Category: History Essay Examples
See our collection of history essay examples. These example essays are to help you understanding how to write a history essay. History is a fascinating puzzle with both personal and cultural significance. The past informs our lives, ideas, and expectations. Historians study the past to figure out what happened and how specific events and cultural developments affected individuals and societies. Also, see our list of history essay topics to find the one that interests you.
Ceylon was the name of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka before 1972. It is an island nation off the southeast coast of the Indian subcontinent, located in the tropics. Ceylon was also known in ancient times as Sinhale, Lanka, Lankadeepa, Simoundou, Taprobane, Serendib, and Selan. Some …
Chandragupta II was the third ruler of the Gupta Empire of India. He reigned when the Gupta dynasty reached its zenith of power, and Indian classical culture was at its high watermark. He ruled all northern India except the northwest and central India down to the Deccan Plateau. …
Chang’an (Ch’ang-an), literally “Perpetual Peace,” was the largest city in the world of its time, boasting a population of over a million by the eighth century c.e. and covering nearly 32½ sq. miles. Chang’an actually refers to two cities. The first capital city, typically called “Han Chang’an” because …
Perhaps the best known of the choregic poets, Pindar (522–443 b.c.e.) drew inspiration from the early history of Greece, the Dorians, Mycenae, and the Achaeans. Pindar was part of the great generation of Greeks who had turned back the Persian invasions of Darius I and Xerxes I and …
The kingdoms of ancient Choson developed in Korea from the Bronze Age when tribal groups started to dominate the land between the Liao River in southern Manchuria, and the Taedong River in northern Korea. The legendary founder of the dynasty was Tan’gun, hailed by Koreans in modern-day North …
Gnosticism arose around the same time and place as Christianity. Some Gnostics were Christian, some Jewish, and some pagan. Gnostics believed that gnosis (Greek: “knowledge”), not faith, brought salvation. Not education or experience, but revelation gave gnosis. This essay will deal with the concept, the origins, and the …
Christianity grew out of Second Temple Judaism and inherited its most important legacy, the Jewish scripture. It also inherited much of the Jewish interpretive traditions, such as the concepts of monotheism, covenant, election, and revelation, that had shaped the interpretation of these scriptures. The New Testament (NT) writers …
John Chrysostom was bishop of Constantinople and perhaps the greatest preacher in the early church, earning him the title chrysostomos (Greek: “goldenmouthed”). John was born to Christian parents of the educated upper class in Antioch in Syria and as a young man, studied rhetoric under the distinguished philosopher …
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a famous Roman orator, writer, and political leader. He was a contemporary of Sulla, Pompey, and Julius Caesar. He was born in Arpinum in the year 106 b.c.e. and died in 43 b.c.e. He followed the custom of going to Rome for his formal …
The Greek Classical Period began with a war. In 499 b.c.e. the Ionian cities along the coast of Asia Minor revolted against the Persians under whose rule they had lived. In retaliation the Persians, led by Darius I, crushed the rebel cities and moved against Athens and Sparta, …
The Greek Classical Period (500–323 b.c.e.) had a vast amount of influence on Western culture in terms of art, literature, philosophy, and architecture. This period occurred between the Archaic Period (800–500 b.c.e.) and Hellenistic Period (323–31 b.c.e.) and took place near the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Many renowned …
Cleisthenes was an Athenian nobleman often credited with having given rise to the first democratic political structure in his native city-state. At the end of the sixth century b.c.e. he implemented various reforms that changed politics as well as life in general for the Athenian citizenry. The importance …
Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens Alexandrinus) is one of many brilliant Alexandrian theologians that arose between the first and third centuries c.e. The writings of Jewish sages such as Philo and Sirach influenced all these Alexandrian thinkers. His teacher was supposedly Pantaenus, a noted Christian thinker who …
Among the most lasting accomplishments of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (527–565 c.e.) was his comprehensive compilation and organization of Roman law. The emperor believed that law was as essential to the security of the empire as military power. His legal achievement (like his martial effort) was an …
Since the beginning of the historic period the Chinese have held the traditions handed down from antiquity with deep awe and reverence. Works traditionally accepted as the heritage of ancient times long preceded Confucius (551–479 b.c.e.) but are nonetheless called the Confucian Classics. The Five Confucian Classics are …
Confucianism, originally an East Asian philosophy based upon the teachings of Confucius, has strongly influenced governmental structures and policies worldwide, particularly in China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Confucius, a famous Chinese philosopher who lived from 551 to 479 b.c.e., frequently expressed his thoughts in short sayings, …
Confucius is the Latinized form for Kong Fuzi (K’ungfu-tzu) which means Master Kong in Chinese. He came from a minor noble family from the state of Lu in modern Shandong (Shantung) Province, which had been founded by the Duke of Zhou (Chou). His father died when he was …
The reign of Constantine the Great marked the transition from the ancient Roman Empire to medieval Europe and a decisive step in the establishment of the Christian Church as the official religion for the Greek and Latin civilizations. His view of church-state relations affected the way that European …
Constantine the Great’s city lasted as the center of civilization and religion for more than 1,000 years. Of the cities of the world, only King David’s city, Jerusalem, compares with its prestige and longevity. The ancient name was Byzantium. The foundation of the city dates back to the …
The Coptic period covers most of the first six centuries of the Common Era. Copt derives from the Greek word Aegyptus, in turn derived from Hikaptah, or Memphis, the original Egyptian capital. Coptic Christianity is the form that arose in Egypt in the first century c.e. By tradition …
