60 Topics for the Research Proposal in History for Your Inspiration

History Research Proposal Topics To Inspire And Persuade

History is one of the most essential and, for many – one of the most exciting subjects. The value of this science is enormous. By studying the people’s past, you understand the present and can even forecast the future. Learning history gives you the “bigger picture” of the world. You can define the causes-and-consequences connections. No wonder that history is so common among the primary research subjects.

However, before you start such a work, you need to compose the formal research proposal and submit it for the college or university approval. If you want to apply to the degree and graduate your institution as a Master or Ph.D., it will be a necessary element.

As a rule, students have to submit their research proposals when they are sophomores or juniors. It means that they need to decide which topic they will examine for the thesis at that stage. In this case, the choice of that topic is crucial. The research takes no less than a couple of years, so you should decide what you will work on in advance. For the history research proposal topics, this science offers a wide variety of options. If you enjoy history studies, you will undoubtedly find the grasping topic.

At the same time, the topic suitable for your future dissertation research should meet more criteria. In this article, we’ll tell you what to concern while selecting the right history topic for a proposal. So, if you plan to dedicate your magnum opus to history – this article is for you.

The Most Significant Criteria for Choosing the Research Proposal Topics in History

After you’ve decided to work on some historical subject in your investigation, the new question arises: what will you research? History gives you excellent opportunities. There are countless subjects. You can research everyday life on some period or study some outstanding personality. You can relate the work to some other field like literature, music, or political science.

And here we come to the mandatory criteria for the research topics that you and the college committee will consider suitable.

It should be appealing to you. The work will be long and tiresome – you should have a motivation to complete it. Having a personal interest will be the most efficient motivation. By the way, you can change the topic in the process – it is normal. If you find some subject having more prospects for you, you can switch to it. Of course, it should not become a regular practice.
The history research topic should be specific. Even if you focus on one particular person, in-depth research of the full course of life will take too much time. Besides, it would not fit the standard dissertation volume. You can apply to some critical period or some particular social trend in this or that historical period.
Your topic should be clear and relevant. You need to present a valid thesis statement related to the issue. Also, your research must be valuable. It does not mean that your conclusions should become applicable for resolving real-life matters (though it would be a significant vote in your favor). Your work might fill a gap in knowledge. Or, it can have social relevance and help to understand current events better.
The solid theoretical grounds should be present. Though the major part of the work is your research and conclusions, you need to have authoritative sources to support them. Make sure that there are books and articles related to the same topic. It is also proper evidence to support your work’s worthiness.
The research of the topic must be plausible. When you deal with the history research topics, you should consider your capabilities to fulfill all the tasks planned. Will you work in the libraries, or have to travel? Do you need access to museums or work in an archaeological dig? You need to be sure that you already possess all the necessary resources.

The topic matching all the criteria mentioned above will become excellent support for your research.

Some Ideas for the History Research Proposal that You Might Find Useful

History topics are countless. No matter which aspect you choose to focus on, you will certainly get a choice of many suggestions. We have also compiled a list of some ideas that you might find interesting. Our hope is that you can get inspired by some of them. Use the topic, or develop your own one from the existing suggestion.

Ancient History

The most evident trends in wall paintings of Ancient Egypt.
The Roman Empire hereditary in the politics of Byzantium.
The Ancient Roman colonies of the Black Sea region.
Female rulers of ancient Britain.
The art symbols of the unification of Egypt.
The influence of paganism on early Christianity.
The culture and traditions of the Sumerians.
The most prominent prophets of the ancient world.
The concept of the afterlife in ancient cultures.
The history of the Mayan empire.

Medieval History

Leading styles of medieval architecture.
The leading philosophic schools of Medieval Europe.
The leading genres of the Medieval literature.
The crusades’ economic and political background.
The role of the Catholic Church in the cultural development in the Middle Ages.
The grounds of the Hundred Years War.
The influence of climatic changes on social trends in the Middle Ages.
The rise of the Catholic military orders in Medieval Europe.
Everyday life in Medieval England.
The role of women in medieval society.

20th Century History Topics

Ideological background differences between the First World War and Second World War.
The dictatorship in the 20^th century in South America and Europe.
The Great Depression grounds.
The origins of the Russian revolution.
The role of organized crime in Europe and the USA in the 1920s.
The tremendous technical leap into the nuclear age.
The Soviet Union collapse – reasons and consequences.
The role of the unification of Germany in European politics.
The British monarchy role during the Second World War.
The role of the Caribbean Crisis in the global opposition of the Soviet Union and the USA.

Modern History

The role of NATO in the modern world development.
The negative consequences of globalization.
The Nobel prize winners among the outstanding politicians and their achievements.
The background of the latest war crisis in the Middle East.
The protest voting phenomena in Donald Trump’s elections.
The new confrontation between the Western World and Russia.
The social trends of the modern world.
The reasons for the global financial crises of the 21^st century.
The Alt-right movement in the modern USA.
The most essential challenges of the modern world.

United States History

The U.S. War of Independence – the most critical battles.
The role of slavery in the economic development of the U.S. regions.
The influence of the Afro-American culture on modern U.S. culture.
The emancipation movements in the USA.
The role of Native Americans in World War II.
The Chinese immigration waves of the 19^th and 20^th centuries.
The analysis of the social development and trends between the First and Second World Wars.
The “lost generation” representation in the U.S. literature.
Religious practices in the different regions of the USA and their origin.
The role of the Vietnam War in the U.S. art of the 20^th century.

Controversial History Topics

The problem with Shakespeare’s plays authorship.
The role of the Catholic church in the Crusades.
The Mongol Empire’s rise and fall.
The Society of Jesus communities in South America.
The problem of child labor through the history of England.
The American Revolution most outstanding people.
The economic and political grounds of the Civil War.
The Gallipoli campaign background and outcomes.
The main political scandals of the 20^th century.
The immigration routes of the 19^th century vs. the 21^st century.

Some Useful Tips on Writing the History Research Proposal

The research proposal in history (or any other subject) is a formal document with several meaningful sections. As a rule, it consists of no more than 2 pages, double-spaced.

The obligatory parts to include and explore in the research proposal

The Introduction part:

The topic presentation and the explanation of the research significance;
Your main ideas that you are going to examine and their importance;
The research question – what aspect exactly you want to investigate;
Your hypothesis that you plan to prove with the research results;
Literature overview – the illustration of the leading opinions about the topic.

Method:

The target audience definition;
The research procedure – you need to describe how exactly you are planning to run your in-depth investigations and which scientific methods you will apply.

Anticipated Results:

In this section, you should describe which results you expect to achieve. Also, you should stress their academic or/and practical value. The goal is to persuade the committee that your research is valuable and should get their approval.

Materials

You have to provide the data about the materials and tools for doing the research that you possess. Also, include the estimated budget of the study. Note that the college or university can support you financially and academically to complete that research, but it might not. In this case, ensure that you have the necessary resources in possession.

Bibliography

It is the list of all materials you used in that formal application. Mostly, research proposals are formatted in APA style. However, note the requirements of your college.

We hope that this article was helpful for you, and you have already chosen the right history research topic to turn it into a brilliant dissertation. Still, if you need more support with writing this proposal, our group will gladly assist you. Feel free to refer to us for any academic writing help, and our work will bring you complete satisfaction!