So...I'm about to start a term paper for my history class. The paper can be about anything I want, except for major wars, and has to be American history pre 1865.

If anyone has any ideas, that'd be awesome. Thanks!

 

You should write the paper on the Salem Witch Trials. It happened in the Late 1600's. I wrote a paper on it back in the day. Even though writing a paper blow really bad the topic is fairly interesting.

 

The first Continental Congress

.....and probably the last one to get anything substantial done

 

Yeah, I've been thinking about it, I kinda wanted something a bit more obscure though. It seems like aside from the revolution, the Salem Witch Trials is all anyone ever talks about in pre-civil war US history

 

the effects created by the development of NASA on the US society

 

its pre 1865.

how long does it have to be?

heres a couple ideas:
-religous effects caused by a group i.e. quakers
-obtaining new land i.e. louisiana purchase or land ordinances i.e. land ordinance of 1785
-new york state asylum opening in 1851 would be a funny topic to right about and entertaining im sure
-education system
-first colonies of the new world

 

oh whoops- didn't read the whole thing haha

 

Lewis and Clark.

Tremendously important expedition to the country, and there are some great books out there so that you will enjoy doing the research. Check out "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose.

 

John Brown
Texas as in independent nation
The Louisiana Purchase
Jacksonian Democracy
The birth and growth of the railroads

TSC

 

Take a look at Manifest Destiny. Did we really have to do it? Did we have the right to do it? Who were the players and what was lost? What was gained? How many died because of it? How did our political system change because of it? Are we in debt to anybody over it? (I'll give you a hint- yes and it's in the billions. Now you figure out who). There's a bunch of American History in the subject. But be fore warned, once you start studying it, you can't stop....ever.

 

Texas

Lewis and Clark

 

Don't be stupid...Pick a topic that relates to another class that you are currently taking, or will be taking in the future. That way, ya only have to write it once. And yes, I am still patting myself on the back for doing this 13 years ago.

 

History is written by the winners so what can we actually take as truth?

 

Cynical much?

Great cliche. Very helpful response to the OP, I'm sure.

On the topics mentioned, there are volumes and volumes of 'truth' written. If it won't interrupt your bitterness, you might want to try finding and reading one. Of course you might accidently learn a little something about what makes some people and some countries great.

 

Actually it is a sound and logical argument accepted by the most "educated" professionals. There is an astounding amount of truth to the statement whether you like it or not. When the Spaniards came to South America, they diligently endeavored to complete a mass genocide of the indigenous peoples and did a fantastic job when you consider how little we know about the culture that was eradicated. What we do know is only that which the Catholic Spanish have written in history my friend and in every sense of the word, they were the "winners". It was not a trite statement in any part but an invitation to question that which we mistakenly accept as absolute. In the future it would behoove you to answer in a non-emotional manner and I respectfully disagree with your "volumes and volumes" of truth. The *****, the Persians, the Romans, the Greeks, the Mongolians, the Russians, and even the Americans have spent generations attempting to wipe cultures from civilization in an attempt to "re-write" history my friend.
There is something to be said for learning from the mistakes of our past.
So on the "topics" would you care to engage in a discourse discussing the fundamental reasons for the civil war, or should I say the event leading up to the war itself as this post indicates a request for ideas pre-dating 1865?
Perhaps you can grab some of the public school text books and volumes of truth you hold dear and give us an answer?
Here is a hint, it wasn't slavery.......

As for learning something, I do every day...