150 Best History Research Paper Topics That Will Make Your Paper Interesting

April 26, 2021

History research paper topics are essential for students who must write an essay but have no idea how to do that. College assignments are complex, and writing tasks are something that many young people hate passionately. They think it's boring and time-consuming, even when they're working on such interesting subjects as History. But the main issue here has nothing to do with writing — it's all about finding truly interesting history research paper topics. If you love what you explore, your words will convey your enthusiasm, making readers feel the same level of excitement. By enjoying research and presentation of data, you are securing a high grade for yourself. So, if you are prepared to ace your assignment but lack inspiration, use 150 topics we've prepared!  At least one of them has to appeal to you.

Strategies for Choosing the Best Essay Topic

How should students choose topics for history papers? There are several strategies they could follow. We compiled a short list that will make everything clear to you, showing what you should do for making a correct decision.

  • Brainstorm. Start thinking about what you like. Like we already established, you need to love your topic to succeed in it, so what would you like to research? What events in the world's past make you wistful, angry, triumphant, etc.?  Go through the list with ideas for history research topics for college students if you need. Settle on several themes that make you excited, even if they are vague at this point.
  • Turn ideas you selected into specific keywords. Now that you have some approximate outlines for what you'd like to focus on, come up with keywords that describe these ideas best. Look what the Internet has to offer and read more information. This could help make a final choice easier. 
  • Check research background. When you narrowed the list with your chosen historical research paper topics even further down, it is time to determine how many studies like these other people have already done. If a topic is so rare that finding a new credible source on it is impossible, then regrettably, you should look for another option. Relying on your own knowledge isn't enough — you need strong sources that prove your words and support an analysis.
  • Prepare for being flexible. If you selected a topic but then you see that it doesn't work out, don't be afraid to change your focus. Trust us, it is better to do this early than try to force yourself to study it and realize you're stuck when a big chunk of work is already done. Make certain that everything is balanced before you proceed with your assignment.

150 Handpicked Research Paper Topics for College Students

You'll find 150 diverse options in the list below. We chose our best experts to develop them, so each topic is original, educative, and potentially interesting. They are also entirely free — select whatever option you like best and build your paper around it. There is no need to credit our website — your satisfaction is rewarding enough.

College History Topics to Write About

1) Lessons Learned from Great Depression That We Could Incorporate in Modern Days

2) Asian Countries: Trace Their Development Starting with Soviet Times

3) Would You Consider Soviet Union an Effective or a Failing Model of Government?

4) Being Great versus Being Good: Explain the Difference by Using Historical Examples

5) What Three Factors Affected the Development and Growth/Recession of Your Home City?

6) Differences between Japan and China: Why Do Some People Confuse the Two?

7) Is the US a Country That Engaged in Slavery Most?

8) The Worst Event in the History of America: Prove Your View with Evidence

9) The Life-Changing Event That Transformed Europe into a Place We Currently Know

10) Reasons Why Nationalism Is Becoming Popular Worldwide

11) Pick Three Biggest World Leaders Who Changed the Course of History as We Know It

12) What Makes Someone's Speech Effective Enough to Stay in the Minds of People Years Later?

13) Did Nazi German's Actions Have Any Positive Outcomes for the World?

14) The Most Honest and Successful President in the World

15) Describe Your Favorite Historical Figure & Explain What Makes Them Special

US History Research Paper Topics

16) How Did Election System Evolve in America?

17) Hot & Cold War: What Do People Understand Under These Concepts?

18) Could the US Be Called the Most Bloodthirsty Country Globally?

19) Deep Look Into American Democracy: Does It Really Exist for Everyone?

20) Formation and Functions of US Navy: List Their Three Biggest Achievements

21) Briefly Explore Every War America Started or Participated In

22) Terrible Trophies the US Collected During Different Wars

23) Compare Mindsets of Americans in the Last vs. Present Century

24) Could We Determine a Specific Data of When America Appeared?

25) US as a Country That Faces the Biggest Number of Problems with Immigration

26) Origins, Truth, and Myth Behind the Idea of American Dream

27) How Did the US Become the Country with the Most Developed Cinematography?

28) Causes for Civil War in American Society

29) Is Racism against Black People a Predominantly American Problem?

30) Research How US Became the Most Influential World Leader

European History Research Paper Topics

31) Explore the Longest War That Took Place on European Territory

32) Based on the Known Historical Facts, How Long Can We Expect EU to Keep Existing?

33) Why and When Have People Started Perceiving France as a Country of Love?

34) In What Ways Can Ukraine Be Considered a Part of Europe?

35) Treatment of Muslims in European Countries: Similarities & Differences

36) Which Countries in Europe Have Royal Governments, If Any & Why?

37) Is Eastern or Western Europe More Developed? Explain Your Reasoning

38) Which Country in Europe Gave Up to Nazis First and Why?

39) Journey of How Europe Rose to Become One of the Most Powerful Entities

40) Story of Cleanness: How Did Personal Hygiene Progress in Europe Since Its Emergence?

41) Do People of Ukraine and Russia Have Evidence-Based Reasons for Mutual Hostility?

42) What Differs the Period of Enlightenment in Europe From Other Similar Periods?

43) How Did Poland Manage to Become so Developed in Such a Short Amount of Time?

44) The Beer of Which European Country Is Historically Considered the Best?

45) How Did Colonialism Start and Which Country Invented It?

African American History Research Paper Topics

46) Elaborate on the Role and Accomplishments African Americans Had in WW2

47) Why Did People From Africa Start Massively Immigrating into US?

48) Factors That Shaped Modern Jazz Community in the US

49) What Historical Reasons Affected the Way Black Americans Treat Religion?

50) The Most Successful African Americans: How Did They Rise to Power?

51) Biggest Civil Wars That African Americans Had to Participate In

52) From Historical Perspective, Is the Issue of Racism Overblown or Is It Still Rampant?

53) A Person You Admire Most for Their Life-Changing Accomplishments

54) What Was the Point of Segregation and Why Did People Support It?

55) Based on Precedents, Is It Possible to Achieve Complete Integration of Black People?

56) Urban Modernity of African Americans and How It Happened

57) Explain History of Black Americans Via Music That They Create

58) How African American Women Flourished Through Poetry

59) How Did Gaps between White and Black Americans' Acceptance Affect Their Education Levels?

60) Research the Origins and Development of Racial Liberalism Movement

Art History Research Paper Topics

61) Research Art History of Your Local Community

62) What Do People in Different Countries Understand Under the Term “Art”?

63) Explore History of Your Favorite Art Movement

64) What Is the Link Between American Politics and American Art?

65) In What Ways Do Artists Fight for Freedom Through Their Works?

66) Is the Fact That Historically Phenomenal Art Is Kept in Museums Justified?

67) Does Having Good Taste in Art Say Anything About One's Morality? Use Historical Examples

68) Is It Useful for Children to Study Art? Present Historical Precedents

69) How Did People Start Considering Ceramics Art?

70) What Origins Does Modern Graphic Design Have?

71) When and Where Was Art Education Obligatory & Why?

72) What Motivates Rich People to Buy Art That Looks Ordinary for Millions?

73) Share Insights About Artistic Nature of Leonardo da Vinci

74) When Have We Started Thinking of Photography as Art?

75) Discoveries About the Past That Art of That Time Revealed

Modern History Research Paper Topics

76) How Do You Define a Period Where Modern History Starts?

77) Effects That Industrialization Had on American Society

78) Are Modern Wars a Necessity or Are Our Governments Simply Ineffective?

79) The Notion of Media Wars: How Did They Start?

80) Why Is Immigration Becoming a Problem for Developed Countries?

81) What Social Movements Tend to Be Most Effective?

82) What Is American West and Why Does It Stand Out?

83) What Reasons Push Countries Into Conflicts Now?

84) How Do Native Americans Treated in Modern Time?

85) Does Globalization Have More Positive or Negative Effects?

86) How Does Technology Affect Our Development?

87) Explore Background of the Youngest Country

88) How Could Modern People Be Certain That History Is Reliable When There Is So Much Disinformation?  

89) Protests against Jim Crow Laws

90) Do We Live Better Now Than We Did in the Past?

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Middle Ages History Research Paper Topics

91) How Did People in Middle Ages Treat Marriage?

92) Development of Medieval Cities

93) What Crimes Were Most Widespread?

94) System of Medieval Government

95) Is Return to Medieval Culture Possible?

96) How Many Discoveries Were Made?

97) How Did Medieval Ages End?

98) Medieval Crusades: What Were They?

99) Rise and Fall of Byzantine Emperor

100) Role and Rights of Medieval Women

101) What Was the Most Progressive City?

102) Medieval Music

103) Common Laws in Middle Ages

104) Treatment and Upbringing of Children

105) Creations That We Inherited

Ancient History Research Paper Topics

106) Who Ruled Egypt?

107) Everyday Life of Common Ancient Rome Person

108) Which Country Had Most Power?

109) What Motivated Alexander the Great?

110) Did Ancient Countries Have Police?

111) Role of Military in Ancient Times

112) Describe If There Were Attempted Revolutions

113) Was People's Violence a Foundation of Gladiatorial Games?

114) Did Ancient Empires Have Election System?

115) Ancient Rome vs. Greece

116) What Do We Know About Prehistoric India?

117) What Was the First Religion?

118) Gupta Empire's Legacy

119) Persian Wars Outcomes

120) China as the Oldest Country

Controversial History Research Paper Topics

121) Most Humane American Ideology

122) Would Environment Be Better if Hitler Won?

123) How Religion Affects Politics

124) What Makes Immigrants Flee?

125) Women's Treatment in China

126) Who Villainized Homosexuality?

127) What Really Caused Spanish Inquisition?

128) When Did Men Decide They Have Power over Women?

129) Does Freedom of Press Exist?

130) Post-Hitler Germany Was Treated Cruelly

131) America Sponsored Nazis

132) Families That Govern America

133) Our Development Declines

134) Nuclear Powers Should Be Illegal

135) Who Keeps Historical Achieves Secret?

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Interesting History Topics

136) Was Everyone Really In Love with Cleopatra?

137) Based on Who You Are Now, Who Would You Be in Ancient Times?

138) Leader Who Killed Most People

139) Where Do Historical Myths Come From?

140) How Japan Became More Liberal

141) Where Did Manga Come From?

142) Who Killed Lincoln?

143) Development of Bollywood

144) When Did Last Pharaohs Die?

145) Strangest Burial Rituals

146) Ancient People's Views on Magic

147) Largest Maritime Discoveries

148) Do Wars Really Have Winners?

149) The Funniest Ruler

150) Children Heroes in History

Choose Your History Research Questions and Discover Joys of Writing

Writing papers for college could be as exciting as working on fanfic or sharing a story with friends. Your interest is everything in this context: as long as you enjoy your topic, you'll want to discuss it. We hope our list has helped and you now have a strong idea about what you're going to explore. If not, don't give up — keep looking. We have some other lists with more ideas, so check them out, too. The moment you find good history project ideas that inspire you, writing a paper will change from being a chore to becoming a pleasure! And if you ever need extra help or free time, consider buying a research paper online or history essay writing service, we'll be happy to complete your assignment.