Listen attentively to the instructor who is teaching the history course. Do not work on other homework or text a friend on your phone. It is important to absorb all the information that is given to you, so you will always remember it.
Take avid notes. When you hear your instructor discussing an important fact, write it down. Leave blanks in between each point you write. This way you will be able to write down explanations about it later if you don't understand something. Make sure to keep your notes organized, so you will be able to understand what you wrote. It is helpful to highlight the most important facts with a marker.
Bring a tape recorder to class. Sometimes instructors speak too quickly and you aren't able to write down everything you heard. Listen to the tape later for any information you might have missed.
Ask your instructor questions about anything you don't understand. She is there to help clarify any points you may be confused about. Many instructors welcome students meeting them in their offices for study sessions.
Arrange a study group with some of your classmates. Meet in a quiet location, like a library, and study everything you learned in class. It is good to have several minds working together because one person can help clarify something another doesn't understand. Plan different studying techniques, such as quizzing each other with flash cards. For example, you could ask what year the Revolutionary War started on one side of the card and write 1775 on the other side.