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When you hear word “history,” you probably think of the last history class you took. If it was a high school history survey class, then you may think in broad terms of global history or in narrower terms and think of an American history survey course. Whatever image comes to mind, you probably think of a fairly broad topic that describes past events. History may seem dead, dry, or boring to you because it focuses on past events and past people and sometimes seems to have little modern-day relevance. However, history is much more than a study of the past. By studying the past, you can make connections to modern day events. In fact, in some ways, studying the past helps you predict the future.
For students in American high schools, colleges, and universities, American history is a pretty standard subject. While the details of American history are so rich that they can be studied in specialized courses like African American history or the history of women’s health, most students will begin with a broad overview of American history. In fact, this overview is what is tested on the AP American history test. Students wishing to be successful on that exam, or in any survey course of American history, need to be familiar with basics like: the European discovery of the New World; settlement of the New World by English, Spanish and French explorers; the role that religion played in settlement and colonization; the New England Colonies; the Middle, Chesapeake and Southern Colonies; the French and Indian War; the American Revolution; the writing of the Constitution and the development of the modern U.S. political system; the War of 1812; the rise of cotton in the South and the role slavery played in the development as cotton as the major industry of the South; the concept of Manifest Destiny; the removal of Native Americans/ Indians from their historic lands; the Civil War; the abolition of slavery; Reconstruction; the end of Reconstruction; the Trail of Tears; the role of the United States in World War I and World War II; the Industrial Revolution; Black Friday; the Great Depression; the Dust Bowl; the Korean War; the Vietnam War; the 1960s Civil Rights Movement; and the Cold War. In depth courses could focus on any one of those topics or even a sub-topic within those topics and describe the history in greater detail.
World history will focus on different issues, including an examination of how the major world religions influenced events in history and helped shape the modern world. While these big events and major themes help describe how history was shaped, they do not tell the whole story. In fact, what history buffs love about history is that virtually every topic can be explored in greater detail. If you need more information about the role that specific groups played in a historical event, how events impacted different people and places, or the interaction between different events in history, we can provide custom research that helps illuminate those hidden parts of history. [ Show Less ]