Social history studies how people lived, worked, dressed and entertained in the past. Social history is a favorite topic for historians who prefer to ask questions about how people lived rather than questions of politics or conflict. Research paper topics in social history include the history of entertainment, fashion, food and art history. Each of these topics has endless sub-topics, such as the history of French cuisine or the history of impressionism.
Military history is a popular topic among historians of all ages. Because war and conflict shape so much of the human experience, military history naturally tells us much about the power dynamics in the world. Sample topics in military history include World War II, World War I, the history of the Military-Industrial complex and pre-modern warfare. In every war there are many battles and skirmishes, so even a six-year conflict such as World War II can supply thousands of potential research topics.
Political history is closely related to military history. War generally breaks out as a result of disputes over land and resources, and prior to the declaration of war, these disputes are handled diplomatically. While human history is riddled with war, more often than not, political tactics are used to resolve disputes over resources. Topics in political history include history of democracy, history of monarchy and history of political thoughts.
As long as civilizations have existed, so has economics. Humans are social creatures, and human civilizations cannot exist without some measure of trade and cooperation. The history of economics and trade is full of examples of innovation, boom and bust cycles, and revolutions. Topics in economic history include history of banking, history of the corporation, history of contract law and history of inequality.
One area in which there has been considerable progress throughout human history is science and technology. From Galileo to Einstein, dedicated scientists have always worked to uncover the principles behind the workings of the universe. Because science has played such a central role in human history, historians have naturally taken an interest in the subject. Topics in the history of science and technology include the evolution of the scientific method, the history of computers and the history of airplanes.