45 Interesting History Research Paper Topics for Students

Topic selection is crucial for preparing your history assignment. This phase not only dictates how easy your research will be but also the extent to which you will cover your paper.

If selected poorly, you may end with a topic that is either broad, narrow, or complex to manage with the resources at your disposal. Broad topics are hard to complete within the provided word count and deadline while their narrow counterparts make it hard to reach the word count. 

We can thus understand why many students often stress over topic selection. This article will highlight the criteria for topic selection and offer some history research paper topics to guide your topic selection. 

How to choose topics for history research paper

Although the history topics for a research paper are a dime a dozen, selecting the topic that first crosses your eyes is not an adequate strategy. Some of the steps to follow when selecting your topic include:

• Brainstorm

Before selecting your topic, think of various concepts you’ve encountered in the course of a unit. Jot down these ideas while emphasizing the intriguing issues you came across in the topic.

You could also consult your peers to determine the trending issues that are of interest in the unit. However, drop the ideas that have been subjected to extensive research as they may limit the scope of your argument, making it highly likely to prepare plagiarized work. 

• Research background information

After you’ve selected some of the ideas known to you, research the ideas for background information, to determine the perspectives from which you could argue your case. Here, consider searching for some secondary resources that may be used to argue various sections of your paper.

Wikipedia may be a great start off point for your research as it lists various resources that could be used to handle your topic. 

• Highlight your keywords

Before settling on a topic, it is crucial to analyze the research question for keywords to gauge how each idea impacts the other. Keywords are vital for research and crucial for your abstract section in papers designed for online databases. 

• Choose a general topic

Often, the tutor may offer a question that offers a general topic, defining the scope of your paper. If the topic is not assigned, select a general area of interest and narrow it down to the ideas that interest you the most.

For instance, you may consider selecting the third world war as your general topic and narrow it down to a specific war. 

• Search for relevant sources for developing your topic

The final step before selecting your topic is searching for the available materials on a topic. Resources should enable you to make a fact-based argument that lies within the provided word count. 

History topics for research paper

Art history research paper topics

1. An analysis of Mesopotamian pyramids and Egyptian pyramids
2. Ornamental armor and weaponry from the Middle Ages
3. World wonders as the foundation for art history
4. Traditional Japanese and Chinese clothing's origins and cultural impact
5. The study of the similarities and contrasts between ancient Greek and Egyptian canons
6. The driving force behind Medieval art's fundamental ideas

Best history research paper topics

7. The impact of the Industrial Revolution on artistic development
8. Victorian beauty standards are depicted artistically
9. The history of how nude body parts have been represented in art
10. Feudal Chinese art
11. The most important trends in European modern art
12. The effects of gunpowder on warfare in the Middle Ages
13. Cold War aftershocks

Good history research paper topics

14. The Role of Women in Prehistoric Britain 
15. Why Was Nazi Ideology So Popular with The People? 
16. Why Do Monarchies Exist?
17. Cleopatra's and Caesar's Political Alliance
18. How the Railway System Shaped America's Future
19. Weapons and Armor Developments During the Middle Ages

Interesting history research paper topics

20. NATO's Changing Role in the World Community
21. Syria's Causes of Conflict
22. What's the Truth Behind Alabama's Claims? 
23. What Role Does Religion Play in the Colonist Wars? 
24. Slavery and Literature: African-American Writers' Perspectives on History
25. How Enslavement Influenced America's Civic Discourse in the seventeenth Century
26. Weapons and their Use in Ancient Civilizations

Music history research topics

27. Is modern music superior to music from the 1990s? 
28. Music from the Renaissance period contains hidden symbols
29. The most talented composers of the Baroque period 
30. Comparing Mozart's and Beethoven's main approaches, styles, and influences 
31. What role did radio play in the development of pop music? 
32. Distinct characteristics of Asian and European classical music

Research paper topics about Asia

33. Korean Peninsula Invasion
34. The Qing Dynasty's fall
35. The Impact of the West on China and Japan
36. Gulf War
37. China's Great Wall
38. Chinese influence on Japan and Korea from 500 to 1500 CE
39. China, Japan, and Korea in the aftermath of World War II 

US history research paper topics

40. The United States declares war on Germany
41. What was the rationale behind the ratification of the Second Amendment? Is it still valid?
42. How did J.P. Morgan's life influence America? 
43. The conflict in the Pacific 
44. The cost of World War II to the United States 
45. Diplomacy as a means of resolving the civil war in the United States