This project collects and publishes primary material on the Macintosh's development and early reception. It draws on the extensive holdings of the Stanford University Library's Department of Special Collections, the personal papers of engineers and technical writers involved in the Macintosh project, and interviews conducted for the project.
  • Discovering Lewis and Clark : This comprehensive website contains more than 1,400 pages, and is updated monthly with additional material. This website includes a nineteen-part synopsis of the expedition's story by historian Harry W. Fritz, illustrated with selections from the journals of the expedition, photographs, maps, animated graphics, moving pictures, and sound files.
  • Kansas State Historical Society: Lewis and Clark : This website provides the user with information about the history of the expedition in Kansas.
  • Lewis and Clark Expedition: Selected Resources : The Smithsonian Institution has created this directory of sites on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
  • Lewis and Clark Across Missouri : The Geographic Resources Center at the Department of Geography, University of Missouri partnered with the Missouri State Archives to create this website offering campsite maps, photo-realistic images of important river landmarks, and animated virtual Missouri River travel to trace Lewis and Clark's expedition. 
  • Lewis and Clark in North Dakota : Lewis and Clark in North Dakota is one of most informative websites available about the expedition. A highlight is the In North Dakota Link that includes personal profiles of the individuals involved in the expedition, background information about the sites that Lewis and Clark visited, an expedition chronology, a facts and trivia section, maps, and a bibliography.
  • Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Inc. : The mission of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation is to stimulate public appreciation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's contributions to America's heritage, and to support education, research, development, and preservation of the Lewis and Clark experience. Their website includes a detailed history of the expedition with a bibliography. The site also includes a link to the The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Library. The Library  has about 800 book titles and 300 articles relating to the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The library also has maps, genealogical information, sound, and video recordings. Users can search the library's catalog online.
  • Lewis and Clark: Indiana Bicentennial Commission : This site outlines Indiana's important role in the expedition and lists events to commemorate the expedition.
  • Lewis and Clark: Mapping the West : This Smithsonian site reviews the cartographic work of the Corps of Discovery.
  • Monticello, The Home of Thomas Jefferson: Jefferson's West : This website has a special section on Lewis and Clark that includes an expedition timeline, bibliography, website links, and online study resources for teachers and students. This site is particularly recommended for users who are interested in researching the role that President Thomas Jefferson played in the expedition.
  • PBS Online: Lewis and Clark : This website is a companion resource to the Ken Burns film: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery and contains several special features that will appeal to users. It provides users with a search engine enables users to search the expedition journals by author, date, or year. It contains transcripts of unedited interviews with various experts and historians about their perspectives on the expedition. It also includes expedition timelines, maps, a bibliography, and related links.
  • Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America : This site provides a small sampling of primary materials (maps and journal entries) related to the Lewis and Clark expedition that are housed in the Library of Congress.
  • The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition : The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition website makes available for users the text of the celebrated Nebraska edition of the journals, edited by by Gary M. Moulton. Moulton's edition is considered to be the most accurate and inclusive version published. Currently, the site offers almost two hundred pages from volume 4. In the future, the site will provide access to the full set of journals, almost 5000 pages of primary source material. This site also includes a full text search engine.
  • Artificial Anatomy: Papier-Mâché Anatomical Models : Resources on Anatomy, Papier- Mâché, Preservation, and Trade Catalogs.
  • DeWitt Stetten, Jr., Museum of Medical Research (NIH) : Established in 1986 as a part of the NIH centennial observance, the Stetten Museum collects and exhibits biomedical research instruments and NIH memorabilia.
  • Human Radiation Experiments (DOE) : A website from the US Department of Energy offering a "roadmap" to the stories and records of the cold-war story of radiation research on human subjects.
  • Medical Antiques & Pre-1900 Antique Surgical Sets : From the Arbittier Museum of Medical History, examples of medical antiques, amputation, and surgical sets by some of the most famous makers of the 1800's. Of particular interest are those surgical antiques used in the Civil War. There is a section on pricing and valuation of early surgical sets and kits as well as extensive topics on antique medical collecting.
  • Medical Heritage Library : The Medical Heritage Library is a digital curation collaborative among some of the world’s leading medical libraries. The collection resides at the Internet Archive.
  • Medicine in the Americas, 1619-1914 : The Medicine in the Americas website provides access to a number of key primary historical documents that deal with a number of areas, such as women’s health, public health, and clinical works of enduring historical value. Currently, there are a total of eight works in the archive, and they include Clara Barton’s “The Red Cross of the Geneva Convention” from 1878 and L. Emmett Holt’s 1894 work “The Care and Feeding of Children: A Catechism for the Use of Mothers and Children’s Nurses”.
  • National Library of Medicine : National Library of Medicine home page, with links to a variety of sites on the Internet.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) : This database is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders authored and edited by Dr. Victor A. McKusick and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere, and developed for the World Wide Web by NCBI, the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
  • The Medical Heritage Library : The Medical Heritage Library (MHL) is a digital curation collaborative among some of the world’s leading medical libraries. The collection resides at the Internet Archive.
  • Access to Military Service and Pension Records : The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the official repository for records of military personnel who have been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard.
  • Air University Library's Index to Military Periodicals : The Air University Library's Index to Military Periodicals is a subject index to significant articles, news items, and editorials from English language military and aeronautical periodicals. The Index contains citations since 1988 and is updated continuously. A comprehensive list of all journals covered by AULIMP since 1949 is available as the Historical Index of AULIMP titles.
  • Company of Military Historians : The web site for the journal with several useful links and color plates of uniforms.
  • Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms : Sets forth standard US military and associated terminology to encompass the joint activity of the Armed Forces of the United States in both US joint and allied joint operations, as well as to encompass the Department of Defense as a whole.
  • Historic U.S. Government Publications from World War II : This Southern Methodist University Libraries site allows users to search or browse a collection of over 300 United States government documents produced during World War II.
  • Index to the Uniforms of the American Revolution : This site is provided by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of California and contains several images of American Revolutionary War uniforms.
  • Military Review - English Edition Archives : Archival collection of the professional journal of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center (CAC) and the Command and General Staff College (CGSC).
  • Military Women Veterans : This site documents the contributions of American women to the Armed Forces of the United States.
  • Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800 : Papers of the War Department is a project of the Center for History and New Media, George Mason University and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. This collection of more than 55,000 documents is in an online format with extensive and searchable metadata linked to digitized images of each document.
  • Price of Freedom: Americans at War : This online exhibition from the National Museum of American History presents a timeline of American military conflicts from the War of Independence through the War in Iraq, 2003. It also includes information on hundreds of artifacts related to America’s military history, along with learning resources for educators.
  • Redstone Hyper-media Historical Information : Designed by the MICOM Historical Office, this home page features the Redstone Arsenal Complex Chronological Highlights such as; The Pre-Missile Era (1941-1949) and Women at War: Redstone's WWII Female
  • United States Army Center of Military History : CMH Online is an information and education service provided by the U.S. Army Center of Military History.
  • Valley of the Shadow : The Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities (IATH) at the University of Virginia's Web page featuring Edward Ayers's material on the Great Valley in the Civil War.
  • Veterans History Project - Library of Congress : The Veterans History Project covers World War I, World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf wars. It includes all participants in those wars--men and women, civilian and military. It documents the contributions of civilian volunteers, support staff, and war industry workers as well as the experiences of military personnel from all ranks and all branches of service--the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and Merchant Marine.
  • War Times Journal : The War Times Journal is a free online magazine which covers all periods of military history and military science.
  • West Point in the Making of America : There are eight subject categories from this exhibition reading list on West Point graduates and their contributions to the nation in peace and war.
  • World War I Edition of Stars and Stripes - Library of Congress : From February 8, 1918, to June 13, 1919, by order of General John J. Pershing, the United States Army published a newspaper for its forces in France, The Stars and Stripes. This online collection, presented by the Serial and Government Publications Division of the Library of Congress, includes the complete seventy-one-week run of the newspaper's World War I edition.

Naval and Maritime History

  • Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology : The Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology has been at the forefront of underwater archaeology for over 35 years. The ACUA serves as an international advisory body on issues relating to underwater archaeology, conservation, and submerged cultural resources management.It is working to educate scholars, governments, sport divers, and the general public about underwater archaeology and the preservation of underwater resources.
  • All Hands Magazine Archives : Each issue of this U. S. Navy bulletin and magazine (1922-2011) has been scanned and digitized in Adobe Acrobat format.  Free access.
  • American Merchant Marine at War : The U.S. Maritime Service Veterans complied this collection of war service related topical links.
  • Council of American Maritime Museum : The Council of American Maritime Museums (CAMM) is an organization dedicated to preserving North America's maritime history. The Members include museums, museum professionals, and scholars from United States, Mexico, Bermuda, Australia and Canada. CAMM works to promote high professional standards in the preservation and interpretation of maritime history. Our Members seek to convey and preserve this history through collections, sites, vessels, projects, exhibitions, and research.
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships : The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, commonly known as DANFS, is the foremost reference regarding U.S. naval vessels. Published in nine volumes (from 1959 to 1991), it gives histories for virtually every U.S. naval vessel.
  • Fast Attacks & Boomers: Submarines in the Cold War : Selections for further reading on the growth and development of the U.S. Nuclear Navy.
  • Historic Naval Ships Association : The purpose of the Historic Naval Ships Association is to facilitate the exchange of information and provide mutual support among those who are working hard to maintain their aging vessels physically and financially. The ships of HNSA are located in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, and Australia. The ships are organized into three categories on the site: name of ship, type of ship, and location.
  • Index to Ships in Books -- Search Page : This index allows researchers to search the names of commercial and naval vessels that were published in a variety of books and serials. A bibliography of those printed resources is included.
  • International Congress of Maritime Museums : The International Congress of Maritime Museums is a professional guild of associations, organizations, and individuals in the maritime preservation field. Their website includes a news section that provides information about recently discovered wrecks, upcoming museum exhibits, and other developments in the field.
  • Maritime History Links on the Net : This comprehensive list covers a variety of subjects related to Maritime History.
  • Nautical Research Guild, Inc. : The Nautical Research Guild links researchers, collectors, and builders of the highest quality ship models. The Guild emphasizes learning about ships and maritime history through academic research, as applied and expressed in the process of ship model building and other artistic and academic endeavors.
  • Steamship Historical Society of America : The Steamship Historical Society (SSHSA) is an organization dedicated to preserving artifacts and memories from the steamship days of the past.
  • U.S. Naval Historical Center : The Naval Historical Center is the official history program of the Department of the Navy. The Center now includes a museum, art gallery, research library, archives, and curator as well as research and writing programs.
  • U.S. Naval Vessel Register : The Naval Vessel Register contains information on ships and service craft that comprise the official inventory of the U.S. Navy from the time of vessel authorization through its life cycle and disposal. It also includes ships that have been stricken but not disposed.
  • American Numismatic Society : Official website of the American Numismatic Society offers a list of online resources , including MANTIS , a searchable database of over 600,000 objects from the Society's collections of international coins, paper money, tokens, ‘primitive’ money, medals and decorations.
  • American Numismatics Association : Features information about ANA, a membership form, a link to ANA's ftp site, and links to an educational and museum directory. The FTP site includes press releases; ANA's library catalog; ANA's classification system; video list; and slide lists. The educational and museum directory features ANA's exhibits online; scholarship information; and convention updates.
  • Coins of Colonial and Early America : This University of Notre Dame site features discussions, descriptions and images of the coins and tokens used in Colonial and Confederation America based on examples in the Department of Special Collections. A companion project features Colonial and Confederation era paper currency.
  • Money - Past, Present & Future : Sources of information on monetary history, contemporary developments, and the prospects for electronic money.
  • National Numismatic Collection, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History : The Smithsonian's National Numismatic Collection (NNC) is America's collection of monetary and transactional objects. This diverse and expansive global collection contains objects that represent every inhabited continent and span more than three thousand years of human history.
  • U.S. Department of the Treasury : U.S. Department of Treasury's Home Page includes press releases and updates on new programs and seminars being offered by the Department.
  • Freeze Frame: Eadweard Muybridge’s Photography of Motion : Information on the collection, links, and readings on Muybridge and his work on locomotion.
  • George Eastman Museum: International Museum of Photography and Film : The George Eastman Museum collects and interprets images, films, literature, and equipment in the disciplines of photography and motion pictures and cares for the George Eastman legacy collections.
  • International Center of Photography : The International Center of Photography is a museum, a school and a center for photographers and photography, whose mission is to present photography's vital and central place in contemporary culture and to lead in interpretation issues central to its development.
  • Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection : Link to the "Collection Finder" page of the Library of Congress American Memory site.
  • LIFE Magazine photo archive hosted by Google : Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google.
  • Museum of Photographic Arts : The Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) is one of the first museum facilities in the United States designed exclusively to collect and present the world's finest examples photographic art.
  • National Stereoscopic Association : The association promotes the study, collection and use of stereographs, stereo cameras and related materials for collectors and students of stereoscopic history. There is a link to the Oliver Wendell Holmes Stereoscopic Research Library.
  • NYPL Digital : The New York Public Digital Library is a continually expanding collection of digitized images and text selected from throughout the Research Libraries' collections.
  • Stereoscopy : Stereoscopy.com provides information about stereoscopic imaging (3-D) for both amateurs and professionals.
  • The Daguerreian Society : The Daguerreian Society is an organization of individuals and institutions sharing a common interest in the art, history and practice of the daguerreotype.
  • UCR Arts : This museum features contemporary exhibitions, digital and web art online, and a vast historical photograph collection.
  • Building the Washington Metro : This site tells the story of the Washington Metro, a 103-mile rapid transit system serving Washington, D.C., and the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia.
  • Center For Railroad Photography & Art : The center's focus is on the preservation and presentation of railroad-related photography and art.
  • Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum : This expansive website has an online library of 19th century pictures (more than 2,300), maps and descriptions of railroad construction and travel.
  • Great Northern Railway Historical Society : The Society works to preserve and promote the history of the Great Northern Railway, which was created in September 1889 from several predecessor railroads in Minnesota and eventually stretched from Lake Superior at Duluth and Minneapolis/St.Paul west through North Dakota, Montana and Northern Idaho to Washington State at Everett and Seattle.
  • National Railway Historical Society : Founded in 1935, the National Railway Historical Society has nearly 18,000 members and over 177 Chapters spread throughout the United States, Canada and Great Britain. It is now the United States' largest rail enthusiast organization.
  • Railroad Maps, 1828-1900 : The maps presented here are a selection from the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division holdings, based on the cartobibliography, Railroad Maps of the United States: A Selective Annotated Bibliography of Original 19th-century Maps in the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress. This annotated list reveals the scope of the railroad map collection and highlights the development of railroad mapping in 19th-century America. Described are 623 maps chosen from more than 3,000 railroad maps and about 2,000 regional, state, and county maps, and other maps which show "internal improvements" of the past century.
  • Railroads and the Making of Modern America : This University of Nebraska project seeks to document and represent the rapid and far-reaching social effects of railroads and to explore the transformation of the United States to modern ideas, institutions, and practices in the nineteenth century. Railroads and the Making of Modern America seeks to use the digital medium to investigate, represent, and analyze this social change and document episodes of the railroad's social consequence.
  • Academic Info: The American West : Academic Info, an educational organization, created this directory of Internet resources on the history of the American West. This list covers a variety of subjects including Native Americans, women, religious history, the Gold Rush, Asian Americans, and railroads.
  • History of the American West, 1860-1920 : This site contains over 30,000 photographs, drawn from the holdings of the Western History and Genealogy Department at Denver Public Library. These photos illuminate many aspects of the history of the American West. Most of the photographs were taken between 1860 and 1920. They illustrate Colorado towns and landscape, document the place of mining in the history of Colorado and the West, and show the lives of Native Americans from more than forty tribes living west of the Mississippi River.
  • New Perspectives on the West : This is the companion website to the Ken Burns documentary series, the West. This site contains selected documentary materials, archival images and commentary, as well as links to background information and other resources.
  • The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820 : This Library of Congress site consists of 15,000 pages of original historical material documenting the land, peoples, exploration, and transformation of the trans-Appalachian West from the mid-eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. The collection is drawn from the holdings of the University of Chicago Library and the Filson Historical Society of Louisville, Kentucky
  • The Oregon Territory and its Pioneers : This website focuses on the pioneers of the Oregon Territory up to and including 1855...The first section is called THE SETTLING OF OREGON and is a compilation of information [including pioneer lists by year of emigration] extracted from a variety of sources. The second section lists the UPDATES that are in progress. The third section is devoted to RESEARCHING THE PIONEERS and provides links to research and historic sites that may be of interest."
  • The Oregon Trail : This website is a comprehensive source of information about the historic Oregon Trail. It includes primary source documents such as Trail diaries and memoirs. The site was created by Prof. Mike Trinklein and Steve Boettcher, creators of The Oregon Trail, the award-winning documentary film which aired nationally on PBS.
  • Canadian Centre for Architecture  CCA Library: Special Collections Trade Catalogues : Approximately 5,600 trade catalogues documenting building technology and construction methods from the late eighteenth century to the present. Core of the collection formed through acquisition of the relevant portions of the Franklin Institute trade catalogue collection. Coverage is broad and includes such categories as concrete and lumber, metalwork and woodwork, flooring, heating and insulation, plumbing and electricity, windows and roofing.
  • Columbia University. Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library : The American collection is one of the most extensive in existence. It begins with the first pertinent book to be published in the colonies, Abraham Swan's British Architect (Philadelphia, 1775), and includes a large number of titles listed in H.R. Hitchcock's basic bibliography, American Architectural Books. In the seventies and eighties the scope of the American collection was expanded to include printed source materials not previously collected. These include early trade catalogs from the manufacturers of building products (1840-1950).
  • Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum Library Reference Collection : There are over 4,500 trade catalogs in the Cooper-Hewitt Library collection, some dating from the 17th century.
  • Corning Museum of Glass. Rakow Research Library : The Juliette K. and Leonard S. Rakow Research Library of The Corning Museum of Glass has a wide-ranging collection including books, magazines, trade and auction catalogues, personal and corporate archives, videotapes, microforms, sound recordings, drawings, prints, photographs, and slides. Its mission is to acquire and preserve all informational resources on the art, history and early science and technology of glass, in all languages and all formats.
  • D'Arcy Collection : The D'Arcy Collection of the Communications Library of the University of Illinois is a collection of almost two million original advertisements published between 1890 and 1970. The collection, which was donated by the D'Arcy, MacManus & Masius advertising agency (now D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles) in 1983, is a rich source of research information on products advertised by many agencies. While the vast majority of these advertisements appeared in newspapers, magazines and trade journals, there are a few in other forms such as brochures, signs, and programs. Most of the clippings advertise standard consumer products, but there are a number of obsolete categories such as spats, bathing shoes, and Prohibition.
  • Digital Collections & Trade Catalogs from the Indiana Historical Society : This collection concentrates on catalogs from businesses that were either headquartered in Indiana or had a substantial presence in the state. Items in this collection date from the 1840s through the 1990s. The catalogs document the wide range of commodities that have come out of Indiana.
  • Hagley Museum and Library : The library houses an important collection of books, pamphlets, trade catalogs, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, and audiovisual materials documenting the history of American business and technology. Hagley's main strength is in the Middle Atlantic region, but the scope of collecting includes business organizations and companies with national and international impact.
  • Instruments for Science, 1800-1914: Scientific Trade Catalogs in Smithsonian Collections : Digital collection of scientific instrument trade catalogs
  • John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising, and Marketing History : The Ad*Access Project presents images and database information for over 7,000 advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955. Ad*Access concentrates on five main subject areas: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II. The advertisements are from the J. Walter Thompson Company Competitive Advertisements Collection of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History in Duke University's David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
  • Marketing in the Modern Era : Marketing in the Modern Era: Trade Catalogs and the Rise of 19th-Century American Advertising: an online exhibit at the Baker Library at Harvard University.
  • National Museum of American History Library Trade Literature Collection : This collection contains more than 460,000 catalogs, technical manuals, advertising brochures, price lists, company histories and related materials representing over 36,000 companies.
  • National Museum of American History -- Archives Center, Warshaw Collection of Business Americana : The National Museum of American History purchased the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, ca. 1724-1977 in 1967. The collection was assembled by Isadore Warshaw and represents the largest advertising ephemera collection in the United States, occupying more than 1,020 cubic feet of storage space.  Organization, re-housing, and description of the Warshaw Collection are a long-term project. Most portions of the collection are open to researchers in the Archives Center.
  • New Jersey Trade and Manufacturers' Catalogs : Housed in Special Collections and University Archives, the Rutgers University Libraries collection of New Jersey trade and manufacturers catalogs represents part of the University's effort "to collect, preserve and make available for research, primary and secondary materials in various formats, documenting all aspects of New Jersey's history, from its founding to the present."
  • Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology : Particularly strong collections within the OHA include the areas of medical illustration, including anatomical drawings and paintings, photographs, and photomicrographs; reconstructive surgery and prosthetics; tropical and infectious disease research; trade literature and advertisements; medical technology and battlefield surgery from the Civil War through to the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
  • Seed Catalogs from the Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collection : The Smithsonian Libraries has a unique trade catalog collection that includes about 10,000 seed and nursery catalogs dating from 1830 to the present, documenting the history of the seed and agricultural implement business in the United States, as well as providing a history of botany and plant research such as the introduction of plant varieties into the US. Additionally, the seed trade catalogs are a window into the history of graphic arts in advertising, and a social history, through the text and illustrations, showing changing fashions in flowers and vegetables.
  • Sewing Machine Galleries : Created by David and Lin Best, this site comprises photographs of over 130 sewing machines from their collection, together with information about the manufacturers that produced them.
  • Sewing Machines: Historical Trade Literature in Smithsonian Institution Collections : This guide illustrates the range of materials published by and about sewing machine companies in the United States, starting in the 1840s. Sewing machine catalogs and other industry materials are just one portion of the remarkable collections of manufacturers' trade literature held in the libraries, archives and curatorial units of the Smithsonian Institution. 
  • Shedding Light on New York: Edward F. Caldwell & Co. : The E. F. Caldwell & Co. Collection at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum Library, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, contains more than 50,000 images consisting of approximately 37,000 black & white photographs and 13,000 original design drawings of lighting fixtures and other fine metal objects that they produced from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries.
  • The Virtual Laboratory (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science) : The digital library of the Virtual Library contains scans of historical books, journals, laboratory notebooks and instrument catalogues. Furthermore, it provides bibliographical information based on tables of contents (overview) and on existing personal bibliographies which have been checked for consistency. Every item can be acessed by author, title, year or word contained in the title.
  • University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Special Collections. Romaine Trade Catalog Collection : Lawrence B. Romaine (1900-1967) was an antiquarian book dealer, who bought and sold rare books, manuscripts, trade catalogs, and other Americana. Romaine was recognized as the leading expert in the U.S. on trade catalogs, and was the author of A Guide to American Trade Catalogs, 1774-1900 (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1960), the standard reference work in this field.  Romaine spent approximately 30 years collecting over 41,000 trade catalogs from the 19th and early 20th centuries, on every imaginable product from agricultural implements, clothes, medical and surgical instruments to weathervanes and windmills. The bulk of his collection focused on machines, tools, engines and other hardware used in agriculture and manufacturing industries.
  • University of Delaware Trade Catalogs: An online exhibition : The University of Delaware Library Special Collections Department houses an extensive collection of trade catalogs and advertising ephemera produced in the United States from the middle of the eighteenth century until the present day. The trade catalog collection also complements the Special Collections Department's traditional strengths in the history of horticulture, science and technology, printing and publishing, and the book arts. Companies selling printing supplies, agricultural implements and nursery stock, type founders, publishing companies, and booksellers are particularly well-represented as are the catalogs of Delaware businesses.
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, National Art Library : The National Art Library holds numerous examples of trade catalogues within its collections. Some items entered the NAL during the 19th century, and both current and retrospective examples of trade catalogues have been added to the collections throughout the 20th century. Since 1983 the policy has been to actively collect both current and retrospective examples of trade literature in areas broadly in line with the research interests of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
  • Winterthur Museum Library : WinterCat is the Winterthur Library's online catalogue and includes nearly 60,000 bibliographic records, representing the holdings of the four collections that constitute the Winterthur Library. Records for imprints, periodicals, rare printed materials, manuscript and ephemera holdings, photographs, and archival resources are all in one database, which researchers can use to determine the library's holdings on any given topic, person, or organization through one search. WinterCat features hyperlinks to manuscript finding aids and selected images.
  • Women Working, 1800-1930: trade catalogs : To illustrate the world of women working, the Open Collections Program of Harvard University Library has digitized a group of trade catalogs. These colorful works illustrate the dramatic changes that were taking place between 1870 and 1930 in the home, in the workplace, and in the minds of retailers and manufacturers. 
  • Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) : This site contains approximately two million physical and cultural geographic features in the United States and its territories. The Federally recognized name of each feature described in the data base is identified, and references are made to a feature's location by State, county, and geographic coordinates.
  • Library of Congress Map Collection 1500-2004 : The Library of Congress' map collection contains the topical areas of cities and towns, conservation and environment, discovery and exploration, cultural landscapes, military battles and campaigns, as well as transportation and communication.
  • Mapping History: American History : The maps cover a variety of historical topics from pre-1500 Native American culture, to the Civil War and Reconstruction, to 20th century health. Some of these maps are interactive.
  • National Map Small-Scale Collection : The site from the U.S. Geological Survey offers a collection of small-scale datasets available for free download, along with hundreds of printable reference maps developed as part of the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas. 
  • University of Georgia Libraries Hargrett Rare Books and Manuscripts : The collection encompasses 500 years including maps on Georgia, the New World, the Colonial America, the revolutionary America, the revolutionary Georgia, the Union and expansion, the American Civil War, the frontier to the new South, Savannah and the coast, and transportation.
  • University of Illinois Historical Maps Online : These maps mainly focus from 1650 to 1994 on North America and the Northwest Territory, Maps of the Midwest, Illinois and Champaign County, and the Warner & Beers Atlas of 1876.
  • University of Texas at Austin's Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection : This collection contains maps arranged by state, city, and topical. Many of the maps are from the late 1700s through the early 1900s.
  • US History by Online Highways : The topical maps include the areas of early America, Colonial Period, Revolutionary America, young republic, and election maps of the early 1900s.

World's Fairs and Expositions

  • A Century of Progress: The 1933-34 Chicago World's Fair : The John Crerar Library (which is now part of the University of Chicago Libraries) collected various official publications, press releases, guidebooks, and other related materials pertaining to this world exposition. Approximately 350 of those collected items are now available on this website. The collection may be browsed by publication author, publication title, and the general subject of each publication.
  • Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition Centennial : This University of Washington Libraries digital collection contains more than 1200 photographs of the 1909 fair held on the grounds of the University of Washington, depicting buildings, grounds, entertainment and exotic attractions.
  • Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs, 1851-1940 : The Donald G. Larson Collection at Cal-State Fresno, consists of approximately 1,600 books and more than 6,500 pamphlets, postcard, sheet music, and other materials.
  • ExpoMuseum : ExpoMuseum was first created as a web site in 1998 by Urso S. A. Chappell, and is maintained by him.The site pays tribute to the past, present, and future of these immensely popular expositions, and also includes a number of fun features, such as a discussion area and a special section dedicated to the architecture of these places.
  • Hyper-text Thesis on the World's Columbian Exposition : A Masters thesis, by Julie K. Rose, M.A. English, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA on the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, in Chicago, Illinois, which features a virtual tour of the Fair and offers analysis of social and cultural importance of the World's Columbian Exposition.
  • Paris 1900 - The Exhibit of American Negroes : The Exhibit of American Negroes is a reconstruction of highlights from an exhibit of the same name put together by W. E. B. DuBois, Thomas Calloway and the Historic Black Colleges for the Paris 1900 International Exposition.
  • Progress Made Visible: American World's Fairs and Expositions : The Special Collections Department of the University of Delaware Library holds a wide variety of primary source materials relating to the World's Fairs and Expositions held in the United States between 1876 and 1939.
  • Revisiting World's Fairs and International Expositions: A Selected Bibliography, 1992 - 1999 : This Smithsonian Institution Library bibliography supplements Bridget Burke's bibliography, "World's Fairs and International Expositions: Selected References 1987-1993," which was published as part of Fair Representations: World's Fairs and the Modern World, edited by Robert Rydell and Nancy Gwinn. It focuses on secondary materials that were published between 1992 and mid-summer 1999, but also includes some entries for materials prior to 1992 that were not included in the Burke's bibliography.
  • The 1904 World's Fair: Looking Back at Looking Forward : An online exhibition in association with the Missouri Historical Society's 2004 centennial celebration of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
  • The History of World Expositions : An EXPO 2000 resource on twenty previous World's Fairs and Expositions from 1851 to 2000.
  • The Iconography of Hope: The 1939-40 New York World's Fair : Created by John C. Barans, this site features historical information and digitized photographs chronicling the 1939-40 New York World's Fair.

45 Good US History Research Topics for Your Papers

Academic studies have many disciplines different students specialize in. While some students are passionate about science-related disciplines, some love history as they learn about past experiences. So, if you are a student who enjoys every aspect to do with history at large, keep reading as we will explore several American history topics, and how to get interesting history topics to research, among other elements.

History paper ideas: how to determine the best US history topics to write about

Of course, getting the best topics for history research paper ideas requires you to think first before settling on any topic that comes your way. So, when searching for interesting American history topics for your research project, use the following approaches before deciding on any topic:

  • Determine your interests

Start by thinking of American history, then determine where your interest lies. For instance, is it the war? Is it all about women, or is it about cultural practices? Well, whatever your interest is, determine the era, narrow down the topic and start from there.

  • Do some narrow research

Here you want to get an overview of American history before you decide on the topic. So, do simple research based on the events, social happenings, different approaches to things, or if it is all about gender-based research.

  • Determine research materials availability

Of course, before settling on any given US history topics to write about, ask yourself, will I get enough materials for this particular topic? The sources will help you generate a well-crafted paper with evidence.

Interesting American history topics

The following are some of the best topics for history research paper you can consider during your next research project.

Top American history research paper topics for college students

  • The effect of the Bracero Program on the Americans.
  • What caused Missouri Compromise, and what was the effect?
  • How did Black Panthers come into being?
  • Explain the cause of the Red Scare.
  • Explain the Justification of the Boston Tea Party.
  • What led to the 1780’s economic recession?
  • How did Railroads development impact Industrial Revolution?

Early American history topics

  • Explain yellow journalism in relation to Spanish American war.
  • The effect of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.
  • Explain the role of the Media in bringing down Boss Tweed.
  • What was the Military role of women in World War II?
  • Explain how the new deal brought America out of depression.

Good US history research topics

  • Slavery in the United States of America.
  • How did the founding fathers shape the American culture?
  • What is your understanding of US elections Events?
  • What caused the civil war in the USA?
  • America’s WWI Terror Trophies.
  • American revolution and social conflicts.

Best history topics after 1877

  • Describe the rise and reconstruction of Jim Crow
  • How did the USA enter into WWI?
  • What was the rise of Industrial America like?
  • The revolution of Mexican and the United States
  • What were the USA policies in Central America and the Caribbean?
  • John Muir’s contribution to the National Park Movement
  • The contribution of African Americans in the civil war

Top interesting topics in US history

  • The impact of the Gold Rush on California’s development.
  • The role of Thomas Paine in America’s Revolution.
  • The Causes and Effects of the Mexican War.
  • Philosophical, social, and economic factors led to the formation of Labor unions in 1800.
  • The impact of Dred Scott’s Decision on Slavery Matters.
  • Explain why Mormons Experienced opposition in Illinois.

Best research paper topics American history before 1877

  • Positive and Negative impacts of Transcontinental Railroad
  • The impact of the Silver Rush on the West
  • Explain how the USA Justified and achieved the Manifest Destiny
  • The role of the cowboy in the culture of the West
  • How Mormons Overcame all their challenges
  • Impact of Canal and road Development on the growth of development in some parts of the US
  • Texas Revolution: The role of the Alamo

Best WWII topics for research paper

  • The impact of WWII on racial in the USA
  • What were the long-term effects of WWII?
  • What is your understanding of the Battle of the Bulge during WWII?
  • A comparative analysis between the Iraq war and WWII.
  • How was Black Immigration affected by WWII?
  • The state of crime rates during WWII.
  • What innovations came up during WWII?

Are you a student specializing in history as a discipline? Well, there is a wide range of topics you can choose from. Make this guide an option whenever tasked with history assignments.

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20 Really Good American History Research Paper Topics

Note: Only 'PhD' academic level option is available for Dissertation

15 Nov 2019

us history research paper topics

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Most students find history paper research complex and tedious. Mostly, this is because you need to study many sources. Another reason might be the wrong choice of the topic. After all, when the subject of research inspires you, the work automatically goes well, and the paper itself immediately catches the reader’s attention, increasing your chances of getting higher scores.

Here you’ll find the best topics for American history research papers categorized according to major historical periods for your convenience. Check them out right now and let them be your sources of inspiration!

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United States History Research Paper Topics on the American Revolution

Modern American history began with its path to independence and revolution. The paradox of this revolution was that the rebel colonists at that time were the most prosperous inhabitants not only in the British Empire but the entire world.

It was the American revolution that implemented the principle that shaped the modern world: the state exists for man, and not vice versa. Here are topics associated with this important historical period:

  • A series of events that led to a revolt against Britain.
  • Did Parliament have the right to regulate the trade of the colonies?
  • The leadership of George Washington: Why was he America's greatest leader?
  • Loyalists: what did they want?

American History Research Paper Topics for College Students on the Civil War

The Civil war is probably the most powerful social shake in the entire US history, the third and the last war on the American territory, which had a huge impact on its culture and people's identity. Check out the most interesting research paper topics American history before 1877:

  • How did American nationalism cause the Civil War?
  • How the South lost the naval war: US Navy tactics in 1861-1865.
  • The key battles of the Civil War: From the Battle of Fort Sumter to the Battle of Appomattox Station.
  • Why did Native American tribes view the Confederacy as a preferable side?

American History Research Papers on Industrialization

Another essential part of US 19th century history is the period of industrialization. It was then that the foundations of modern American society were laid, and the path to equality and freedom began. So, there are many issues that you can think over in your research paper – take a look at some of them now:

  • The first labor unions: Rise and decline.
  • The impact of a Monroe doctrine on a foreign policy of the US.
  • Suffrage movement: The story of the first wave of feminism.
  • Development of the far West: Why the USA couldn't survive without immigrants and why it's important to understand it in 2019 .

US History Topics for Research Paper on Great Depression and WW2

When we think about the 20th century, what historical events instantly come to our mind? Of course, the Great Depression and the Second World War. These are sad pages of our history, which nevertheless give a lot of questions and problems for research. Here are some issues suitable for the AP U.S. history course writings:

  • Did the gold standard create the Great Depression?
  • Did Roosevelt's New Deal policies deepen the Great Depression or saved the country?
  • Why was the bomb dropped on Japan? Was it the right decision?
  • How did the Normandy landings change the WW2 history?

African American History Research Paper Topics

African American history is rich and tragic at the same time and definitely deserves your attention. People of color have come a long way in the struggle for their rights. In your research paper, you can speak about the origins of racism, the fight against discrimination and injustice, the activities of Martin Luther King, etc. Here are a few topics that may give you the idea of what to write about:

  • African Americans during the American Revolution.
  • Westward Expansion: Why did it breath new life into slavery?
  • The Great Northward Migration: Causes and consequences.
  • How World War I changed the way African Americans were viewed in society.

If you have difficulty with writing a research paper on US history by yourself, you can order MLA and APA research papers for sale on our website. Crafted by professional degreed writers, they will satisfy your every need. Check out the best research paper writing service reviews for yourself and move on to placing an order for an exclusive sample right now!

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The Top 10 Most Interesting History Research Topics

Choosing history research topics is one of the hardest and most time-consuming things to do, especially if there is no guidance. You have to employ the right research skills to find authentic sources and ensure that your history research questions are precise and clear.

So to make your work easier, we have curated history research paper topics for college students and high schoolers, as well as examples of history research questions you can use for your assignment.

Find your bootcamp match

What makes a strong history research topic.

Clarity makes a strong history research topic. History is a broad subject, so your topic should be well-defined and your language should be simple enough for the reader to understand the basic outline of your history research project. In other words, there should be no ambiguity. An ambiguous topic will be much harder to write than a clear one.

Tips for Choosing a History Research Topic

  • Understand the requirements. Pay attention to your academic level and make sure that you are clear on what is expected of you. Keep referring to your assignment as you go along to ensure that you do not deviate from it.
  • Choose a topic that interests you. If your history topic is boring, doing the research and writing the paper will become tedious work. It is important that you select a topic that appeals to you and that you will enjoy writing about. Even if you choose a controversial topic, it’s worth pursuing as long as it will motivate you to keep writing.
  • Be objective. Movies such as Pearl Harbor have romanticized history as their subject, so make sure you select a topic based on facts and not merely your opinion. This will help in removing bias from your research questions as well.
  • Begin your search for research sources early. Ensure that there are adequate primary and secondary sources for your research assignment. You can also consult other alternative sources for your research. Remember to also make use of your high school or college librarian. They will guide you toward reliable sources.
  • Consult others when necessary. Whenever your assignment requirements are unclear to you, consult your professor. You can also brainstorm with fellow students to get more ideas on what topic you should select, or visit your university’s writing center to get a refresher on how to write strong topic sentences.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

A research topic refers to a broad idea that you may have chosen for your history research paper. For example, “modern history” is a general topic from which you can get various, more specific topics, such as “the role of globalization in industrialization.”

A research question takes a broad topic and narrows it down to a more specific subject. Your question will help in selecting the right sources. A research question answers the what, why, and how of the research topic. For example, what role has industrialization played in globalization?

How to Create Strong History Research Questions

A strong history research question should be empirically sound. This means that it should be narrow enough to do an in-depth analysis. However, it should not be so narrow that it can be answered with a simple yes or no. A simple search on Google should not answer your research question.

According to Kristin Poling from the Department of History at Harvard, formulating a research question requires preliminary research. You need to see whether there are authentic sources available to answer your question, and you need to understand where the gaps in the literature are. Strong questions lead to strong thesis statements.

Top 10 History Research Paper Topics

1. religion in ancient greece.

Any list of history topics about ancient Greek religion is bound to contain some gems. By digging into cultural patterns, you can explore how religion affected the social, political, religious, military, and economic development of Greece. You could even venture outside the boundaries of Greece and investigate how Christian symbols were influenced by the ancient Greeks.

2. Causes of the American Revolution

The American Revolution, also known as the United States War of Independence, is an important American historical event that occurred between 1775 and 1783. Researching the American revolutionaries behind the Boston Tea Party is a great way to understand how monumental social conflicts bring about the rise and fall of nations.

3. American Neutrality in World War Ⅰ

Also known as the First War or the Great War, World War Ⅰ was the first major global war of the 20th Century, and it lasted between 1914 and 1918. If you choose this topic, you will be able to analyze why America first made the foreign policy decision to avoid taking part in the war, as well as why it changed its mind later on.

4. Effects of the Allies’ Occupation of Germany

The Allied occupation of Germany began in 1945 after Germany was defeated in the Second World War. It refers to the joint occupation of Germany by the US, Great Britain, Soviet Union, and France. If you select this history research topic for your assignment, you will be able to delve deeper into the effects of the occupation on both Germany and the rest of the world.

5. Ronald Reagan and the End of the Cold War

The Cold War was a 20th Century battle of supremacy between the United States and the Soviet Union involving nuclear weapons. By discussing the role Ronald Reagan played in ending the Cold War, you could gain insight into the diplomatic history between these two powers or interpret how Reagan’s actions affected the course of American society.

6. Political, Economic, and Social Causes of the French Revolution

The French Revolution, which occurred between 1789 and 1799, significantly shifted the social and political ideals of all 18th Century European countries. This riveting European history research topic provides a means to explore the dangers of classism and its effects on civilian life.

7. The Legacy of Alexander the Great

You cannot learn about historical figures in ancient times without coming across Alexander the Great, the king of ancient Macedonia. Selecting this ancient history topic for your assignment will be a fascinating dive into how this key figure in history influenced Greek and Asian culture as he expanded his empire.

8. Rise of the Catholic Church as a Political Institution in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a historical era between the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 CE and the beginning of the Renaissance period in the 14th century. Selecting this topic will help you understand the factors that influenced the rise of the Catholic Church as a powerful political institution in medieval Europe.

9. Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Working-Class Families

The Industrial Revolution was an era between the late 18th century and the middle of the 19th century when great strides were made in engineering, production, and manufacturing. It affected the economic and social lives of the working class and shifted gender roles. Studying industrialization effects would lend itself well to university students with access to rare books.

10. The Role of Martin Luther King Jr in the Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Movement is one of the best Black history research paper topics for college students. One of the most impactful social movements, this movement was a response to the social injustice toward African Americans that continued after the abolition of slavery. Martin Luther King Jr was a key figure whose importance to American history cannot be overstated.

Other Examples of History Research Topics & Questions

History research topics.

  • American Folk Art History
  • Religious Symbolism in the Renaissance Era
  • Impact of the Westward Expansion on Native Americans
  • Amelia Earhart’s Impact on Women in Aviation
  • The Rise and Fall of the Dutch Republic

History Research Questions

  • In what ways have Alois Riegl’s theories shaped modern art today?
  • How did the Renaissance shift the worldview of European thinkers?
  • How did the Berlin Conference influence British Colonialism in Africa?
  • How have women in tech history shaped the role of American women in STEM in the 21st Century?
  • In what ways did the 17th century’s political and military shifts in Spain affect British rule?

Choosing the Right History Research Topic

Whether you are a high school or a college student, there are many history topics from which you can select your research project. Selecting history topics for history is highly dependent on the type of paper you have chosen to write. Argumentative research paper topics will yield different results than a comparative study or a descriptive study.

Whether you choose to select a historical figure, the military clashes between the American settlers and Native Americans, or the role of women in industrialization, make sure that you narrow down your topic and choose something that answers a specific question about an interesting issue, period, or event.

History Research Topics FAQ

Historiography is the study of recorded historical events and their interpretations. In other words, historiographies help us understand how experienced writers have shaped what, how, and why a specific history subject was recorded and interpreted a certain way.

You start a research paper by beginning with a historical overview from which you can narrow down your topics and the history research questions that you want to address. From there, you will be able to carefully choose your primary and secondary sources. According to Purdue OWL, evaluating sources is an excellent place to begin a research assignment.

You can find many research sources from online university libraries as well as websites devoted to history. The Internet is full of curated libraries such as the American Historical Association, which has resources for historical researchers to help you join the ranks of the most expert writers in the field.

Yes, you can pursue an online degree in history. Many major universities offer online history degrees as an alternative to in-person degrees. You can look up the university of your choice and check the requirements for enrollment.

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101 Exciting US History Research Paper Topics: Quick Ideas

US history research paper topics

People have many ideas of US history topics to write about but crafting them to an appealing and thrilling level is the problem. You, however, are lucky because you are going to have exclusive access into some of the most top drawer US history research paper topics.

Before we move into the juicy part, let’s have some quick tips to help you forge ahead like a soldier.

Tips for Finding History Research Paper Topics

  • Have an outline
  • Consult credible and authentic sources
  • Have a look at previous research topics
  • Avoid plagiarism at all costs

United States history research paper topics will also follow the same guidelines listed above. You must be anxious about the issues, are you?

Let’s cut the anxiety short.

101 US History Topics to Write About

The following US history research paper topics are categorized to give you ample time in choosing one according to your assignment needs.

World War 1

  • US entry into WW1
  • The Zimmermann telegram
  • US declaration of war on Germany
  • Authorization of the Selective Service Act of 1917
  • The 19th Amendment ratification
  • The Espionage Act of 1917
  • US advocates for the League of Nations
  • The sinking of the British ocean liner by Germany
  • Declaration of ceasefire
  • Expansion of the US government.

World War II

  • Attack on Pearl Harbor
  • The Quarantine Speech of 1937
  • The replacement of British invasion forces in Iceland by the US
  • The Lend-Lease Act of 1941
  • The shoot on sight order
  • The American Prisoners of war
  • The Pacific war
  • The bombing of Japanese home islands
  • The North African campaign
  • The Italians surrender
  • The invasion of France
  • Fall of Berlin to the Soviets
  • The cost of world war II on America
  • The number of casualties the US suffered in the war
  • Operation Cobra

The Civil Wars in the US

  • The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
  • The threat by the confederate forces
  • What led to the surrender of Major Robert?
  • The First Battle of Bull Run
  • Replacement of General Winfield Scott
  • The Second Manassas
  • The Battle of Antietam
  • The effect of the Emancipation Proclamation
  • The Battle of Chancellorsville
  • The aftermath of the Battle of Chattanooga
  • The Battle of the Wilderness
  • The Postwar politics
  • Civil War commemoration
  • Evolution of the modern navy
  • The role of women in the civil war
  • Prisoners of the civil war
  • The causes of secession
  • Features of the civil war
  • The economic impact of the civil war
  • Diplomacy as a method to solve the American civil war

The Reconstruction Era

  • The devastation of material in the South
  • Restoration of the South to the Union
  • The reconstruction of Lincoln’s presidency
  • February 1865 Peace conference
  • The enactment of Black codes
  • The legalization of slave marriages
  • The state constitutional conventions of 1867-1869
  • The congressional investigation
  • The split of the republican nationally
  • Panic of 1873
  • The US elections of 1876
  • The military reconstruction acts (1867)
  • Formation of religious organizations
  • The establishment of public schools
  • Change in the taxation

The Federal Era

  • Establishment of a new government
  • The assumption of state debts
  • The Quasi-War taxation
  • The rise of political parties
  • The Whiskey rebellion
  • The Northwest Indian war
  • The Jay treaty
  • The Quasi-war with France
  • The Alien and Sedition Acts
  • The fall of the federalists
  • Election on 1800
  • The 12th Amendment
  • The Louisiana purchase
  • The Judiciary Act of 1802 approved
  • Impeachment of the district judge, John Pickering

The Great Depression Era

  • The impact of the stock market crash
  • The desperation of urban politics
  • The tight monetary policy
  • Consequences of the Hoover policy
  • How the US responded politically to the depression era
  • The recession of 1937-1938
  • The massive military spending of 1940
  • The impact on industrial production
  • Number of banks affected by the depression era
  • The Mexican Repatriation program
  • The Hams and Eggs movement
  • The timeline of the Great Depression
  • Penny Auction
  • The US census of 1930
  • The impact of the National Labor Relations Board

The Civil Rights Era

  • The end of Liberalism
  • Formation of the Civil Rights Movement
  • Impact of the 1964 elections on civil rights
  • The climax of the Space Race
  • The Vietnam War
  • The creation of the Women’s Movement
  • Effects of Nixon’s administration
  • The 1973 oil crisis
  • The Watergate scandal
  • Factors that led to the sexual revolution
  • President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon

The United States is the envy of many. It is the dream of many to visit it and just gaze at the beauty of this magnificent country. However, writing on it would be an excellent start to achieving this dream.

Get Help With US Hisrtory Research Paper Topics Today!

American history research paper topics are like the sand of the sea. I mean, a whole 50 states with a population of over 320 million people – who can miss something to write? However, good history research topics are not easy to come by. That is why this article is explicitly set to help you achieve that.

US history paper topics are not limited to the ones listed above. There are many others which remain of significant significance to the country’s history.

The list above is to trigger your mind to exploring more American history research paper topics. However, you can start by testing yourself using one or two of the two problems provided above. Let the issues you come up be as concise as possible to attract the reader’s eye to the rest of your history essay.

You can also seek expert writing help from our pro writers . Don’t worry about the tight deadlines; we can meet even the closest of them.

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100 History Research Paper and Essay Topics

15 August, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

History is reasonably one of the most important subjects every student encounters in their school, college, or university life. Some students adore it and prioritize history among all other subjects, while others hate it and find it ultimately boring. The truth is, history class is quite essential: it teaches you how to think critically, reflect on the events, find links between cases and occasions, and gives you a valuable opportunity to develop analytical skills. Indeed, studying what happened in the past is critical for understanding the future and being able to interpret current events. Moreover, learning history can make us capable of controlling the things happening around us and contributing to the better quality of our own lives.

History Research Paper and Essay Topics

As a history student, you are certainly expected to compose sound essays on world history topics as well as elaborate on any American history topic. To make sure you write quality essays , you need to learn how to process history essay topics, outline your arguments, and depict historical events in a convincing and accurate way. All in all, keeping some pieces of advice in mind can do you good if your goal is to come up with interesting history topics and craft excellent essays. In the following guide, we will talk about the key features of a history research paper, discuss how to choose history topics to write about, and provide you with sample history topics.

interesting history topics

What Is a History Research Paper?

A history research paper challenges students with analyzing literature sources that are relevant to a particular historical event or historical era. Writing such a paper requires thorough preparation as well as in-depth research. Just like other types of college essays, a history essay follows a standard structure, where you need to develop a thesis statement and support it with relevant arguments and respective data. Thus, the only difference between a history research paper and other types of academic essays is that the first one analyzes solely historical events.

When writing a history research paper, it is critical to keep several points in mind, namely:

  • Relevance of the topic: why is it worth being discussed these days?
  • How is the topic related to the current times?
  • Why was the topic critical in the past?
  • How can a topic contribute to solving current economic and social issues?

Once you consider all the tips outlined above, you’ll become a pro at mastering any subject, from United States history research paper topics to the history of the middle ages.

Problems with writing Your History Research Paper ? Try our Essay Writer Service!

A Quick Guide to Choosing the Right Topic

If your goal is to craft an amazing history research paper with a strong thesis statement and not a less strong argument, there is a lot of effort to be made. A huge component of success lies in choosing the right topic. If you select a good and interesting one, you facilitate the writing process for yourself as well as make sure you will ultimately grab the reader’s attention. You might need to step out of your comfort zone and avoid limiting yourself to typical topics that have already been discussed thousands of times. Take a look at some tips that will help you come up with interesting but at the same time controversial topics in history:

It is always helpful if you take a look at existing, ongoing research topics. Coming up with your topic might be quite a challenge if you have no idea of what is going on in History research. For instance, find 20-30 US history topics, take a look at them, and think for a while. Which one has grabbed your interest the most? Which topic has the most potential  and the biggest importance to you?

Do some prior research

Once you know the approximate direction of your research, go to the Internet and discover what others write about it. Try to search for some evidence you might need to apply in your paper. Once you find enough support and information, you will be able to narrow down the research topic and come up with your arguments for an essay.

Select the best sources

Writing a history research paper has a lot to do with literature research. You will need to find a bunch of online sources and select only the ones that are most relevant to your research topic. Make sure you use only the most reliable sources and always apply appropriate citations to avoid plagiarism.

Start outlining

Once you’re all set with a research paper topic, don’t forget to structure your history paper. Outlining is the key to writing a proficient, coherent, well-argumented paper. You will need to follow standard outlining: introduction, main body paragraphs, and a summary paragraph at the end. Make sure you have reasonable arguments and evidence for each point of your outline.

Develop multiple thesis statements

A thesis statement plays a critical role when we talk about history research papers. First, it gives the reader an idea of what you will be talking about in the essay. Additionally, it does let the reader know which line of arguments you will follow later on and helps them understand why you decided to talk about a specific historical event. To make it easier for you to structure body paragraphs, develop several statements. If you do so, you will develop several different arguments and finally choose the best ones.

interesting history topics

Without further ado, take a look at 100 history research paper topics that will serve you as a basis for your own piece of writing:

Ancient History

  • Ancient Rome vs. ancient Greece: which one had more power in the past, and whose impact can be traced better today?
  • The philosophy of ancient greeks and its impact today
  • How the voting system of ancient Greece was organized
  • Protests in the ancient era: how demonstrations were organized in the past
  • The political system of ancient Rome
  • The military forces in ancient Greece
  • How Gladiator games were organized and which goal they pursued?
  • The society organization in ancient Egypt
  • Alexander the Great as one of the most leading figures in ancient History
  • Ancient Rome and civilian life

Middle Ages History Research Paper Topics

  • Crimes in the middle ages and how criminal behavior was treated
  • European Cities’ infrastructure during the medieval times
  • Philosophers of Medieval times and their impact on life today
  • The role of interfaith marriages in Medieval Europe
  • The most meaningful discoveries during the Middle Times and their contribution to the world economy
  • Revival of the Byzantine: the role and importance of the notion
  • Quran and its role in Medieval Europe
  • Middle Ages and the impact on the history of Europe
  • Why do some historians associate the Middle Ages with the era of discoveries?

Modern History

  • The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: the reasons and possible prevention mechanisms
  • Native Americans in the US today
  • US immigrant policy: the challenges that are being put on the foreign residents
  • Social movements and the role of the industrialization
  • Social movements in the US today
  • The notion of Westward Expansion
  • The most prominent inventions of the 21st century and their inventors
  • Industrialization and its consequences for the US
  • Great Recession: tracing the adverse consequence of the crisis today
  • The role of NATO in the modern society

World History Research Paper Topics

  • The war between the United States and Mexico: the reasons and outcomes
  • The colonization of South America
  • The famous battle at sea Spain and Great Britain
  • How Medieval Europe shaped and perceived social interactions and personal relationships
  • The long-term consequences of the Cold War between the countries of the Soviet Bloc and the United States
  • The Chernobyl explosion: one of the biggest nuclear catastrophes of the mankind
  • 1968 student revolts
  •  Formation of the European Union and the key events that contributed to it

European History

  • French revolution and the force distribution that followed
  • The history of the European economy
  • Early Modern Europe
  • Muslims of Europe
  • The propaganda of western theories in the 20th century
  • England of the 17th century and the problem of gender bias
  • The analysis of Mid-Tudor Crises in Europe
  • The history of Nazi Germany: comparing German government of the past to the government of today

World War I

  • The Treaty of Versailles and its impact on the events of World War I
  • The Gallipoli campaign and the World War I
  • The image of eastern and western fronts in ​​World War I
  • Chemical Weapon in World War I: economic necessity or a hazard?
  • The entrance of America into the World War
  • Most influential alliances during the times of World War I
  • World War I and the Russian revolution
  • Battle at sea vs battle in the air: which countries used which strategies and why?
  • People and World War I: the cost of lives

World War II

  • How the Soviet army entered World War II and why its entry was critical for the World history
  • Child labor during the times of World War II
  • Africa and the World War II
  • Why did America decide to take a neutral role during World War II?
  • The fate of Germany after the end of the World War II
  • The state of diplomacy during World War II
  • The occupation of Japan
  • The events of the final year of World War II
  •  Resistance towards Hitler in Germany during the times of World War II

African American History Research Paper Topics

  • The role of the 14th Amendment in the lives of African American society
  • Attempts to end slavery via Abolitionist Movement: success and failure factors
  • Angela Davis – one of the greatest civil rights activists in African American society
  • How Black Codes were designed to limit the freedoms of African Americans
  • Black History month: the roots of an opportunity to fight racism and learn the history of African Americans
  • Dr. Martin Luther King and his impact that finds reflection in the African American society today
  • Malcolm X and the rights of the people of color
  • How cultural movements of African Americans contributed to the cultural diversity of the United States
  • Robert F. Kennedy and the success of his speech

United States History

  • The causes of civil war in the United States
  • 1776: the years of independence declaration
  • The key personalities during the times of revolutionary war
  • American social movements and the consequences that industrialization has had on the first
  • The history of slavery and human rights deprivation in the United States
  • The role of indigenous people: how is modern culture shaped by the impact of native Americans?
  • Analyzing the period between the wars
  • Emancipation Proclamation of 1863
  • Alcohol prohibition in the US: the roots and long-term consequences for the economy
  • Some of the most prominent historical events that took place during the times of Cold War
  • The Image of the United States during the Cold War
  • Cold War ar the period of uncertainty, fear, and resilience
  • The reason why Europe’s impact has been constantly shrinking at the times of cold war
  • Countries involved in the cold war and their role in it
  • Was it possible to prevent the Cold War or reduce its duration?
  • The influence of the Cold War in the current era: comparison of Russian vs. American pop cultures
  • The culture of the Soviet Union at the times of the Cold War
  • Chinese Communist Revolution during the Cold War

20th Century History Topics

  • American history of the 21st century
  • Ronald Reagan and the impact of the Mixed Legacies
  • The Holocaust and Roosevelt’s administration
  • Vietnam war: the role of females
  • Political Risks in American History during the reign of Harry Truman
  • Dictatorship in North Korea: the reasons behind it
  • The uprising of democratic movements
  • The history of organized crime in the 1920s in America
  • The greatest causes and consequences of the Great Depression
  • The death of the Soviet Union: how the world’s biggest country came to an end

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

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Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

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Research Paper Guide

History Research Paper Topics

Last updated on: Nov 20, 2023

Good History Research Paper Topics For Your Help

By: Nathan D.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Jan 4, 2022

History research paper topics

Research papers can be boring and time-consuming for some high school and university students. However, students will easily create a successful paper if they pick a great research paper topic. Some professors assign topics and make them easy for students. At the same time, others leave the choice to students by giving them the freedom to choose what they want.

The following blog post is a helpful resource for students who need ideas on what topics they can write about. It includes some great topics from which you'll be able to choose the best topic or get inspiration for your paper.

History is a fascinating subject that we should all know more about. There are many topics, and it's always hard to pick which one will work best for your research paper.

However, for your help, we compiled a great list of history  research paper  topics that can be divided into different categories. So, pick the one that matches your interest and academic level.

History research paper topics

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History Research Paper Topics For College Students

  • Nuclear weapons and their influence on the world military clashes
  • The Crusades and Jihad: What are the similarities and differences?
  • Constitutional change in America: what is the role of the amendments?
  • What does religion have to do with the colonist wars?
  • How were ziggurats used in ancient Mesopotamia?
  • Ancient conquests and their impact on modern world map development
  • When were vaccines invented? Are they really useful?
  • The influence of Japanese art on European culture
  • How did segregation affect the American music industry?
  • Is racial discrimination still a part of American society?

History Research Paper Topics Before 1877

  • How did the border states perceive the battles of the Civil War?
  • Impact of the 1964 elections on civil rights
  • History before 1877: cause & effect
  • Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Fourteenth Amendment
  • Explain American history before 1877
  • Labor unions, conflicts, and strikes in the 1800s
  • The British rule in the Americas and the first British settlements
  • United States foreign policy in the early 19th century
  • Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution?
  • The role of faith in American history before 1877

History Research Paper Topics Philippines

  • The fundamentals of the Barrio Government System
  • The origins of the name the Philippines
  • Communist Party of the Philippines
  • Trading with the Chinese
  • The Consequences of Magellan’s murder
  • US colonization of the Philippines
  • Fire Mummies of the Philippines
  • Christian-Muslim relations in the Philippines
  • The religious belief system in the Philippines
  • The reorganization of town governments under the Maura law of 1893

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Indian History Research Paper Topics

  • What are the European influences evident in Indian culture?
  • The establishment of the British East India company
  • British colonialism in India
  • The real problem at the heart of goa's Devasthan regulation
  • Indian art and the impact of Hinduism
  • The issues of the partitioning of India in 1947
  • First European powers in India and their trade relations
  • What were the devastating impacts of British rule in India?
  • India’s first empire and the rise of Buddhism
  • The political activism of Dalits in India

History Research Paper Topics 20th Century

  • McKinley role for American imperialism
  • The reasons and causes for the start of prohibition and its effects on subsequent US history
  • The assassination of John Kennedy in 1963 and its consequences
  • Were imperialism in the late 19th and early 20th century justified?
  • The implication of atomic weapon
  • China in the 20th century
  • Hiroshima and Nagasaki events
  • The role of America in the Cold War
  • The analysis of Martin Luther King’s speeches
  • Rise of mafia

History Research Paper Topics 1900s

  • Queen Victoria died-World politics and the monarchy
  • What was the role of women in the 1900s?
  • The formation of the league of nations
  • Psychiatric methods in early 1900s America
  • The first electric washing machine
  • The NAACP is first founded-politics and civil rights
  • The New York subway opens-innovation and science
  • The origin of the piano
  • How did sports help promote equality for African Americans in the 1900s?
  • Gender roles of the Sioux tribe before 1900

Art History Research Paper Topics

  • Why were the sculptures of great importance in ancient Greece?
  • Comparative analysis of Mikhail Vrubel and Gustave Moreau art
  • The relevance of Abbey Church of St. Denis in Gothic architecture
  • The shifts in the art development in ancient Greece
  • Can impressionism be termed as simple art or art for the simple?
  • The significance of Christian symbols in Renaissance art
  • The influence of Hinduism on art from ancient India
  • Color psychology in the works of Kazimir Malevich.
  • The Influences of Sumerian art found in Hittite art creations
  • Construction of the Great Wall of China

European History Research Paper Topics

  • European colonization impact on Native Americans
  • The history of the French Revolution: new perspectives from Chartier and Furet
  • What made Pope Alexander VI controversial?
  • Great mistakes of Napoleon
  • How did Venetian history affect present Europe?
  • The role of politics in the spread of Christianity across Europe
  • How were cities developed in Medieval Europe?
  • Historical development of East European Jewry
  • The main battles of World War I
  • Between World War I and World War II, what are the military innovations?

Environmental History Research Paper Topics

  • What is the little ice age, and what impact it may have on the climate?
  • Landscape painters and environmental photography
  • Renewable energy
  • Discuss the most significant causes of climate change
  • Global warming: what could happen if ice glaciers melt?
  • Prehistoric wildlife and its importance in future eco-systems
  • How do organisms survive under extreme conditions?
  • What effects does biodiversity loss have on humanity?
  • Ecosystem health
  • Biomes and Ecosystems. What is considered a biome?

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Theatre History History Research Paper Topics

  • Attitudes towards women and their role in American musical theatre
  • Puppetry influence on cartoons these days
  • President of the greater Euclid little theatre
  • Women in restoration theatre: stages of liberation
  • Theatre role as a tool in social commentary
  • Artaud’s theatre influence
  • Ancient Greek theatre and drama
  • Theatre play
  • State theatre
  • The use of historically accurate costumes on stage

Interesting History Research Paper Topics

  • The process of abolition of slavery and its meaning for the world
  • Timeline of the 21st century
  • American revolution facts
  • How have taxes been introduced throughout USA history?
  • Queen Elizabeth. The truth about her life.
  • The conditions of life for soldiers in the First Crusade
  • African American soldiers during the war
  • Money and its uses in the Ancient Greek world
  • The power of denial: Buddhism, purity, and gender
  • Polio vaccines: historical development, types, and efficiency

Us History Research Paper Topics

  • Industrialization effects on American social movements
  • Amelia Earhart: Who was she? What is the truth about her life and death?
  • Effect of the cotton gin on economy and slaves labor
  • What did “American” mean in the 18th century?
  • The oldest universities: who founded them?
  • How and why were National Parks created?
  • Immigrants and their ideas of the American Dream
  • What did France lose because of Louisiana’s purchase?
  • How did the war affect social life and citizens’ psychology?
  • German-American immigration in 1854-1894

19th Century American History Research Paper Topics

  • What struggles did women face in the Nineteenth Amendment?
  • The genre of black popular music
  • American south religious practices
  • Tobacco trade in early American colonies
  • The beginning of slavery in British America and the middle passage
  • Women’s suffrage movement
  • 1968 democratic convention in Chicago
  • Was there a need to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
  • The role of the United States during World War 2
  • What conditions were faced by the Americans in the 19th century?

Tips for Choosing the Best History Research Paper Topic

  • Here are some things to consider when choosing the topic for a history research paper.
  • Make sure your topic meets the assignment requirements. Consult your professor for feedback if you're not sure, and then use their input as guidance in completing it.
  • Choose a topic that interests you and will make the writing process more engaging.
  • A topic that is too broad might seem impossible to research. But, the right scope will enable you to find information relevant and focused.
  • Do some research and then select the topic.
  • Read other researchers’ thesis statements and get an idea from them.
  • Find history research papers from the past and read them for a better understanding.
  • Keep the audience’s interest in mind and then choose the topic.

Keep these points in mind, and then select the best topic, then add it to our AI essay generator to get instant essay help!

But, if you still have any confusion, simply consult the best essay writing service 5StarEssays.com .

We offer the best paper writing services and have helped countless students just like you with their academic tasks. Now, finding a good history topic is easy with the help of our expert writers.

So, don’t hesitate to contact us and avail the best  write essay for me?  writing help.

Nathan D.

Masters Essay, College Admission Essay

Nathan completed his Ph.D. in journalism and has been writing articles for well-respected publications for many years now. His work is carefully researched and insightful, showing a true passion for the written word. Nathan's clients appreciate his expertise, deep understanding of the process, and ability to communicate difficult concepts clearly.

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One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily find the best topic for you.

In addition to the list of good research topics, we've included advice on what makes a good research paper topic and how you can use your topic to start writing a great paper.

What Makes a Good Research Paper Topic?

Not all research paper topics are created equal, and you want to make sure you choose a great topic before you start writing. Below are the three most important factors to consider to make sure you choose the best research paper topics.

#1: It's Something You're Interested In

A paper is always easier to write if you're interested in the topic, and you'll be more motivated to do in-depth research and write a paper that really covers the entire subject. Even if a certain research paper topic is getting a lot of buzz right now or other people seem interested in writing about it, don't feel tempted to make it your topic unless you genuinely have some sort of interest in it as well.

#2: There's Enough Information to Write a Paper

Even if you come up with the absolute best research paper topic and you're so excited to write about it, you won't be able to produce a good paper if there isn't enough research about the topic. This can happen for very specific or specialized topics, as well as topics that are too new to have enough research done on them at the moment. Easy research paper topics will always be topics with enough information to write a full-length paper.

Trying to write a research paper on a topic that doesn't have much research on it is incredibly hard, so before you decide on a topic, do a bit of preliminary searching and make sure you'll have all the information you need to write your paper.

#3: It Fits Your Teacher's Guidelines

Don't get so carried away looking at lists of research paper topics that you forget any requirements or restrictions your teacher may have put on research topic ideas. If you're writing a research paper on a health-related topic, deciding to write about the impact of rap on the music scene probably won't be allowed, but there may be some sort of leeway. For example, if you're really interested in current events but your teacher wants you to write a research paper on a history topic, you may be able to choose a topic that fits both categories, like exploring the relationship between the US and North Korea. No matter what, always get your research paper topic approved by your teacher first before you begin writing.

113 Good Research Paper Topics

Below are 113 good research topics to help you get you started on your paper. We've organized them into ten categories to make it easier to find the type of research paper topics you're looking for.

Arts/Culture

  • Discuss the main differences in art from the Italian Renaissance and the Northern Renaissance .
  • Analyze the impact a famous artist had on the world.
  • How is sexism portrayed in different types of media (music, film, video games, etc.)? Has the amount/type of sexism changed over the years?
  • How has the music of slaves brought over from Africa shaped modern American music?
  • How has rap music evolved in the past decade?
  • How has the portrayal of minorities in the media changed?

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Current Events

  • What have been the impacts of China's one child policy?
  • How have the goals of feminists changed over the decades?
  • How has the Trump presidency changed international relations?
  • Analyze the history of the relationship between the United States and North Korea.
  • What factors contributed to the current decline in the rate of unemployment?
  • What have been the impacts of states which have increased their minimum wage?
  • How do US immigration laws compare to immigration laws of other countries?
  • How have the US's immigration laws changed in the past few years/decades?
  • How has the Black Lives Matter movement affected discussions and view about racism in the US?
  • What impact has the Affordable Care Act had on healthcare in the US?
  • What factors contributed to the UK deciding to leave the EU (Brexit)?
  • What factors contributed to China becoming an economic power?
  • Discuss the history of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies  (some of which tokenize the S&P 500 Index on the blockchain) .
  • Do students in schools that eliminate grades do better in college and their careers?
  • Do students from wealthier backgrounds score higher on standardized tests?
  • Do students who receive free meals at school get higher grades compared to when they weren't receiving a free meal?
  • Do students who attend charter schools score higher on standardized tests than students in public schools?
  • Do students learn better in same-sex classrooms?
  • How does giving each student access to an iPad or laptop affect their studies?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Montessori Method ?
  • Do children who attend preschool do better in school later on?
  • What was the impact of the No Child Left Behind act?
  • How does the US education system compare to education systems in other countries?
  • What impact does mandatory physical education classes have on students' health?
  • Which methods are most effective at reducing bullying in schools?
  • Do homeschoolers who attend college do as well as students who attended traditional schools?
  • Does offering tenure increase or decrease quality of teaching?
  • How does college debt affect future life choices of students?
  • Should graduate students be able to form unions?

body_highschoolsc

  • What are different ways to lower gun-related deaths in the US?
  • How and why have divorce rates changed over time?
  • Is affirmative action still necessary in education and/or the workplace?
  • Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
  • How has stem cell research impacted the medical field?
  • How can human trafficking be reduced in the United States/world?
  • Should people be able to donate organs in exchange for money?
  • Which types of juvenile punishment have proven most effective at preventing future crimes?
  • Has the increase in US airport security made passengers safer?
  • Analyze the immigration policies of certain countries and how they are similar and different from one another.
  • Several states have legalized recreational marijuana. What positive and negative impacts have they experienced as a result?
  • Do tariffs increase the number of domestic jobs?
  • Which prison reforms have proven most effective?
  • Should governments be able to censor certain information on the internet?
  • Which methods/programs have been most effective at reducing teen pregnancy?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet?
  • How effective are different exercise regimes for losing weight and maintaining weight loss?
  • How do the healthcare plans of various countries differ from each other?
  • What are the most effective ways to treat depression ?
  • What are the pros and cons of genetically modified foods?
  • Which methods are most effective for improving memory?
  • What can be done to lower healthcare costs in the US?
  • What factors contributed to the current opioid crisis?
  • Analyze the history and impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic .
  • Are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets more effective for weight loss?
  • How much exercise should the average adult be getting each week?
  • Which methods are most effective to get parents to vaccinate their children?
  • What are the pros and cons of clean needle programs?
  • How does stress affect the body?
  • Discuss the history of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
  • What were the causes and effects of the Salem Witch Trials?
  • Who was responsible for the Iran-Contra situation?
  • How has New Orleans and the government's response to natural disasters changed since Hurricane Katrina?
  • What events led to the fall of the Roman Empire?
  • What were the impacts of British rule in India ?
  • Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki necessary?
  • What were the successes and failures of the women's suffrage movement in the United States?
  • What were the causes of the Civil War?
  • How did Abraham Lincoln's assassination impact the country and reconstruction after the Civil War?
  • Which factors contributed to the colonies winning the American Revolution?
  • What caused Hitler's rise to power?
  • Discuss how a specific invention impacted history.
  • What led to Cleopatra's fall as ruler of Egypt?
  • How has Japan changed and evolved over the centuries?
  • What were the causes of the Rwandan genocide ?

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  • Why did Martin Luther decide to split with the Catholic Church?
  • Analyze the history and impact of a well-known cult (Jonestown, Manson family, etc.)
  • How did the sexual abuse scandal impact how people view the Catholic Church?
  • How has the Catholic church's power changed over the past decades/centuries?
  • What are the causes behind the rise in atheism/ agnosticism in the United States?
  • What were the influences in Siddhartha's life resulted in him becoming the Buddha?
  • How has media portrayal of Islam/Muslims changed since September 11th?

Science/Environment

  • How has the earth's climate changed in the past few decades?
  • How has the use and elimination of DDT affected bird populations in the US?
  • Analyze how the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in the past few decades.
  • Analyze deforestation rates in a certain area or globally over a period of time.
  • How have past oil spills changed regulations and cleanup methods?
  • How has the Flint water crisis changed water regulation safety?
  • What are the pros and cons of fracking?
  • What impact has the Paris Climate Agreement had so far?
  • What have NASA's biggest successes and failures been?
  • How can we improve access to clean water around the world?
  • Does ecotourism actually have a positive impact on the environment?
  • Should the US rely on nuclear energy more?
  • What can be done to save amphibian species currently at risk of extinction?
  • What impact has climate change had on coral reefs?
  • How are black holes created?
  • Are teens who spend more time on social media more likely to suffer anxiety and/or depression?
  • How will the loss of net neutrality affect internet users?
  • Analyze the history and progress of self-driving vehicles.
  • How has the use of drones changed surveillance and warfare methods?
  • Has social media made people more or less connected?
  • What progress has currently been made with artificial intelligence ?
  • Do smartphones increase or decrease workplace productivity?
  • What are the most effective ways to use technology in the classroom?
  • How is Google search affecting our intelligence?
  • When is the best age for a child to begin owning a smartphone?
  • Has frequent texting reduced teen literacy rates?

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How to Write a Great Research Paper

Even great research paper topics won't give you a great research paper if you don't hone your topic before and during the writing process. Follow these three tips to turn good research paper topics into great papers.

#1: Figure Out Your Thesis Early

Before you start writing a single word of your paper, you first need to know what your thesis will be. Your thesis is a statement that explains what you intend to prove/show in your paper. Every sentence in your research paper will relate back to your thesis, so you don't want to start writing without it!

As some examples, if you're writing a research paper on if students learn better in same-sex classrooms, your thesis might be "Research has shown that elementary-age students in same-sex classrooms score higher on standardized tests and report feeling more comfortable in the classroom."

If you're writing a paper on the causes of the Civil War, your thesis might be "While the dispute between the North and South over slavery is the most well-known cause of the Civil War, other key causes include differences in the economies of the North and South, states' rights, and territorial expansion."

#2: Back Every Statement Up With Research

Remember, this is a research paper you're writing, so you'll need to use lots of research to make your points. Every statement you give must be backed up with research, properly cited the way your teacher requested. You're allowed to include opinions of your own, but they must also be supported by the research you give.

#3: Do Your Research Before You Begin Writing

You don't want to start writing your research paper and then learn that there isn't enough research to back up the points you're making, or, even worse, that the research contradicts the points you're trying to make!

Get most of your research on your good research topics done before you begin writing. Then use the research you've collected to create a rough outline of what your paper will cover and the key points you're going to make. This will help keep your paper clear and organized, and it'll ensure you have enough research to produce a strong paper.

What's Next?

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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6 facts about americans and tiktok.

A photo of TikTok in the Apple App store. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Increasing shares of U.S. adults are turning to the short-form video sharing platform TikTok in general and for news .

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand Americans’ use and perceptions of TikTok. The data for this analysis comes from several Center surveys conducted in 2023.

More information about the surveys and their methodologies, including the sample sizes and field dates, can be found at the links in the text.

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. This is the latest analysis in Pew Research Center’s ongoing investigation of the state of news, information and journalism in the digital age, a research program funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

This analysis draws from several Pew Research Center reports on Americans’ use of and attitudes about social media, based on surveys conducted in 2023. For more information, read:

Americans’ Social Media Use

How u.s. adults use tiktok.

  • Social Media and News Fact Sheet
  • Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023

At the same time, some Americans have concerns about the Chinese-owned platform’s approach to data privacy and its potential impact on national security. Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that, if passed in the Senate and signed into law, would restrict TikTok’s ability to operate in the United States.

Here are six key facts about Americans and TikTok, drawn from Pew Research Center surveys.

A third of U.S. adults – including a majority of adults under 30 – use TikTok. Around six-in-ten U.S. adults under 30 (62%) say they use TikTok, compared with 39% of those ages 30 to 49, 24% of those 50 to 64, and 10% of those 65 and older.

In a 2023 Center survey , TikTok stood out from other platforms we asked about for the rapid growth of its user base. Just two years earlier, 21% of U.S. adults used the platform.

A bar chart showing that a majority of U.S. adults under 30 say they use TikTok.

A majority of U.S. teens use TikTok. About six-in-ten teens ages 13 to 17 (63%) say they use the platform. More than half of teens (58%) use it daily, including 17% who say they’re on it “almost constantly.”

A higher share of teen girls than teen boys say they use TikTok almost constantly (22% vs. 12%). Hispanic teens also stand out: Around a third (32%) say they’re on TikTok almost constantly, compared with 20% of Black teens and 10% of White teens.

In fall 2023, support for a U.S. TikTok ban had declined. Around four-in-ten Americans (38%) said that they would support the U.S. government banning TikTok, down from 50% in March 2023. A slightly smaller share (27%) said they would oppose a ban, while 35% were not sure. This question was asked before the House of Representatives passed the bill that could ban the app.

Republicans and Republican-leaning independents were far more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners to support a TikTok ban (50% vs. 29%), but support had declined across both parties since earlier in the year.

Adults under 30 were less likely to support a ban than their older counterparts. About three-in-ten adults under 30 (29%) supported a ban, compared with 36% of those ages 30 to 49, 39% of those ages 50 to 64, and 49% of those ages 65 and older.

In a separate fall 2023 survey, only 18% of U.S. teens said they supported a ban. 

A line chart showing that support for a U.S. TikTok ban has dropped since March 2023.

A relatively small share of users produce most of TikTok’s content. About half of U.S. adult TikTok users (52%) have ever posted a video on the platform. In fact, of all the TikTok content posted by American adults, 98% of publicly accessible videos come from the most active 25% of users .

Those who have posted TikTok content are more active on the site overall. These users follow more accounts, have more followers and are more likely to have filled out an account bio.

Although younger U.S. adults are more likely to use TikTok, their posting behaviors don’t look much different from those of older age groups.

A chart showing that The most active 25% of U.S. adult TikTok users produce 98% of public content

About four-in-ten U.S. TikTok users (43%) say they regularly get news there. While news consumption on other social media sites has declined or remained stagnant in recent years, the share of U.S. TikTok users who get news on the site has doubled since 2020, when 22% got news there.

Related: Social Media and News Fact Sheet

TikTok news consumers are especially likely to be:

  • Young. The vast majority of U.S. adults who regularly get news on TikTok are under 50: 44% are ages 18 to 29 and 38% are 30 to 49. Just 4% of TikTok news consumers are ages 65 and older.
  • Women. A majority of regular TikTok news consumers in the U.S. are women (58%), while 39% are men. These gender differences are similar to those among news consumers on Instagram and Facebook.
  • Democrats. Six-in-ten regular news consumers on TikTok are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents, while a third are Republicans or GOP leaners.
  • Hispanic or Black. Three-in-ten regular TikTok news users in the U.S. are Hispanic, while 19% are Black. Both shares are higher than these groups’ share of the adult population. Around four-in-ten (39%) TikTok news consumers are White, although this group makes up 59% of U.S. adults overall .

Charts that show the share of TikTok users who regularly get news there has nearly doubled since 2020.

A majority of Americans (59%) see TikTok as a major or minor threat to U.S. national security, including 29% who see the app as a major threat. Our May 2023 survey also found that opinions vary across several groups:

  • About four-in-ten Republicans (41%) see TikTok as a major threat to national security, compared with 19% of Democrats.
  • Older adults are more likely to see TikTok as a major threat: 46% of Americans ages 65 and older say this, compared with 13% of those ages 18 to 29.
  • U.S. adults who do not use TikTok are far more likely than TikTok users to believe TikTok is a major threat (36% vs. 9%).

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

20th Century History Research Paper Topics

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This page serves as a guide to navigate the fascinating world of 20th century history research paper topics , providing students with a plethora of ideas and insights for their academic pursuits. From examining the political upheavals to analyzing social transformations, economic developments, and cultural shifts, this collection of research paper topics offers a diverse range of subjects to explore. Whether students are interested in dissecting the consequences of global conflicts, investigating the impacts of scientific advancements, or exploring the contributions of individuals and communities, this page presents an array of thought-provoking ideas that delve into the depths of 20th century history. With careful consideration and scholarly exploration, students can uncover hidden narratives, challenge existing narratives, and contribute to the ever-expanding understanding of this transformative period in human history.

100 20th Century History Research Paper Topics

The 20th century was a period of immense historical significance, witnessing a plethora of transformative events and social changes that continue to shape the world we live in today. This comprehensive list of 20th century history research paper topics aims to provide students with a diverse range of captivating subjects to explore and analyze. Organized into 10 categories with 10 topics in each, this list covers various aspects of 20th century history, encompassing political developments, social movements, cultural shifts, technological advancements, and much more. Whether you are intrigued by the world wars, the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, or the rise of globalization, this list offers a wealth of research paper topics to inspire and guide your academic journey.

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World Wars and their Impact

  • The Causes and Consequences of World War I
  • The Role of Women in World War II
  • The Impact of World War II on Global Politics and Society
  • The Holocaust: Understanding the Genocide of the 20th Century
  • The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Ethical Considerations
  • The Role of Propaganda in World War II
  • The Rise of Fascism and Nazism
  • The Versailles Treaty: Shaping the Post-War World
  • The Liberation Movements in Europe: Resistance and Collaboration
  • The Marshall Plan: Rebuilding Europe After World War II

Cold War and Global Conflicts

  • The Origins and Dynamics of the Cold War
  • The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Tense Standoff
  • The Vietnam War: Causes, Strategies, and Outcomes
  • The Korean War: Forgotten Conflict or Pivotal Moment?
  • The Space Race: Superpower Rivalry in the Skies
  • The Berlin Wall: Symbol of Division and Unity
  • The Arms Race: Nuclear Proliferation and Deterrence
  • The Proxy Wars of the Cold War Era
  • The Non-Aligned Movement: A Quest for Independence
  • The Fall of the Soviet Union: End of an Era

Civil Rights and Social Movements

  • The Civil Rights Movement in the United States
  • Women’s Liberation Movement: Striving for Equality
  • The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Progress and Challenges
  • Indigenous Rights Movements: Reclaiming Cultural Identity
  • The Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa
  • The Black Power Movement: Reimagining Black Identity
  • Environmental Movements: Conservation and Activism
  • Disability Rights Movements: From Marginalization to Inclusion
  • Student Protests and Activism in the 20th Century
  • Labor Movements: Workers’ Rights and Unionization

Technological Advancements and Scientific Discoveries

  • The Space Exploration and Moon Landing
  • The Internet Revolution: Shaping the Digital Age
  • The Green Revolution: Agricultural Innovations and Food Security
  • The Development of Nuclear Energy: Promises and Perils
  • The Rise of Computers and Information Technology
  • The Mapping of the Human Genome: Implications for Medicine and Genetics
  • The Invention of Television: Transforming Communication and Entertainment
  • The Discovery of Antibiotics: Revolutionizing Medicine
  • The Evolution of Transportation: From Automobiles to Supersonic Jets
  • The Technological Innovations of the Industrial Revolution

Cultural Shifts and Artistic Movements

  • The Roaring Twenties: Jazz Age and the Lost Generation
  • The Beat Generation: Literature, Poetry, and Counterculture
  • The Pop Art Movement: Redefining Art in Consumerist Society
  • The Surrealist Movement: Exploring the Depths of the Unconscious
  • The Harlem Renaissance: Celebrating African-American Culture
  • Postmodernism: Challenging Conventions in Art and Literature
  • The Feminist Art Movement: Reclaiming Women’s Narratives
  • The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll: Music, Rebellion, and Cultural Fusion
  • The Influence of Cinema: From Silent Films to Blockbusters
  • The Evolution of Fashion: From Flappers to Global Brands

Economic Transformations and Globalization

  • The Great Depression: Causes, Impact, and Lessons Learned
  • The Rise of Consumer Culture: Advertising and Mass Production
  • The Globalization of Trade and Commerce
  • Economic Boom and Post-War Reconstruction
  • The Bretton Woods System: Shaping the Global Financial Order
  • The Oil Crisis: Energy, Politics, and Economic Consequences
  • The Rise of Multinational Corporations
  • The Dot-Com Bubble: E-Commerce and Technological Speculation
  • The Asian Financial Crisis: Causes, Contagion, and Recovery
  • Economic Inequality: Challenges and Debates in the 20th Century

Political Shifts and World Events

  • The Rise and Fall of Fascism and Totalitarian Regimes
  • The Cold War in Latin America: Ideology and Intervention
  • The Decolonization Movements in Africa and Asia
  • The Fall of Colonial Empires: Post-Colonialism and Nationalism
  • The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Historical Roots and Ongoing Tensions
  • The Cuban Revolution: Fidel Castro and the Socialist Experiment
  • The Iranian Revolution: Islamism and Political Change
  • The End of Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela and Reconciliation
  • The Formation of the European Union: Integration and Cooperation
  • The United Nations: Challenges and Achievements

Women’s History and Feminist Movements

  • The Suffragette Movement: Struggles for Women’s Right to Vote
  • The Second Wave Feminism: Changing Perceptions and Legal Rights
  • Women in War: From Nurses to Combatants
  • Women in Science: Breaking Barriers and Advancing Knowledge
  • Women in Politics: Leadership and Representation
  • Women in Sports: Challenging Gender Norms
  • Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights Movements
  • Women in Literature and the Arts: Shaping Cultural Expression
  • Women in the Workforce: Challenges and Achievements
  • Intersectionality and the Study of Women’s History

Social Movements and Counterculture

  • Hippie Movement: Peace, Love, and the Anti-War Movement
  • Student Protests: Challenging Authority and Seeking Change
  • Environmental Activism: From Silent Spring to Climate Change
  • Civil Rights Movements: Advocating for Racial Equality
  • Punk Culture and the DIY Ethic: Subversion and Resistance
  • Anti-Nuclear Movements: Peaceful Resistance to Atomic Weapons
  • LGBTQ+ Rights Movements: Fighting for Equal Rights and Acceptance
  • Disability Rights Movements: Advocacy and Accessibility
  • Animal Rights and Welfare Movements: Ethics and Activism
  • Indigenous Rights Movements: Land, Sovereignty, and Cultural Preservation

War and Conflict

  • The First World War: Causes, Impact, and Legacies
  • The Second World War: Global Conflict and the Holocaust
  • The Cold War: Superpower Rivalry and the Threat of Nuclear War
  • The Korean War: Forgotten Conflict or Proxy War?
  • The Vietnam War: Causes, Strategies, and Consequences
  • The Gulf War: International Conflict in the Middle East
  • The Rwandan Genocide: Ethnic Violence and International Response
  • The Falklands War: Sovereignty Dispute and Military Conflict
  • The Iraq War: The War on Terror and its Aftermath
  • The War in Afghanistan: Ongoing Conflict and Counterterrorism Efforts

This comprehensive list of 20th century history research paper topics encompasses a wide range of fascinating subjects within the realm of political, social, cultural, economic, and technological developments. From the tumultuous events of world wars to the transformative social movements and scientific advancements, students of 20th century history have a rich tapestry of research paper topics to explore. By delving into these subjects, students can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities, challenges, and triumphs of the 20th century and its lasting impact on our contemporary world.

20th Century History: Exploring the Range of Research Paper Topics

The 20th century stands as one of the most eventful and transformative periods in human history. From the dramatic shifts in global politics to the profound societal changes, this era witnessed a myriad of significant events that continue to shape the world we live in today. Exploring the range of research paper topics within 20th century history provides students with an opportunity to delve into the complexities, controversies, and triumphs of this dynamic era. In this article, we will embark on a journey through various facets of 20th century history, highlighting key themes and research areas that can ignite the curiosity and critical thinking of students studying this captivating subject.

  • World Wars and their Impact : The world wars of the 20th century left an indelible mark on human history. Research paper topics within this category may include the causes and consequences of World War I, the role of women in World War II, the impact of the wars on global politics and society, the Holocaust and its ethical considerations, the use of propaganda, the rise of fascism and Nazism, the significance of the Versailles Treaty, the liberation movements in Europe, and the post-war reconstruction efforts such as the Marshall Plan.
  • Cold War and Global Conflicts : The Cold War era shaped the geopolitical landscape of the 20th century. Research paper topics within this category may explore the origins and dynamics of the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War and its causes and outcomes, the Korean War, the Space Race, the Berlin Wall, the arms race and nuclear proliferation, the proxy wars of the Cold War era, the non-aligned movement, and the fall of the Soviet Union.
  • Civil Rights and Social Movements : The 20th century witnessed significant social and civil rights movements that challenged inequality and fought for justice. Research paper topics within this category may include the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, women’s liberation movement, LGBTQ+ rights movement, indigenous rights movements, the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the black power movement, environmental movements, disability rights movements, student protests and activism, and labor movements.
  • Technological Advancements and Scientific Discoveries : The 20th century was marked by remarkable technological advancements and scientific breakthroughs. Research paper topics within this category may encompass the exploration of space and moon landing, the internet revolution, the green revolution and agricultural innovations, the development of nuclear energy, the rise of computers and information technology, the mapping of the human genome, the invention of television, the discovery of antibiotics, the evolution of transportation, and the technological innovations of the industrial revolution.
  • Cultural Shifts and Artistic Movements : Art, literature, and cultural expressions played a significant role in shaping the identity of the 20th century. Research paper topics within this category may explore the Roaring Twenties and the Lost Generation, the Beat Generation, the pop art movement, the surrealism movement, the Harlem Renaissance, postmodernism, the feminist art movement, the birth of rock ‘n’ roll, the influence of cinema, and the evolution of fashion.
  • Economic Transformations and Globalization : The 20th century witnessed major economic transformations and the rise of globalization. Research paper topics within this category may include the Great Depression and its impact, the rise of consumer culture, globalization of trade and commerce, economic boom and post-war reconstruction, the Bretton Woods system, the oil crisis, the rise of multinational corporations, the dot-com bubble, the Asian financial crisis, and debates on economic inequality.
  • Political Shifts and World Events : The 20th century was marked by significant political shifts and world events that reshaped nations and international relations. Research paper topics within this category may explore the rise and fall of fascism and totalitarian regimes, the Cold War in Latin America, the decolonization movements in Africa and Asia, the fall of colonial empires, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Cuban revolution, the Iranian revolution, the end of apartheid in South Africa, the formation of the European Union, and the United Nations.
  • Women’s History and Feminist Movements : The role of women and the feminist movements throughout the 20th century had a profound impact on society. Research paper topics within this category may include the suffragette movement, the second-wave feminism, women in war, women in science, women in politics, women in sports, women’s health and reproductive rights movements, women in literature and the arts, women in the workforce, and the study of intersectionality.
  • Social Movements and Counterculture : The 20th century witnessed the rise of various social movements and counterculture that challenged traditional norms and values. Research paper topics within this category may include the hippie movement, student protests, environmental activism, civil rights movements, punk culture and the DIY ethic, anti-nuclear movements, LGBTQ+ rights movements, disability rights movements, animal rights and welfare movements, and indigenous rights movements.
  • War and Conflict : The 20th century was marked by significant wars and conflicts that shaped the course of history. Research paper topics within this category may include the First and Second World Wars, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Rwandan genocide, the Falklands War, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan, and other conflicts and their causes, strategies, and outcomes.

Conclusion: The rich and diverse landscape of 20th century history offers a wide array of research paper topics for students to explore. From global conflicts to social movements, scientific advancements to cultural transformations, the events and developments of this era provide ample opportunities for historical inquiry and analysis. By selecting a research topic from this comprehensive list, students can embark on a rewarding journey of uncovering the intricacies and complexities of the 20th century and its enduring significance in shaping our present world.

Choosing 20th Century History Research Paper Topics

Introduction: Selecting a research paper topic in 20th century history can be both exciting and challenging. The vast scope of this era offers a multitude of fascinating subjects to explore, but it can also be overwhelming to narrow down your focus. To help you in this process, we have compiled expert advice and practical tips to guide you in choosing the most compelling and relevant 20th century history research paper topics.

  • Identify Your Interests : Start by reflecting on your personal interests within the field of 20th century history. Consider the historical events, themes, or regions that intrigue you the most. Is there a particular period or aspect of 20th century history that you find captivating? Identifying your interests will not only make the research process more enjoyable but will also allow you to delve deeper into a topic that resonates with you.
  • Narrow Down Your Focus : Once you have identified your interests, it is essential to narrow down your research focus. The 20th century encompasses a vast range of topics, so selecting a specific aspect will ensure that your research paper has a clear and focused argument. For example, instead of choosing a broad topic like “World War II,” you could narrow it down to “The Role of Women in World War II” or “The Impact of Technology on Warfare in World War II.”
  • Consider Relevance and Significance : When choosing a 20th century history research topic, consider its relevance and significance in shaping the course of history. Look for topics that have had a profound impact on society, politics, culture, or technological advancements. By selecting a topic of historical significance, you can explore its causes, consequences, and long-term effects, providing a deeper understanding of the era.
  • Explore Untold Stories : While popular events and figures of the 20th century attract attention, consider exploring lesser-known or untold stories. Digging into lesser-explored topics can provide a fresh perspective and contribute to historical scholarship. Look for marginalized voices, overlooked events, or hidden narratives that offer a new understanding of the complexities of the 20th century.
  • Consult Primary and Secondary Sources : To ensure a strong research paper, make use of both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources, such as archival documents, diaries, photographs, and interviews, provide firsthand accounts and unique insights into historical events. Secondary sources, such as scholarly books, articles, and analyses, offer critical interpretations and contextual information. By combining both types of sources, you can present a well-rounded and evidence-based argument.
  • Consider Controversial Topics : Controversial topics in 20th century history can spark intellectual debates and offer opportunities for critical analysis. However, it is important to approach these topics with sensitivity and respect for different perspectives. Engage with differing viewpoints, evaluate evidence objectively, and present a balanced argument that acknowledges different interpretations of historical events.
  • Connect History to Contemporary Issues : Another approach to selecting a research topic is to connect 20th century history to contemporary issues. Investigate how events and developments from the past continue to shape the present. By exploring the historical roots of current social, political, or cultural issues, you can highlight the relevance and ongoing significance of 20th century history in understanding today’s world.
  • Collaborate with Your Peers and Professors : Engage in discussions with your peers and seek guidance from your professors or advisors. Sharing ideas, exchanging perspectives, and receiving feedback can help you refine your research topic and enhance the overall quality of your work. Collaborative discussions can also lead to new insights and provide additional research resources or directions.
  • Balance Accessibility and Originality : While it is important to choose a research topic that is accessible and has a sufficient amount of existing scholarly literature, don’t be afraid to explore original angles or contribute fresh perspectives. Strive to strike a balance between engaging with existing research and offering a unique contribution to the field. Aim to fill gaps in knowledge or shed new light on previously studied topics.
  • Follow Your Passion : Above all, choose a 20th century history research paper topic that ignites your passion and curiosity. A genuine interest in your chosen subject will fuel your motivation, making the research process more enjoyable and rewarding. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your writing, captivating your readers and enhancing the overall quality of your research paper.

Conclusion: Selecting a research paper topic in 20th century history requires careful consideration, curiosity, and a balance between relevance and personal interest. By following the expert advice provided above, you can identify a compelling and significant topic that aligns with your interests and contributes to the scholarly discourse. Remember to narrow down your focus, consult various sources, and connect history to contemporary issues to create a research paper that makes a meaningful contribution to the field of 20th century history.

How to Write a 20th Century History Research Paper

Introduction: Writing a research paper on 20th century history requires careful planning, extensive research, and effective writing skills. In this section, we will provide you with valuable guidance on how to approach and craft your 20th century history research paper. By following these steps, you can produce a well-structured and compelling piece of academic writing.

  • Understand the Assignment : Begin by thoroughly understanding the requirements of your research paper assignment. Take note of the specific guidelines, word count, formatting style, and deadline. Clarify any uncertainties with your instructor to ensure that you have a clear understanding of the expectations for your paper.
  • Select a Strong Thesis Statement : Craft a strong thesis statement that presents the main argument or central idea of your research paper. Your thesis statement should be clear, concise, and specific, guiding the direction of your paper and informing the reader of your intentions. Ensure that your thesis statement is supported by evidence and provides a focus for your research.
  • Conduct In-Depth Research : To write a comprehensive 20th century history research paper, conduct thorough research using a variety of primary and secondary sources. Utilize libraries, archives, online databases, and scholarly journals to gather relevant information. Take meticulous notes and cite your sources properly to ensure accuracy and maintain academic integrity.
  • Organize Your Ideas : Create an outline to organize your ideas and structure your research paper. Divide your paper into sections such as introduction, literature review, methodology (if applicable), main body, and conclusion. Within each section, outline the key points and arguments you plan to address. This will provide a roadmap for your writing and ensure a logical flow of ideas.
  • Write a Captivating Introduction : Begin your research paper with an engaging introduction that hooks the reader’s attention. Provide background information on the topic, highlight its significance, and present your thesis statement. Consider using a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a relevant quote to grab the reader’s interest from the start.
  • Develop Well-Structured Body Paragraphs : In the main body of your research paper, develop your arguments and present supporting evidence in a series of well-structured paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or subtopic, and should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the main point. Support your arguments with relevant evidence, examples, and citations from your research.
  • Analyze and Interpret : A successful 20th century history research paper goes beyond simply presenting facts. Analyze and interpret the information you have gathered to offer critical insights and perspectives. Engage with different viewpoints, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various arguments, and provide a well-rounded analysis of the topic.
  • Use Proper Citations : Accurately cite all the sources you have referenced in your research paper. Follow the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) consistently throughout your paper. Proper citations not only avoid plagiarism but also give credit to the original authors, enhancing the credibility of your research.
  • Revise and Edit : Once you have completed the initial draft of your research paper, take the time to revise and edit it. Review the content for clarity, coherence, and logical progression of ideas. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Consider seeking feedback from peers or professors to gain valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.
  • Craft a Strong Conclusion : Conclude your research paper by summarizing your main arguments and restating the significance of your findings. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and instead provide a concise synthesis of your research. Reflect on the implications of your research and suggest avenues for further study or exploration.

Conclusion: Writing a 20th century history research paper requires careful planning, thorough research, and effective communication skills. By understanding the assignment, developing a strong thesis statement, conducting in-depth research, organizing your ideas, and following the proper structure and citation guidelines, you can create a compelling and well-researched paper. Remember to revise and edit your work to ensure clarity and accuracy. With these guidelines in mind, you are well-equipped to tackle your 20th century history research paper with confidence and produce a piece of academic writing that contributes to the scholarly discourse in the field.

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  • Expert Degree-Holding Writers : Our writing team consists of experienced and knowledgeable writers who hold advanced degrees in history and related disciplines. They have a deep understanding of the intricacies of 20th century history and can provide expert insights and analysis in your research paper.
  • Custom Written Works : We specialize in creating custom written research papers tailored to your specific requirements. When you place an order with us, our writers start from scratch, conducting extensive research and crafting a unique paper that meets your instructions and academic standards.
  • In-Depth Research : Our writers are skilled researchers who have access to a wide range of reputable sources. They delve deep into the subject matter, utilizing scholarly journals, books, primary sources, and other relevant materials to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of your research paper.
  • Custom Formatting : We understand the importance of adhering to specific formatting styles in academic writing. Whether your research paper requires APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, or any other citation style, our writers are well-versed in these formatting guidelines and will ensure that your paper is properly formatted.
  • Top Quality : We are committed to delivering top-quality research papers that meet the highest academic standards. Our writers pay meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that your paper is well-structured, coherent, and free from grammatical and spelling errors.
  • Customized Solutions : Every research paper is unique, and we recognize that your specific requirements may vary. That’s why we offer customized solutions to cater to your individual needs. Whether you need assistance with topic selection, research methodology, or specific sections of your paper, we are here to provide tailored support.
  • Flexible Pricing : We understand that students often have budget constraints. That’s why we offer flexible pricing options to accommodate different financial situations. Our pricing is competitive, transparent, and based on factors such as the complexity of the research paper, deadline, and word count.
  • Short Deadlines : We are adept at working with tight deadlines and can accommodate orders with short turnaround times. Whether you have a few days or just a few hours remaining, our writers are equipped to deliver high-quality research papers within your specified timeframe.
  • Timely Delivery : Punctuality is of utmost importance to us. We understand the significance of meeting deadlines, and we strive to deliver your research paper on time. Our efficient workflow ensures that you receive your completed paper within the agreed-upon timeframe.
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  • Money Back Guarantee : We are confident in the quality of our services and the expertise of our writers. In the rare event that you are not satisfied with the final research paper, we offer a money back guarantee to ensure your satisfaction.

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  1. 300+ American History Research Paper Topics

    American History Research Paper Topics. American History Research Paper Topics are as follows: The Salem witch trials: religious hysteria and persecution. The California Gold Rush: immigration and economic boom. The Harlem Renaissance: cultural movements and African American creativity. The Stonewall riots: LGBTQ+ rights and activism.

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    In this section, we present a comprehensive list of interesting American history research paper topics, carefully organized into 10 categories. From political milestones to social movements, cultural shifts, and economic transformations, these topics provide a broad spectrum of ideas for conducting in-depth research and analysis.

  3. 160 US History Research Paper Topics

    List of 160 American History Research Paper Topics. History is a rich and complex subject, ripe for exploration in academic research. Whether you're a student seeking a topic for an assignment or a history enthusiast looking to delve deeper into America's past, this list offers a diverse range of subjects.

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    History of Science and technology in the United States. Work, job insecurity and inequalities youth income in the United States. History of US-Russian relations and the crisis in Ukraine. Hegemony, geopolitics and the United States. The Capitalist World System and the New Alignments Geopolitics in the 21st Century.

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    153 US History Topics [2024 US History Essay Ideas] Updated: Mar 12th, 2024. 13 min. American history is not as long as the European one. However, it's one of the richest histories in the world. It's full of controversies, different opinions, and interesting facts. Those who study American history will find how many voices, perspectives ...

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    The following are some excellent American history topics that you can consider for writing your academic papers such as essays, research papers, dissertations, or theses. Discuss the emergence of the "Old American West.". Analyze the effects of European colonization of the North American continent.

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    We hope you found your ideal essay or project topic on US history. Good luck with your assignment! Further reading: Americanism Essay: Examples, Tips & Topics [2024 Update] 497 Interesting History Topics to Research; 460 Excellent Political Topics to Write about in 2024; 149 Interesting History Essay Topics and Events to Write about

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    The West. Trade Literature. United States Cartography and Maps. World's Fairs and Expositions Resources. The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' American History Research Guide is a select list of resources for students, teachers, and researchers to learn about various topics of American History.

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    Exploring a variety of early American history research paper topics is a fantastic way to deepen your understanding of the foundations of the United States. This page presents a comprehensive guide for students studying history, providing a vast range of topics, practical advice on how to select and approach them, and an in-depth article examining the richness of early American history as a ...

  12. 45 American History Research Paper Topics to Write About

    Top interesting topics in US history. The impact of the Gold Rush on California's development. The role of Thomas Paine in America's Revolution. The Causes and Effects of the Mexican War. Philosophical, social, and economic factors led to the formation of Labor unions in 1800. The impact of Dred Scott's Decision on Slavery Matters.

  13. 20 Really Good American History Research Paper Topics

    Check out the most interesting research paper topics American history before 1877: How did American nationalism cause the Civil War? How the South lost the naval war: US Navy tactics in 1861-1865. The key battles of the Civil War: From the Battle of Fort Sumter to the Battle of Appomattox Station.

  14. History Research Paper Topics

    Top 10 History Research Paper Topics. 1. Religion in Ancient Greece. Any list of history topics about ancient Greek religion is bound to contain some gems. By digging into cultural patterns, you can explore how religion affected the social, political, religious, military, and economic development of Greece. You could even venture outside the ...

  15. 101 US History Research Paper Topics For A+ Students

    The United States is the envy of many. It is the dream of many to visit it and just gaze at the beauty of this magnificent country. However, writing on it would be an excellent start to achieving this dream. Get Help With US Hisrtory Research Paper Topics Today! American history research paper topics are like the sand of the sea.

  16. 300+ Research Paper Questions and Topics for History Class

    History Paper Questions and Topics. Now that we have established how to write a research paper for history class (along with its necessary components), it is time to turn our attention toward potential questions and topics. The following list provides over 300+ questions to help you navigate through this particular stage of the writing process.

  17. 100 History Research Paper and Essay Topics

    World History Research Paper Topics. The war between the United States and Mexico: the reasons and outcomes. The colonization of South America. The famous battle at sea Spain and Great Britain. How Medieval Europe shaped and perceived social interactions and personal relationships.

  18. Best History Research Paper Topics

    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.

  19. Research Topics

    Library Services offers academic research assistance. Books, reference materials, and videos are available within the library and online. In the library you will find computers, interlibrary loan services, anatomy models, the KCKCC Archives, and other resources to support learning and leisure reading-including librarians to assist in research.

  20. 100+ History Research Paper Topics to Write About

    History before 1877: cause & effect. Explain the strengths and weaknesses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Explain American history before 1877. Labor unions, conflicts, and strikes in the 1800s. The British rule in the Americas and the first British settlements. United States foreign policy in the early 19th century.

  21. 200+ History Research Paper Topics Your Teacher Will Like

    Great Depression Research Topics. World War I. World War II. Cold War. United States History. American Revolution Battles & Key Events. Industrial Revolution Paper Topics. Most college and university students across the United States find history assignments way too challenging or even uninteresting. It happens because one has to brainstorm ...

  22. 113 Great Research Paper Topics

    113 Great Research Paper Topics. One of the hardest parts of writing a research paper can be just finding a good topic to write about. Fortunately we've done the hard work for you and have compiled a list of 113 interesting research paper topics. They've been organized into ten categories and cover a wide range of subjects so you can easily ...

  23. 6 facts about Americans and TikTok

    About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

  24. 20th Century History Research Paper Topics

    War and Conflict: The 20th century was marked by significant wars and conflicts that shaped the course of history. Research paper topics within this category may include the First and Second World Wars, the Cold War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Rwandan genocide, the Falklands War, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan, and ...