Download WORLD HISTORY RESEARCH TOPICS Note: The topics below are

WORLD HISTORY RESEARCH TOPICS
Note: The topics below are contemporary themes and might require outside research!
1
The Crisis In
What caused the world’s largest refugee camp? What is behind
Darfur
attempted genocide in Africa? What are the UN and other nations
trying to do to help?
2
Kashmir Conflict This beautiful mountain region is caught between northwest India
and northeast Pakistan. Both nations claim it and have battled for
control. Why is this one of the most dangerous conflicts in the world
today?
3
Problem with
NK is one of the few communist dictatorships left from the Cold War.
North Korea
It is led by a rogue and dangerous leader? Why is North Korea
dangerous? What is happening in this poor country?
4
Emerging Power China was once huge, but poor, communistic country. Now it is the
of China
2nd richest country on Earth. How did that happen? What is
happening with the communists? How does this effect 21st century
(and US)?
5
Where is Al
It has been nearly9 years since 9/11. What is being done to find Al
Qaeda Now?
Qaeda? Where is Osama? What is the world doing about terrorism?
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Nuclear Power
In 1980s couple of Nuclear Power Plants had dangerous accidents.
Plants – the
Has technology improved? Are they still to dangerous? Are they the
future?
future of the world energy need? What is the status of NP?
7
Dirty Bombs – a
In Cold War thousands of nuclear weapons were built. Many are
threat?
now being dismantled. What is the catch a rogue enemy
organization gets a nuke? How are dirty bombs (home made mini
nukes) a world threat?
8
Got Water?
In 20th century it was all about oil. Some think the 21st century will be
about fresh water. What is the fresh water crisis in the world today?
What is being done? Or should be done?
9
Drug Wars in
While the Mexican anonym is improving the power and strength of
Mexico
Mexican drug cartels is also increasing. What is the issue and
development of this dangerous conflict? How are Mexicans dealing
with this crisis?
10
Human
While slavery is technically illegal it still exists in many forms. How does
Trafficking
the world wide trade in humans exist? Where is it the worst? How are
nations dealing with this human rights violation?
Note: The topics below are based on the California State Standards
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Roots of
Democracy
Roots of
Democracy
Roots of
Democracy
The
What ideas arose in ancient Greece and ancient Rome that
contributed to the development of democratic values?
Plato and Aristotle’s influence on the rise of democracy: with a focus
on their ideas on the rule of law and illegitimacy of tyranny
England’s shift from Monarchy to Constitutional Monarchy and its
impact on other countries.
John Locke, Charles-Louis Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Simon
Enlightenment
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The
Enlightenment
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The Revolutions:
France
The Revolutions:
Latin America
The Revolutions:
Industrial
The Revolutions:
Industrial
The Revolutions:
Industrial
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The Revolutions:
Industrial
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The Revolutions:
Industrial
Imperialism
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Imperialism
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Imperialism
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World War I
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World War I
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The Russian
Revolution
Bolivar, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison: How did Enlightenment
thinkers inspire revolutionaries to push for radical changes in government
and society?
Revolutionary texts: Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, French
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, the US Bill of Rights, the
American Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution. How did the
principles in these texts create enduring effects on the political
expectations for self-government and individual liberty?
What were the causes and effects of the French Revolution and how
did the revolution lead to the Napoleonic era?
How did the revolutionary ideals from Europe spread to Latin
America?
Industrial Nations: England, France, Germany and Japan. What
factors enabled these countries to industrialize?
What were the technological, social, economic and cultural
changes that occurred as the Industrial Revolution took place?
Change in Living: Explain the growth of population, the rural to urban
migration and the growth of cities associated with the Industrial
Revolution.
Utopianism, Social Democracy, Socialism and Communism: Why did
these new Economic theories emerge as a result of the Industrial
Revolution and what was the impact?
How did shifts in art and literature express the changing attitudes
from the Industrial Revolution?
Guns, Germs, and Steel- Why were European countries so willing and
able to colonize African and Asian people and regions? What did
they need from these areas? How did they treat those they
colonized?
Explain what it was like to be colonized using one specific region or
ethnic group as an example. Explain the benefits of colonization for
the colonizers using one specific country as an example. Was this a
justifiable situation morally?
How did Sun Yat-sen lead a revolution against the groups that tried
to colonize China? Was he successful? Why or why not?
Explain the four MAIN causes of World War I (Militarism, Alliances,
Imperialism, and Nationalism). Use two rival countries as examples
and explain why these countries were willing to risk their citizens to
fight in the Great War. Define “Total War.”
Describe the weapons and technology of World War I. How did the
weapons lead to the most devastating war fought until that time?
What strategic military advantages or drawbacks did each side have
in terms of technology and military strength?
Describe the role of Russia in World War I. What effect did the
Russian Revolution have on the ability of this country to fight? How
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World War I
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World War I
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World War I
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The Russian
Revolution
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Totalitarian
Leaders
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Totalitarian
Leaders
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World War II
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World War II
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World War II
World War II
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World War II
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World War II
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World War II
did the United States aid the allies after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk?
Discuss and give statistics for the financial and human costs of World
War I. Focus your research on one country from each side and
whether their losses were justified by the outcome of World War I.
Compare and contrast the Treaty of Versailles and Woodrow Wilson’s
14 Points. Which do you believe was a better plan for lasting peace
why? Why did the United States refuse to join the League of Nations
and what were the US government’s complaints about the Treaty of
Versailles?
What was the lost generation after World War I? What characteristics
of the War changed these people’s perspectives on life and art?
Why? Use at least two examples to support your claims and include
excerpts from these examples in your research paper.
Describe the process of changing Russian government from the Tsar
to the provisional government to the Communist Party. What
consequences did these changes have for the classes in Russian
society? Discuss the effects on the Bourgeoisie, the middle class, and
the Proletariat. Define and discuss the Gulag.
Discuss the reign of Josef Stalin over Soviet Russia. How did he control
the press, the economy, and his own party to improve Russian
industrial output? Discuss the human rights violations and how
people in the Ukraine suffered under the “Terror Famine.”
Compare any two totalitarian regimes from Pre World War II.
(Germany, Soviet Union, Japan, Italy, and Spain) How are they
different? In what ways are they similar? What characteristics of
these regimes helped them to gain popular support and to rebuild
the economy after World War I? Why were Fascism and Communism
after World War I?
Japanese Atrocities in China – the Rape of Nanking and other
Japanese brutalities in China
Stalin-Hitler Pact – aka Nazi-Soviet Pact – why did these sworn
enemies create a peace treaty between each other before the
outbreak of WWII?
Why did Europe let Hitler get away with expansion before Sept. 1939?
Blitzkrieg on Poland – this starts WWII, what happened and what did
Germany do to Poland?
Nazis in France – how did the Germans take Paris and how did they
control France during most of the war?
Operation Barbarossa – Nazis invade Russia in biggest military
movement of the time
Crimes Against Humanity. What happened at the Nuremburg War
Trials and War Crimes Tribunal in Japan? What was the legal process
to prosecute and punish war criminals?
After WWII some Jews hunted down escaped Nazis. How did the
Jews and Israel accomplish this?
War in Africa – the greatest tank battles in history were in North Africa
against Rommel’s Afrika Korp Panzer Division
April 1945 – many events happened in this month including FDR, Hitler
and Mussolini dying, the Soviets taking Berlin, UN established, the last
battles and others
Winston Churchill – the Lion of Britain, what did he do to keep Britain
active and fighting?
RAF – the Royal Air Force almost by itself saved Britain from being
taken by the Nazis
Nazi Aryan Racial Theory – the Germans taught that Aryan Race was
biologically superior, describe their convoluted science.
Death Camps – there were other camps besides Auschwitz, describe
the camp system
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World War II
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World War II
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World War II
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World War II
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World War II
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The Holocaust
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The Holocaust
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The Holocaust
Why West didn’t Stop the Death Camps – one of the lasting questions
of the war… what did the west know and why did they ignore the
slaughter
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The Holocaust
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World War II
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World War II
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The Cold War
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The Cold War
The Cold War
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The Cold War
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The Cold War
The Cold War
The Cold War
The Cold War
The Cold War
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The Cold War
Final Solution – Hitler’s controversial plan to finally eliminate all Jews
from Europe
Battle of Stalingrad – one of the most incredible stories of the Russian
war with Nazis
Yalta & Potsdam Conference – the two big meetings of the Ally
leaders to decided what would happen after the war… starts the
Cold War
Origins of the Cold War – how id the conflict between USSR and US
develop
Cold War & China – how China became communist under Mao
Cold War & Cuba – Cuba is one of the few communist nations still
around – what is this history and our relationship with Castro
Cold War & Germany – how Germany was divided and the Berlin
Wall meant to the Cold War
Cold War in South America – US and USSR compete in Latin America
Cold War & Africa – US and USSR compete in Africa
Arms Race – the race to build more and better nuclear weapons
Space Race – the competition to rule the skies and space programs
Fall of the Soviet Union-Why did the original communist country,
sworn enemy of the US and Western allies finally collapse?
Break up of Yugoslavia-What caused this once independent
communist nation to fall apart? What has happened to this Balkan
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The Modern
World
The Modern
World
The Modern
World
region since 1919?
Why did Europe create the European Union?
International Monetary Fund-What is the IMF? How did it evolve?
What are its functions and limitations?
World Court-What is the World Court? How does it prosecute war
criminals and crimes against humanity?