Researching an aspect of a particular group of Americans during a certain period but with a new focus may yield interesting results. For instance, instead of writing a general paper about African-American slavery, you might examine lesser-known ideas, such as how Native American plantation owners differed from the stereotype or how religion changed for the oppressed. You could examine how the seeds of current technology were planted long ago or the relationship between some aspect of the media, such as television or music, influenced American culture. Read or view a historical book or film like "Forrest Gump" or "The Grapes of Wrath" and analyze how factual it is. Consider discussing how objects or actions like the Titanic or the Tuskegee Syphilis experiments reflected the period or the cultural attitude. Choose a topic you find interesting -- one that allows you to analyze the how or why of a historical concept.