Need a topic for a European history paper?

Question

I have a history paper due later this month but I'm having trouble getting a topic. The class is European History 1700 (it starts at 1700 and goes up to WW1). So, basically I can choose from anything during that time span that relates to Europe. If you can, please provide me some ideas. Thanks.

Answer 1

You have a huge scope to choose from.

My main suggestion is that you pick a topic in an historical field that INTERESTS you personally. For example, politics, war, diplomacy, religion, philosophy, science, discovery, etc. It is so much easier to write contentedly about a subject that you enjoy, than about one that you really have little interest in .

Next, I suggest that you decide as soon as possible whether you want your essay to be a rather skimpy outline about a major and complicated event (like the French Revolution). Or, alternatively, an in-depth examination of a smaller event, such as a particular battle or new philosophical idea; or, of course, the life of a particular individual. If you select a major event, you will probably find enough information about it on the Web to give you the necessary data for your essay. If you pick something more detailed and precise, you may need to use a library book or two to give you all of the information needed in a good essay.

I won't even attempt to give you an exhaustive list of possible topics, but here are a few ideas. In each case I give only one link. No point wasting time if you are not interested, but you will find plenty more if you are interested: -

European Enlightment (huge topic):
http://www.wsu.edu/%7Edee/ENLIGHT/ENLIGHT.HTM

The South Sea Bubble (medium scale topic):
http://myweb.dal.ca/dmcneil/bubble/bubble.html

Rob Roy McGregor (small scale topic):
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/robroy/

The British Abolition Movement (large topic):
http://www.users.muohio.edu/mandellc/projects/aronowml/

Napoleon (huge topic):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon

Bismarck (large topic):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bismarck

Garibaldi (large topic):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garibaldi

Crimean War (medium topic):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimean_War

Robespierre (small / medium topic):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robespierre

Saxony 1740-1789 (small topic):
http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/germany/saxony17401789.html

The Helvetic Republic (Switzerland under French domination) (small topic):
http://www.swissworld.org/eng/history/The_Helvetic_Republic.html?siteSect=807&sid=4102925&cKey=1167575858000&rubricId=16070

Catalonia in the War of Spanish Succession: (small topic):
http://www.columbia.edu/~xs23/catala/cathist.htm

The list could go on and on, but I'm out of time. Sorry!

Answer 2

A safe one would be the Industrial Revolution or even the Napoleanic Wars. There is alot of information on those. There is also the fall of France. There are ton. If I had to choose it would be the fall of France. Alot of information to research. That is also a short time span for European History.

Answer 3

how about Franz Ferdinand's driver DIDN'T get lost in Sarajevo that day, and didn't stop to turn around in front of an anarchist with a gun in his pocket.

No assassination.

maybe no WW1, or at least not from that incident.

no WW1? then maybe no WW2

no Hitler

No Communism taking over Russia

No fall of the Ottoman Empire, so no Israel, No Iraq, no Iran...