When people think about history, they usually think about the past. In fact, the word “history” comes from the Greek word historia, which means “inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation.” So, when we study history, we are really trying to learn more about the past.
But how do we go about doing that? One way is to read historical accounts of events that have already been written down.
Another way is to study primary sources—the raw materials of history, such as letters, diaries, newspapers, government documents, and so on. And finally, we can also learn about history by studying material objects—artifacts—that have survived from the past.
Free essay examples can be found on many websites that offer essay databases for students who are writing essays for university. These free essays can be a great resource for students who are trying to get a better understanding of how to write an essay about history.
However, it is always important to make sure that you use these free essays as a guide and not as a replacement for your own work. After all, your professor will be looking for evidence of your own thinking and analysis in your essay, not someone else’s. So make sure to put your own.
It is essential to understand that every person deserves equal rights and treatment to feel valued and needed. The world is not perfect, and many people are being oppressed by others because of their gender, race, age, or sexual orientation. However, just a few centuries ago, the world was different....
The United States of America that people know today came to be as a result of the efforts of many people. Born as a colony of the British empire, America grew into itself over time and paid for its independence in blood, sweat, and tears. This includes both the process...
The right of suffrage for women has been one of the major concerns in the 20th century. Indeed, while men could impact the political course of the country through elections, women who counted half of the population of the US, were denied that right. The situation brought about the emergence...
Introduction Today, the United States is the country that promotes democracy and equality and provides people with civil rights irrespective of their origin. However, it was not always the case, and African Americans suffered from various forms of discrimination in the mid-20th century. That state of affairs was harmful to...
Becoming a world power requires the country to have strong economic, external, and internal policy regulations and military force. Such political units have enough power to make changes worldwide and impact billions of lives. America, which used to be characterized as a country with an isolated policy, began to actively...
Background and Issue of International Relations The Cold War was both an ideological battle as well as one of an arms race. The primary principle that guided international relations between the two superpowers was nuclear deterrence, which indicated that the possession of nuclear weapons prevents any other state from attacking...
Introduction The history of the United States has been the result of multiple turning points that have shaped the country into what it is today. The US dominates the world in many regards and can be attributed to major norms and values followed across the globe, including liberalization, capitalism, and...
The Trail of Tears is one of the most infamous episodes in U.S. history. And for many Americans, that is the extent of their familiarity with Native American culture and history. Due to the limited time allotted to studying Native American history, the policy leading to this terrible event is...
Introduction Political parties in the United States in the late 1700s resulted from the coalition of factions into federalist and antifederalist groups. The main issue that sparked the formation of the partisan divide was Hamilton’s support of policies that favored commercial interests at the disposal of agricultural initiatives. Therefore, Madison...
Introduction The current crisis in Ukraine, which recently led to the emergence of a hot war in Europe for the first time since 1999, is undoubtedly the single most important issue in international relations today. The magnitude and acute nature of the crisis understandably draw attention to its immediate causes,...
The Great Depression was the period that affected every corner of the civilized world, from rich to poor, especially the United States. It started from the stock market crash in 1929 and lasted for ten years. It was the worst economic recession in industrialized American history regarding the crisis’s duration,...
Introduction Civil war is an organized violent battle for state power between social groups and various opposing classes within the country, one of the types of fierce struggle within the country. Civil wars grow up on the basis of social crises, when the state power is no longer able to...
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” is an open letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963. It was created during Dr. King’s stay in the Birmingham jail after his arrest for his participation in demonstrations against segregation. In it, he addresses the concerns related to these activities that were expressed...
British and US delegates ratified the Paris Treaty on September 3, 1783. As a result, this effectively ended the eight-year-long American Revolutionary War (1775–1793) and paved the way for the United States of America’s independence from Great Britain (“Treaty of Paris,” 2020). The newly established US and France formed an...
Introduction The Vietnam War has become a significant stage in the formation of modern American foreign policy. The military strategies and methods used by the United States during this protracted standoff changed some of the traditional approaches to warfare, for instance, the use of chemical weapons as one of the...
Introduction For a long time, women have carried the brunt of gender discrimination and other forms of marginalization that have continued to date though there have been efforts to curb the situation through advocacy for gender equality. Women have been targeted systematically in various parts of the society, especially at...
Many Americans view World War II as a “Good War”. Unlike the countries of Europe and Asia, the United States did not suffer from invasions of its homeland, the mass killing of civilians, or the bombing of its cities. However, for Americans, World War II is remembered as a war...
The standard of living in the U.S. was quite good in the 1950s as incomes rose, and the poverty level fell to its lowest point. The average person got a higher education level than the previous generation (Hitchcock, 2018). The year 1950 was a turning point in the U.S. economy...
Introduction Whereas it may appear as something normal for one to be allowed to vote, women were denied the right to do that, in addition to other forms of discrimination such as owning land or traveling. The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed on the 4th of June,...
The civil rights movement that developed in the United States in the 1950s has had many followers and leaders, but not many of them are as well-recognized as Martin Luther King, Jr. Being a Baptist minister, King used religious sermons and speeches as a part of his social activism. His...
Introduction In the United States before 1910, the attitude toward women demonstrated negative and discriminative nature. Women were essentially bound to household activities and suffered from stereotypes describing their laziness, incapability, and low intelligence. At the same time, the expectations from society demanded unfaltering politeness, gratuitous complaisance, and focus on...
The Civil Rights Movement was a massive social movement for the rights of black people, and it also fought racial discrimination in the 1960s. People stood for equal rights of citizens in front of each other, and the result of the struggle was the independence of the black population of...
Introduction The main aim of the paper is to analyze how South Africa overpowered the apartheid system, the economic changes, the political changes, and how the countries react. The apartheid is a system in South Africa that upheld segregationist policies against all non-citizens of the country. Therefore, the non-white citizens...
Introduction Jim Crow was the term known as the racial caste system that mainly occurred between 1877 and the mid-1960s in the southern and border states. In addition to strict anti-black legislation, Jim Crow was a system of oppression as slavery was imposed on African-Americans during Jim Crow, making them...
The White Hoods terrorized the whole of America some 50 years ago until the U.S. authorities managed to turn the tide in their favor. The clandestine association, which had common traits with the Masons, was founded by immigrants from the Southern United States after the Civil War of 1861-1865. In...
Abstract The United States has been privileged to have brilliant leaders that played critical roles in shaping world history. Among these great leaders is Ronald Wilson Reagan. Reagan was the 40th president of the United States. Reagan grew in Illinois since birth before moving to other states. Reagan studied economics...
This paper is a research proposal to examine “The Salem Witch Trials,” particularly its causes and impacts on Massachusetts, Salem, United States. Research Problem For nearly 350 years, the “Salem Witch Trials” have captivated the public’s thoughts. The 1692 controversy is deeply entrenched in American awareness as a McCarthy-era metaphor....
Introduction While it is saddening to see violence across the United States from the blacks and mixed races over police brutality, the scenes have been witnessed since time immemorial. Growing up during the era of racism and segregation against African-Americans, Luther King Jr. rose to become an exemplary and oratory...
How the Imagery of Native People Emerged from the Crucible of the 19th Century Native Americans faced discrimination in the United States throughout the nineteenth century. When the African American males were granted franchise in the year 1868, the clause in the fourteenth Amendment declaring that “except Indians not taxed”...
Introduction America has been experiencing robust growth in religious beliefs recently, compared to other centuries in history. This growth is attributable to the continued increase in the number of immigrants who come to the US bringing new and varying religious traditions. Most Americans profess their faith in God, and therefore...
Introduction Employment discrimination is a highly dangerous notion that threatens the integrity of labor relations. In most cases, this concept applies to any cases in which an employee is treated differently because of any variable that is not related to the position. Considering the importance of the workplace for today’s...
Introduction Operation Anaconda was one of the largest-scale operations conducted by the US-led international coalition against the forces of al-Qaeda and Taliban. The operation began on March, 1, 2002, and lasted for 17 days, taking place in the Shahikot Valley of eastern Afghanistan (Council on Foreign Relations, 2017). The operation’s...
Introduction Abraham Lincoln, elected as the 16th President of the United States in 1861, is generally viewed as one of the greatest leaders and politicians in American history, having governed the country through one of its most difficult and darkest times, the Civil War. However, one of Lincoln’s greatest achievements...
The US Constitution is the supreme law ratified on June 21, 1788, and took effect on March 4, 1789. The purpose of the American Constitution is to form a just society that ensures the security and prosperity of its members. The US Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4,...
The American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War might be considered defining points in American history, which laid out the way for further developing a nation different from that of Europeans. Namely, the colonists became a separate confederation with principles that distinguished it from the British, French, and Spanish who...
Jamestown and Plymouth – the former founded in the state of Virginia and the latter in Massachusetts – were the successful attempts of the English to found their own colonies on the American territory. The link between both settlements, according to Egloff (2020), among others, is that both are thought...
Introduction The fall of Rome was a significant historical event that marked the end of the era of this kingdom. Herodian, a Greek historian and contemporary of those events, systematically described the entire process, targeting his narrative to an oriental audience to describe the unique traditions and norms in Roman...
Introduction The American Revolution is one of the pivotal events in the country’s history, which has shaped the modern political system. In general, the revolution refers to a series of opposition movements against the British in the period from 1763 to 1791 (Farmer 62). At the time, the British held...
Introduction Most people know Rome for its luxurious architecture, developed culture, and rich and exciting history. Rome is an example of knowing legends, and some literary works without studying the topic intensely. The context of Roman history is firmly embedded in the school curriculum, and some things are perceived at...
Introduction The Muslims and the Hindus in British India had a tense relationship for a very long time. The Hindus formed the larger group of the nation, while the Muslims were the smallest group. The latter perceived the Hindus dominated them, and thus they were not happy about this. Through...
Introduction Non-whites, also called revolutionaries, encouraged non-violent opposition against apartheid in the early South African revolution. South Africa’s Apartheid regime racially separated and pitted white Afrikaners against blacks and other ethnic minorities. Members of the ANC initiated peaceful protests against the government, which were then met with harsh repression by...
Several reform movements emerged during the antebellum era in an attempt to restructure American society. Many people were displeased with the status quo and believed that change was necessary. Most of the reform movements emphasized morality and pursuit of righteousness. Some of the issues promoted by the movements during the...
Author The Declaration of the Rights of Man was introduced by the National Constituent Assembly of France. The initial idea of the declaration was developed by Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. The National Constituent Assembly served as a representative of the French people and hence had the right to...
Introduction Substantial socioeconomic transformations during the 1980s have had a comparable impact on personnel and labor-management interactions. A recurrent subject in flexible employment historiography is the collapse or change of the unspoken social compact that structured work and employment interactions (Kochan et al., 2019). Thus, this has aided in balancing...
Introduction In the 17th century, the first settlers started arriving on the newly discovered American continent. It is usually thought that since they all came from Britain, they shared a common belief system, and the colonies were relatively uniform in their organization and social structure. In fact, different religious groups...
Paying attention to the relationship between genders in America in the 19th century, one must take into account that a diverse research apparatus is required to characterize it. Sociological relations between genders of that time require both knowledges of history and the ability to critically interpret historical documents of that...
Throughout human history, child labor has been practiced all over the world. Children have been working in harsh conditions and were used as apprentices and servants. The period of the Industrial Revolution became the zenith of this exploitation. Progressive reform movement became the way to the federal guarantee protecting children...
The American Revolution played a pivotal role in the history of the USA. The main stage of the revolution was the War for the Independence of the United States, and its result was the defeat of Great Britain and the recognition of a new country, the United States of America....
Introduction The American Revolution was a significant development towards independence. The event marked a historical success in the struggle for freedom from British colonization and is considered the most influential Revolution in modern history. The British rule was frustrating and cruel, contributing to the struggle for independence, life, and happiness....
The settlement patterns of New England and Southern colonies are similar as the pioneer members of both colonies immigrated from England. In addition, they practiced self-rule by observing their own cultural beliefs and rules. However, they differed in various aspects, especially in social and economic life. People in southern territory...
Queen Elizabeth the First was the creator of the Charter presented to the East India Company. The economic policy of Elizabeth the First was based on the principles of protectionism. The royal power patronized national production and trade and encouraged the development of the mining industry. Under Elizabeth the First,...
The matters of public opinion, policy making, and governability are all intrinsically linked and interdependent. Much of public opinion is swayed by secrecy by authorities, promotion of the benefits of a policy while minimizing the appearance of risk, and presentation of political action within international affairs. Such concepts were prevalent...
Introduction Malcolm X was an African American civil rights activist, preacher, and defender of Black Nationalism. He pushed black people to defend themselves against white violence by any means possible, a position that often contradicted the non-violent teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. His charm and speaking ability helped him...
Introduction The Civil War remains a defining moment in American history. In the course of the war were industrial revolution and the establishment of new governmental powers, coupled with vast changes. However, the striking achievement of the Civil War was the inclusion of industrial capitalism into American society. Industrial capitalists,...
Reconstruction is still remembered as a period of violent repercussion and revolutionary feasibility stemming from the most widespread discussions of citizenship since the nation’s founding. The main aim of this era was to restore and unite states in the South and North to redefine African American’s place in American civilization....
The Yoruba people, Western African nations’ representatives, created their own language, religion, art, and architecture and formed a significant part of authentic Nigerian culture. The origin of this ethnic group, the Oyo state, grew into a kingdom in the sixteenth century by conquering their neighbors and making social and political...
Introduction Fifty-seven years ago, the United States finally ended racial segregation, symbolized by the “For Whites Only” signs on benches, in parks, or in restaurants. Since then, the United States has come a long way towards electing the first black president and even politicians’ compensation claims to the descendants of...
America had a rough patch on its journey to independence, marked by wars and being at loggerheads with the colonists who sought to control the Native Americans. David Emory Shi documents the American independence journey in his book ‘America: A Native History.’ However, significant steps made by the Native American...
This paper is about the role of history on China’s current foreign policy. It focuses on the Ming and the Qing dynasties. The reason is that China’s current foreign policy is based on the policies, principles, and ideologies of the two dynasties. The Ming dynasty preceded the Qing dynasty, which...
In the Emancipation Proclamation, one of the major documents in US history, Abraham Lincoln addressed the need to end slavery. Firstly, he presented a position on the inadmissibility of the suppression of people’s freedom. Further, he used his powers to convey the significance of the Proclamation: “I, Abraham Lincoln, President...
The relations between Europeans and Native Americans have been extremely uneasy from their very beginning, and can indeed be called one of the most difficult and violent relations in human history. Over the course of these White-Indian interactions, Natives were mostly treated by Europeans like people who were “better suited...
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin – 1793 In 1793, a Massachusetts man named Eli Whitney invented a machine known as the cotton gin – a device that separates cotton seeds from cotton fibers. Cotton gin quickly became a necessity in cotton plantations, as this device made it possible to produce cotton...
The Civil War was one of the critical events in the history of the USA. First of all, it helped to resolve the conflicts within the state and preconditioned its further course of evolution. However, another important aspect of this military opposition is the demonstration of tensions between the representatives...
The roots of the United States stem from the British Empire. It is essential to understand how people who created this great country have been treated before its emergence to understand why America eventually became one of the major powers in the world. This essay will discuss one of the...
Summary The Articles of Confederation and the first American Constitution of 1787 are two historical documents, which are imperative for the United States. Despite the fact that they do have much in common, they have even more differences when looking at the details. The Comparison of the Articles of Confederation...
The American Revolution was a military conflict that significantly impacted society. The initial aims of the Revolution were to change the political system and fight against the rule of the British monarchy. However, the shift in the government became the engine for social change in terms of ideology, religion, culture,...
Abstract Parenting is a noble task, but one that comes with a number of challenges. Every parent often wants the best for his or her child, but not all of them are able to do this. In this study, the primary aim of the researcher is to investigate and report...
Isolationism was a dominant foreign policy in the U.S. since George Washington’s rule. After the First World War, the American government continued its non-interventionist politics. Many Americans did not want to participate in other countries’ affairs given economic problems at home. The situation changed during World War II when Japan...
Introduction Nature or Nurture? This is one of the biggest debates that psychologists have been faced with for a very long time. This is because there is no clear boundary on how each aspect contributes to the development of human beings that is in terms of personality, behaviour, thinking and...
It is prudent to accept that the role of intoxication in the society has considerably shifted and as such the attitudes towards alcohol consumption and its role with respect to the changing landscape of leisure, work and pleasure. From the eras of carnivalesque excess, to the acceptance of an alcoholic...
The Civil War started in 1861 in the United States following decades of disagreements between the southern and northern states over slavery as an institution. The North had well-established manufacturing industries that bolstered its economy. On the other hand, the economy of the South was primarily driven by the large-scale...
During World War II in the United States, there are various significant events that were a test for the nation and people of color, Japanese Americans. Thus, in terms of social justice and equity, there is a certain mixed domestic legacy. At the same time, despite the fact that people...
Introduction The given evaluation will compare and analyze the Civil Rights Movement and the Progressive Movement. Both occurrences were highly influential in reforming and changing the US politics and social structure. Although the Civil Rights Movement was more specific in terms of purpose and differed from the Progressive Era, they...
Introduction The American civil war was fought between 1861 and 1865 in the USA, as a response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as president. The southern states that comprised slaves wanted to secede from the federal government, while 25 states remained and supported the federal government. After the 4-year...
Introduction The culture of the people of the Middle East is one of the most interesting cultures in the world. To contrary what many people could think, the culture has a lot of influence from the European communities, especially those that border the Middle East countries. The interactions of these...
Introduction The end of the Civil War became a turning point in the history of America since it contributed to the advancement of the civil rights of those who had been discriminated against. The new amendments to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and provided men with the right to vote...
Henry VIII of Tudors was particularly known for having six marriages, and creating a new church, different from the Catholic one, in the process of divorcing his first wife – Catherine of Aragorn. The issue arose when she could not bear him a son, an heir to the throne. The...
Introduction Historical events of great significance leave a marked trail on the life of the consecutive generations of a nation. As a democratic country, the USA has been shaped by an array of social movements and political decisions. One of the most characteristic and commonly occurring issues in American history...
Introduction The American Revolution marked the establishment of the United States as a country independent from the British Empire. However, there were both opponents and proponents of the revolution. For this paper, the author analyzed several primary sources, including the three images—“Boston Massacre,” “Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man,” and a stamp....
Introduction Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a customary practice wherein the outside female genitalia is part of the way or completely etched or extracted for a non-helpful explanation, ordinarily without the person’s consent. The training is found in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and other nations in which FGM is...
Student A states that President Lincoln’s main message, delivered in his first inaugural address, was that the Union would not be divided. Student A supports this point by drawing quotes from the address that demonstrate that Lincoln did not want the northern and the southern states to separate and that...
Introduction During the 1950s and 1960s, the United States experienced several movements, which included the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement advocated for equal rights and fair treatment of African Americans in the United States. Some of the rights that African Americans championed for were voting rights and elimination...
George Washington Life George Washington was one of the greatest leaders in America; he was the commander in the American army, before becoming the president of America. In addition before becoming the president, he used to like farming and doing business. For example, when his tobacco crops were not doing...
The authors of this primary source are members of the United States of America Congress. It is the product of their assembly held on July 4, 1776. The representatives are drawn from 13 states of hitherto colonial territories of Great Britain. The authors are political leaders of the colonies of...
It is notable that blacks faced extreme discrimination in the historical America. During the period, the freed “blacks” of 1840s were encountering various challenges while trying to integrate in a society that racially segregated them. Previous political regimes had enacted legislation that led to institutionalisation of racism. American leaders’ assertion...
Introduction Abraham Lincoln is considered a great emancipator who abolished slavery and gave freedom for black population. On January 31, 1865, the proposal for the Thirteenth Amendment came to a final vote in the House. All together, thirteen Democrats this day voted in favor of the amendment, besides the four...
An Overview of Slavery The convention of slavery has its roots in the link between dominance and submission, under which an individual commands another person and holds full control over him he might take labor and other services from him/her. Slavery has been evident among a number of categories usually...
1800 Gangs are thought to have first emerged in America in the late 1700s and the early 1800s. These gangs did not commit any serious offenses and generally consisted of few members. The gangs found amusement in “breaking windows and demolishing taverns. They also fought among themselves dressed in colored...
Introduction The foremost historical developments of the U.S courts started throughout the colonial days. Thereafter, the American courts have industrialized and advanced to handle and fulfill the social requirements of the Americans. Currently, America has two judicial systems applicable in its courts. First, they have the state and local courts...
Introduction Britain experienced a number of events that dramatically affected its civilization and international relations. The Industrial Revolution, as one of them, brought fundamental developments in the metal, textile, transport, and agricultural industry, as well as the improvement of economic policies in England’s society. The 1926 general strike, on the...
Introduction Architecture has been considered as one of the greatest inventions of man. The beginning of architecture can not be traced to the exact date but it is believed that many ancient communities practiced different forms of architecture. Although modern architecture comes from the demands of the need to have...
Biography of Mahatma Gandhi After his birth in 1869, Mahatma Gandhi was named Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was born in India, in a place known as Porbandar. He was among the most revered and honored leaders in political and spiritual matters in the 1900s. He assisted the people of India...
Towards the start of the 20th century, women were excluded from the American political structures. They were not allowed to vote, serve on juries, or be elected to office. Women were also liable to colossal segregation that stamped them as second-class citizens. However, throughout the span of the century, American...