Clastify logo

IB History IA examples

Type a search phrase to find the most relevant History IA examples for you

Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example History Internal Assessments below for inspiration.

profile cover

All History IA Examples

Filter exemplars, to what extent was fdr governmental intervention responsible for the end of the great depression in the us, to what extent was nato’s intervention in the libyan civil war of 2011 a humanitarian intervention, want to get full marks for your ia allow us to review it for you 🎯, to what extent were the bombings of hiroshima and nagasaki necessary to end the second world war, to what extent can patriarchal factors be considered to be the most significant cause for the marginalisation of the south korean comfort women during and after the pacific war, to what extent can the 'clean hands' scandal be defined as a revolution of italian politics in the years between 1992 and 2012, fast track your coursework with mark schemes moderated by ib examiners. upgrade now 🚀, how significant was hawaii’s reciprocity treaty with the us in 1875 in causing the annexation of hawaii in 1898, how important was the 1486 malleus maleficarum to germany's witch-hunting craze in the sixteenth century, to what extent were mao zedong and his agricultural policies responsible for the great chinese famine of 1959-61, how significant were the impacts of the suez crisis on british foreign policy, to what extent was the lavender scare fuelled by anti-communism, to what extent was martial law imposed in poland on 13th december 1981 to pre-empt the invasion of the ussr, how significant was black jesus in shifting christian ideals during the harlem renaissance of the 1920s, to what extent is the representation of bengalis as victims during the 1971 bangladesh genocide accurate, by january 1933, to what extent was the appointment of hitler as chancellor inevitable, what happened at the luding bridge during the long march, to what extent did soviet infiltration of indian media and politics from 1955-1985 consolidate ideological dominance over the western bloc in the indian subcontinent, how significant was the first world war as a cause of the october revolution, to what extent was ferdinand marcos responsible for the 1971 plaza miranda boming, to what extent was bureaucratic corruption the major cause of the peasant rebellion during chongzhen’s ming dynasty (1627-1644), to what extent did bismarck have a strategy to ensure german unification between 1860 and 1870, to what extent did president truman's measures improve immigration conditions for jews displaced by the holocaust between 1945 and 1953, to what extent were the vietnam war protests and their trial a representation of the cultural divide created in 1955-1970, to what extent was the purpose of mao's 'hundred flowers' campaign genuinely to allow more freedom of speech, to what extent was the us federal government's involvement the most significant factor in causing the bleeding kansas period (1854-1859), how far did italian architecture reflect fascist ideology between 1925 and 1943, how significant was the ccp’s yanan pro-peasant policy (1937-45) in mobilising manchurian peasant support (1945-8), to what extent was u.s. foreign policy successful in winning over the support of the american public for american involvement in the vietnam war, how far did rákosi's motives for the show trial of lászló rajk in 1949 resemble stalin's motives for the show trial of nikolai bukharin in 1938, to what extent was poor tactical planning during operation barbarossa responsible for nazi failure in the ussr between 1941-1943, to what extent was paramilitarism more responsible than the guerrillas for the increase in human rights violations in colombia between 1990 and 2006 (18 marks), to what extent did the outcome of the trial brown v board of education (1954) contribute to dismantling jim crow laws, to what extend did the german intervention during the spanish civil war (1936 – 1939) influence the outcome of the conflict, to what extent was the outcome of the cuban missile crisis responsible for the removal of khrushchev in 1964, to what extent did the mongol invasions of eurasia from the years 1250-1345 lead to positive socio-economic developments in the region, to what extent was contras’ resistance during the nicaraguan civil war dependent on us involvement, to what extent were economic conditions in hungary responsible for the outbreak of the hungarian revolution in 1956, why did the us choose diplomatic sanctions rather than economic sanctions or military sanctions as a response to the japanese-chinese manchurian crisis of 1931-1932, to what extent was us intervention in the korean war to support south korea, in what ways did the conservative outlook on the role of women of the polish people’s republic government under władysław gomułka shape women’s fashion trends in the years 1956-1970, what role did raymond poincaré undertake in setting the foundation for frances`s universal medical insurance and education from 1913 to 1929.

Search on OralHistory.ws Blog

Unleashing Your Potential: Choosing a History IA Topic

Avatar

Greetings, future historians! As intrepid explorers of the human experience, we aim to excavate the past, retracing the footprints of those who shaped the course of history. Selecting a gripping and insightful history Internal Assessment (IA), topic is your initial stride into this riveting voyage.

Table of content

The Importance of History Learning

Embracing the study of history bestows us with a profound and nuanced grasp of bygone eras, enabling us to comprehend the intricate tapestry of the present and foresee potential future trajectories. It refines our capacity to debate effectively, probe critically, and acknowledge the spectrum of human experiences and perspectives.

History is more than a chronology of events; it’s a saga of humanity, a chronicle of victories and defeats, dreams and disillusionments. It provides the prism through which we interpret societal infrastructures and cultural ethos. History instills in us the values of empathy, justice, and tenacity.

Venturing into the History IA Topic

Choosing your history IA topic is a fusion of excitement and challenge. It should enthrall you, be of a manageable scope, and allow an intricate exploration of primary and secondary sources. A compelling IA topic not only piques your interest but also sets the stage for the research journey that lies ahead.

Here are 73 potential history IA topic examples, each presenting a unique dive into historical events and perspectives:

  • The Domino Effect: Reassessing the Cuban Missile Crisis on East-West Diplomacy
  • Post-WWI Surge of Nationalism in India: An In-Depth Study
  • Unsung Heroines: An Examination of Women’s Role in the American Civil Rights Movement
  • China’s Cultural Revolution: Probing Its Causes and Consequences
  • The Ripple Effects of the French Revolution: A Case Study of the Haitian Revolution
  • The American Dream: An Analysis of the Great Migration
  • The Holocaust: Dissecting the Psychology of the Perpetrators
  • Evaluating the Suffragette Movement: Progress or Provocation?
  • Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain Speech: A Tipping Point in the Cold War
  • Decoding the Emancipation Proclamation: A Beacon of Hope or a Political Stratagem?
  • The Bubonic Plague: An Examination of Its Social and Economic Impact on Europe
  • The Battle of Waterloo: A Turning Point in European History
  • The Viking Age: Assessing Its Impact on Medieval Europe
  • The Korean War: Analyzing American Involvement and Its Implications
  • The Fall of the Berlin Wall: Its Symbolic and Political Significance
  • The Spanish Inquisition: A Deep Dive into Its Causes and Outcomes
  • Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire: A Comprehensive Analysis
  • The Bolshevik Revolution: Scrutinizing Its Causes and Effects
  • The Armenian Genocide: Unraveling the Truth Behind the Tragedy
  • Colonialism and Its Impact on Indigenous Cultures: A Case Study of Australia
  • The Role of Propaganda in World War I
  • Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Violent Resistance: An Examination of Its Efficacy
  • The Partition of India and Pakistan: A Study of Its Causes and Aftermath
  • The Irish Potato Famine: Assessing British Policies and Their Impact
  • Japanese Internment During WWII: A Dark Chapter in American History
  • The Zulu War: Examining Its Impact on South African History
  • The Crusades: A Critical Analysis of Their Impact on East-West Relations
  • Slavery in Ancient Greece: An Examination of Its Socio-Economic Role
  • The French Revolution: Scrutinizing the Role of the Philosophes
  • Napoleon Bonaparte: Hero or Tyrant?
  • The Impact of the Gutenberg Press on the Protestant Reformation
  • The Golden Age of Piracy: Myth Versus Reality
  • Industrial Revolution: Its Impact on Society and the Economy
  • The Great Depression: Analyzing Its Global Impact
  • Apartheid in South Africa: Its Causes and Effects
  • The Tet Offensive: Its Impact on the Vietnam War
  • The Age of Exploration: Examining Its Impact on Indigenous Societies
  • The Russian Revolution: Scrutinizing Its Causes and Consequences
  • The Reformation: Assessing Its Impact on European Society
  • The Trail of Tears: A Dark Chapter in Native American History
  • The Scramble for Africa: Evaluating Its Impact on the African Continent
  • The Suez Crisis: Assessing Its Impact on the Middle East
  • The Salem Witch Trials: Analyzing Its Social and Cultural Impact
  • The Opium Wars: Their Impact on Sino-British Relations
  • The Age of Enlightenment: Its Impact on the Modern World
  • The Bay of Pigs Invasion: An Analysis of Its Failure
  • The Hundred Years’ War: A Study of Its Causes and Outcomes
  • The American Civil War: Evaluating Its Impact on Race Relations
  • The Cultural Impact of the Harlem Renaissance
  • The Fall of the Ottoman Empire: A Comprehensive Analysis
  • The Space Race: Its Impact on US-Soviet Relations
  • The Reign of Queen Elizabeth I: A Golden Age?
  • The Cuban Revolution: Evaluating Its Impact on Cuba’s Economy
  • The Yalta Conference: Its Impact on Post-WWII Europe
  • The Mexican-American War: Assessing Its Causes and Consequences
  • The Punic Wars: An Examination of Their Impact on Rome and Carthage
  • The Mau Mau Uprising: A Study of Its Impact on Kenya’s Independence
  • The Influence of the Renaissance on Modern European Art
  • The Rape of Nanking: A Critical Analysis
  • The Formation of NATO: Its Impact on Global Politics
  • The Black Death: Its Impact on Medieval Europe
  • The Stonewall Riots: Evaluating Its Role in the LGBTQ+ Movement
  • The Meiji Restoration: Its Impact on Japan’s Modernization
  • The Conquest of the Aztec Empire: A Study of Its Causes and Consequences
  • The Mongol Conquests: Assessing Their Impact on Eurasia
  • The Tiananmen Square Massacre: Its Impact on China’s Politics
  • The Formation of Israel: Evaluating Its Impact on Middle Eastern Politics
  • The Reign of Terror: An Analysis of Its Causes and Effects
  • The Troubles in Northern Ireland: A Comprehensive Study
  • The Conquest of the Inca Empire: Its Impact on Peru
  • The Iranian Revolution: Evaluating Its Impact on Iran’s Politics
  • The War of 1812: Assessing Its Impact on American-Canadian Relations
  • The Unification of Italy: Its Impact on Modern Italian Society

These topics provide a vast scope to explore various periods, events, and themes. Remember, the goal is not to recount history but to interpret it, shedding light on its complexity and relativity.

Developing Your Research

Upon selecting your history IA topic, you set sail on the sea of research. This expedition comprises three crucial waypoints:

Primary and Secondary Sources: Leverage these to reinforce your propositions. Primary sources offer unmediated accounts, while secondary sources present scholarly critique and interpretation.

Historiographical Analysis: Comprehending and analyzing the perspectives of other historians adds depth to your examination.

Research Question: Crafting a lucid, precise research question is critical. It acts as your compass, guiding your investigation and helping to retain focus.

Crafting Your IA

The efficacy of your IA lies not only in the substance but also in the presentation. A compelling structure and engaging prose are paramount. Remember to frame short and punchy sentences, employ an active voice, and ensure a logical narrative arc.

Consider these steps:

Introduction: This should adeptly introduce your topic and research question.

Investigation: This section should present your research, balancing source analysis and historical context.

Reflection: Reflect on your chosen methodologies, discussing their virtues and limitations.

Embarking on your history in IA is akin to undertaking a thrilling time-traveling escapade. This quest doesn’t merely introduce you to an event or a period; it instills invaluable investigation, argumentation, analysis, and presentation skills. These are competencies that extend beyond academia, enriching your future endeavors.

📎 Related Articles

1. Hot Topic History: A Journey Through Pivotal Moments 2. Pioneering Perspectives: Navigating Civil War Topics for Your Research Paper 3. Engaging 8th Grade Research Paper Topics for Budding Historians 4. Unraveling Threads of Time: Early American History Topics for Students 5. Dive Deep into Western Civilization Research Paper Topics

Tips for success: How to write Section 3 of your IB History IA

Tips for success: How to write Section 3 of your IB History IA

June 28th, 2017 Last updated: March 17th, 2023

Having successfully written Sections 1 and 2 of your History IA, it is now time to reflect and write Section 3. In this blog, Anna will walk you through the necessary steps to help you gain full marks for this section.

In Section 3 you are required to write 400 words and to reflect on two main themes:

  • what you have learnt while researching and writing your investigation.
  • the challenges and limitations faced by the historian.

1. Discuss the methods/steps you used similar to that of a historian…

  • Evaluation?
  • Comparison?
  • Interpretation?
  • Differing perspectives?
  • Reaching a conclusion?

2. How has this investigation helped you appreciate the challenges faced by the historian…

  • Difficulty of research, too little or too much information?
  • Dealing with differing perspectives?
  • Working with unreliable/biased sources?
  • Is there a difference working with primary sources compared to secondary?
  • Determining the importance of one source above another?
  • What conditions might affect the historian?
  • The difficulty of reaching a conclusion?

  3. Limitations of the role of a historian

  • Can a historian distort history?
  • The problem with history being subjective?
  • The difficulty of providing a meaningful interpretation?
  • The problem of history always being uncertain, always changing?
  • How does the process of a historian differ to that of a mathematician or scientist?

If you liked this article, subscribe to our newsletter

By subscribing to our newsletter you agree to receive email from us and agree to our Terms and Conditions*

Join the discussion! Cancel reply

How to get full marks on source questions in history a-level: 4. using the provenance of the source to assess reliability.

How to get full marks on source questions in History A-Level: 4. Using the provenance of the Source to assess reliability

In the penultimate post in this series, Andrew looks at how the provenance of the source (including its author, and the time and place in which it was produced) can be used to examine a source’s reliability.

Author Owl Tutors Read 9 minutes

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 3. Using knowledge to assess the accuracy of a source

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 3. Using knowledge to assess the accuracy of a source

In the third post in this series, we will look at how to show A Level examiners that you can assess the accuracy of sources. People in the past did not always give an impression consistent with the facts available to us. Good historians will compare the information presented by any source to what they already know of the period.

Author Owl Tutors Read 6 minutes

Tips for Success: Approaching your IB History Extended Essay Topic

Tips for Success: Approaching your IB History Extended Essay Topic

In this blog, Anna outlines the initial steps to choosing an IB History Extended Essay topic and question as well as how to approach the planning process.

Author Anna Read 4 minutes

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 2. Using the content of the source (A grade)

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 2. Using the content of the source (A grade)

This is the second post in a series that shows you how to approach source questions in History A Level, and hopefully also how exciting analysing primary source material can be. In this blog, Andrew sets out how to raise the quality of your answer to A* level by showing understanding of the source in context, and focusing on the question.

Author Owl Tutors Read 5 minutes

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 1. Using the content of the source (C grade)

How to get full marks on source questions in History A Level: 1. Using the content of the source (C grade)

Source questions are often the aspect of A-Level History that students find most difficult, but can also be one of the most exciting aspects of the course. Every source provides a window into the ideas, emotions, and thought processes of past human beings. Andrew covers the basics of writing about the information drawn from the source.

Tips for success: How to research your IB History IA

Tips for success: How to research your IB History IA

Once you have chosen the topic and question of your History IA, it's time to get researching! In this blog, Anna sets out some top tips on how best to research and record notes. Research in itself is a vitally important skill assessed throughout the IB Diploma - getting this right can mean the difference between a History IA's success and failure.

Author Anna Read 3 minutes

7 Tips for Choosing a Successful IB History IA Topic and Question

7 Tips for Choosing a Successful IB History IA Topic and Question

Choosing the right History topic and question for YOU can make the difference between success and failure. Below are 7 steps to help you choose an appropriate topic and question.

You might be interested in

How to get a 9 in gcse history.

Author: Chloe

Tips for success: How to write Section 2 of your IB History IA

Tips for success: how to write section 1 of your ib history ia.

+44 020 3457 8474 [email protected]

Owl Tutors Limited Company Number: 07679444 VAT Number 182078794 Unit 2A, The Plough Brewery 516 Wandsworth Road London SW8 3JX United Kingdom

Owl Tutors logo

2024 Copyright Owl Tutors | Terms & Conditions | UK | Privacy Policy

history ia essay example

IB History IA Topics | 21st Century Ideas Included 📜 

History IA Topics

Exciting exploration of History IA topics as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. This integral component, known as the IB History IA, demands students to engage in independent research on a chosen topic. The key to a successful assignment lies in choosing the right History IA topics and shaping the depth and direction of your research and writing. Unfortunately, many IB students encounter challenges in selecting appropriate topics, resulting in difficulties crafting a compelling Internal Assessment. To alleviate this struggle, we present a curated list of topic suggestions and handy tips to guide you through this historical journey.

Tips on how to select the right topic for your History IA

Here you go, check some tips for choosing the best topics for your IB History Internal Assessment in 2023:

  • Choose a topic that interests you : The Internal Assessment is a long and intensive process, so it’s important to select a topic that you are genuinely interested in. This will make the research and writing process more enjoyable and rewarding.
  • Make sure the topic is relevant to the IB history curriculum : The Internal Assessment should demonstrate your understanding of the IB history curriculum, so it’s crucial to choose a topic that aligns with the course material.
  • Consider the available sources : The Internal Assessment requires you to conduct independent research, so it’s essential to choose a topic with sufficient sources available. This will make it easier for you to gather information and build a well-rounded argument.
  • Consider the scope of the topic : The Internal Assessment should be focused and well-defined, so it’s important to choose a topic that is not too broad or too narrow. Consider the available time and resources when deciding on the scope of your topic.
  • Seek guidance from your teacher : Your teacher is an excellent resource for helping you choose a topic that is appropriate for the Internal Assessment. They can provide guidance on the best topics to consider and help you refine your ideas.

Meanwhile, before we proceed further, I want to highlight that you can always buy IB IA from our company if you are out of time or just want to do something else while experts are working on your assignment.

List of the Best History IA ideas for the year 2023:

Here are a few example topics that could be suitable for an IB History Internal Assessment:

  • The influence of the Black Death on medieval European society
  • The reasons and consequences of the American Revolution
  • The role of religion in the Ottoman Empire
  • The role of trade in the development of the Ming Dynasty in China
  • The causes and results of the Russian Revolution
  • The impact of the Holocaust on Europe and the world
  • The role of the British Empire in shaping modern India
  • The effect of the Cold War on global politics
  • The causes and results of the French Revolution
  • The role of women in the Suffrage Movement
  • The effect of the Scientific Revolution on European society
  • The role of the United States in the Korean War
  • The reasons and consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union
  • The impact of the Industrial Revolution on the environment
  • The role of education in the civil rights movement in the United States

Here are five additional History IA topics ideas for your that focus on modern History in the 21st century:

  • The impact of the Arab Spring on Middle Eastern politics
  • The role of social media in shaping political discourse and activism
  • The effect of the global financial crisis on the world economy
  • The causes and consequences of Brexit
  • The role of international organizations in responding to humanitarian crises

And five additional topic ideas for your IB History Internal Assessment that focus on the History of the years 2010-2022:

  • The role of technology in shaping global politics and diplomacy
  • The results of the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East
  • The rise of populism and nationalism in the 21st century
  • The role of social media in shaping political campaigns and election outcomes
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global health, economics, and politics

Don’t let the stress of choosing an IA topic

Hold you back..

Are you struggling to come up with topic suggestions for your IB Internal Assessment?

Our experienced writers can help you choose the perfect topic for your IA

Tailored to your specific subject and requirements.

Simply click:

A female student standing still and smiling while holding a pen and a notebook, presumably contemplating IB IA topic suggestions.

Choose your History IA topic wisely

Remember, these are just a few examples of History IA topics and the best topic for your Internal Assessment will depend on your interests and the specific requirements of your course. 

You could also be interested in checking these articles on our blog that suggest topics for different IB IAs:

  • IA Business Topics
  • IA Topics for Communication Studies
  • English Literature IA topic ideas
  • Psychology Internal Assessment Topics
  • Computer Science IA Topic
  • IB IA Economics topic ideas
  • IB Social and Cultural Anthropology IA
  • Geography IA ideas
  • Global Politics IA topics
  • IB economics IA article suggestions 2023/2024

Take the time to carefully consider your options and seek guidance from your teacher to choose a topic that is both engaging and relevant to the IB history curriculum.

If you need History IA topic suggestions or help with writing the whole IA, you can always contact our IB essay writing service for help. 

' src=

Nora Spinster

Nora Spinster is a multi-talented individual who is an educator, lawyer, youth, expert IB tutor, education activist, and language and writing enthusiast. Nora has a wealth of experience in copywriting, having worked with various organizations and businesses to craft compelling and effective copy. Nora has published articles on young learners and teenage students in the International House Journal and occasionally posts on ibwritingservice.com educational blog

  • Nora Spinster https://ibwritingservice.com/blog/author/noraspinster/ How to Get Into the IB Program? IB Preparation
  • Nora Spinster https://ibwritingservice.com/blog/author/noraspinster/ What to Wear for IB Exams? IB Dress Code
  • Nora Spinster https://ibwritingservice.com/blog/author/noraspinster/ How Many Points Do You Need for the IB Diploma?
  • Nora Spinster https://ibwritingservice.com/blog/author/noraspinster/ Can You Retake the IB Exams? Guide for IB Students

Get hot offers and discounts for your IB Assignments

history ia essay example

Our writing solutions cater to all disciplines within the IB program, and we specialize in crafting academic papers for students of all levels. We follow the IB criteria.

Adhering strictly to the rigorous standards set by the IB, we deploy a methodical approach to our writing process. This ensures that every piece of content we generate not only meets but exceeds the expectations set within the program.

Contact us:

[email protected]

[email protected]

Latest Articles:

ib preparation

How to Get Into the IB Program? IB Preparation

ib exam outfit

What to Wear for IB Exams? IB Dress Code

ib diploma points

How Many Points Do You Need for the IB Diploma?

Our services:.

  • Buy Internal Assessment
  • Buy Math IA
  • Buy Extended Essay
  • Buy TOK Essay
  • Buy TOK Exhibition

IBWritingService.com is an independent academic writing aid with no official ties to the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). Our use of “IB” in the domain and title is purely for identification, and we neither claim nor imply any endorsement or partnership with the IBO. Our services aim to support students’ educational needs without violating IBO policies. Trademarks mentioned are property of their owners and do not suggest affiliations. By using our services, you acknowledge our non-affiliation with the IBO and that we’re not a substitute for IBO requirements. We deny any liability for use of our services in relation to the IBO.

ALL PAPERS WRITTEN BY OUR EXPERTS AS PART OF THIS WRITING SERVICE ARE FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES ONLY. WHEN USING CONTENT PURCHASED FROM THIS WEBSITE, IT MUST BE PROPERLY REFERENCED.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Revision Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Refund Policy
  • Cookie Policy

© 2023. All Rights Reserved.

IBDP History

Website by Jo Thomas & Keely Rogers

Updated 25 February 2024

InThinking Subject Sites

Subscription websites for IB teachers & their classes

Find out more

  • www.thinkib.net
  • IBDP Biology
  • IBDP Business Management
  • IBDP Chemistry
  • IBDP Economics
  • IBDP English A Literature
  • IBDP English A: Language & Literature
  • IBDP English B
  • IBDP Environmental Systems & Societies
  • IBDP French B
  • IBDP Geography
  • IBDP German A: Language & Literature
  • IBDP Maths: Analysis & Approaches
  • IBDP Maths: Applications & Interpretation
  • IBDP Physics
  • IBDP Psychology
  • IBDP Spanish A
  • IBDP Spanish Ab Initio
  • IBDP Spanish B
  • IBDP Visual Arts
  • IBMYP English Language & Literature
  • IBMYP Resources
  • IBMYP Spanish Language Acquisition
  • IB Career-related Programme
  • IB School Leadership

Disclaimer : InThinking subject sites are neither endorsed by nor connected with the International Baccalaureate Organisation.

InThinking Subject Sites for IB Teachers and their Classes

Supporting ib educators.

  • Comprehensive help & advice on teaching the IB diploma.
  • Written by experts with vast subject knowledge.
  • Innovative ideas on ATL & pedagogy.
  • Detailed guidance on all aspects of assessment.

Developing great materials

  • More than 14 million words across 24 sites.
  • Masses of ready-to-go resources for the classroom.
  • Dynamic links to current affairs & real world issues.
  • Updates every week 52 weeks a year.

Integrating student access

  • Give your students direct access to relevant site pages.
  • Single student login for all of your school’s subscriptions.
  • Create reading, writing, discussion, and quiz tasks.
  • Monitor student progress & collate in online gradebook.

Meeting schools' needs

  • Global reach with more than 200,000 users worldwide.
  • Use our materials to create compelling unit plans.
  • Save time & effort which you can reinvest elsewhere.
  • Consistently good feedback from subscribers.

For information about pricing, click here

Download brochure

See what users are saying about our Subject Sites:

Find out more about our Student Access feature:

  • 5. Extended Essay: Graded student examples
  • The IB Core
  • Extended Essay

history ia essay example

This section includes some samples of EEs that have received A grades. A ll of these EEs have been marked according to the new criteria.

EE Sample 1: Causes of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898 (New criteria A grade)

Ee sample 2: the french revolution and the role of women 1789 to 1815 (new criteria a grade), ee sample 3: the causes of the holodomor famine, 1932 - 33 (new criteria a grade), ee sample 4: us intervention in lebanon 1958 (new criteria a grade), ee sample 5. causes of the algerian war (new criteria a grade), ee sample 6: the reforms of lázaro cárdenas’ presidency (new criteria a grade).

NEW  - ADDED MAY 2022

history ia essay example

IBlieve

Overview: History IA

Cynthia Ortiz

Note:  first assessment 202 0 ; latest history guide.

A History IA is a historical investigation with a word-limit of 2,200 words (exclusive of the bibliography), that consists of exploring a historical topic of your interest and executing a complete and concise historical research around it. With this article, we aim to provide an overview of the structure it follows, the marking criteria, and some recommendations to choose a topic and a question. 

Although the internal assessment comprises 20% of the final grade for HL students and 25% for SL students, the following requirements apply to both SL and HL History IAs. 

1. Choosing a topic

In order to choose a topic, you need to know that the most important requirement is that you cannot make your IA about events that have happened in the last 10 years, because they are not considered as history yet. Also, you need to keep in mind that, usually, an IA requires a lot of research to make a well-rounded analysis since you are expected to argue your interpretation after evaluating multiple perspectives. My recommendation is to choose a topic that you have reviewed in class or that you are going to see soon. This way, your teacher may help you with some sources that they already know of. Finally, make sure to narrow it down enough so that you are able to deliver a more detailed analysis rather than a general one. For example, you may want to specify the year, region, decade, or movement in which you are studying the historic phenomenon. 

2. Formulating the research question

The IB has provided six key concepts from which you can assess a historical event (causation, consequence, continuity, change, significance, and perspectives). These are extremely helpful in giving direction to your research, and as earlier mentioned, specificity is particularly important, since you do not have that many words. I recommend starting with a general question on a topic that you are interested in, then doing a quick scan on sources that may be helpful and depending on how much information you can find for a particular perspective or angle, you can start adding the details to the research question that will dictate the course in which you are going to tackle it. 

3. Marking Criteria 

Criterion a: identification and evaluation of sources (6 marks).

The suggested word range for this section is approximately 500 words. It is required that you analyze in detail two of the sources that you will use, they can be either primary or secondary, and they should be evaluated with respect to the origin, purpose, and content. You should also analyze the value and limitations that they may have in relation to your investigation. 

Expectations

  • a properly formulated research question,
  • selection of valuable and relevant sources, and
  • a clear discussion and analysis of the origin, purpose, content, value, and limitations to present arguments that prove their relevance. 

Criterion B: Investigation (15 marks)

The recommended number of words is 1,300, so make sure to be concise and above all, make sure that the evaluator can appreciate and understand your interpretation of the historic event so that they can award you the marks for critical thinking, one of the most important elements that the IB takes under consideration.

  • clearness, coherency, and effective organization in the investigation
  • use of sources as evidence for the points that are being argued
  • evaluation of different perspectives,  and
  • a conclusion that is congruent with the argumentation that was carried throughout the paper. 

Criterion C: Reflection (4 marks)

The suggested number of words is 400. It focuses on the methods employed by the student in the process of their investigation. You should include the highlights of your IA and the challenges you faced while making it. This will help the evaluator to see the learning process you had and the personal engagement in the assessment. 

  • reflection focused on the methods that were employed by the historian and
  • awareness of the challenges and/or limitations that were encountered. 

Even though the History IA, in particular, may seem somewhat laborious, from my personal experience, it is one of the most interesting to make, it is just a matter of picking a subject that you enjoy learning about and find really interesting, this way you can commit to it more easily and overall be more efficient when trying to get your point across. 

You may also like…

  • Victoria shares tips on how to How to Write a History Essay in IB .
  • Tyus shares tips on how to Tips for writing an EE in History .

Share this:

Leave a reply cancel reply, discover more from iblieve.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

help for assessment

  • Customer Reviews
  • Extended Essays
  • IB Internal Assessment
  • Theory of Knowledge
  • Literature Review
  • Dissertations
  • Essay Writing
  • Research Writing
  • Assignment Help
  • Capstone Projects
  • College Application
  • Online Class

IB History IA Sections: A Guide for IB Diploma Students

Author Image

by  Antony W

May 11, 2023

IB History IA Sections

Your IA is worth 20% (HL) or 25% (SL) of your total grade. It is in your best advantage to devote considerable effort on the History IA, since it is an excellent assignment.

Some may even argue that you should prioritize your IA above your EE because the IA has a greater impact on your ultimate grade.

Your IB History IA has just 2200 words. Your investigation’s primary body (Section 2) is barely 1300 words long. The second section is a normal academic research essay.

Due to the length of Section 2, it is imperative that you select a specific, well-defined, and controversial issue. Your query must be sharp. Anything too wide or unclear will result in an ambiguous IA.

Key Takeaways

  • Include your query and a clear explanation of why you picked two relevant sources in Section 1.
  • Section 2 of your research essay comprises your conclusion. Keep in mind that this needs extensive citations and references.
  • Section 3 is a reflection on what this process has taught you about the difficulties historians face.
  • You must include a bibliography with an appropriate structure.

History IA Sections Explained

The following is a brief explanation of the three sections of IB History IA:

In Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources

IB requires you to:

  • Clearly state an appropriate research question
  • Identify and select appropriate relevant sources
  • Explain why the sources are relevant to the investigation
  • Analyze and evaluate two sources with explicit reference to their origins, purposes, and contents.

A surprising proportion of students failed to specify the research subject as a question on the title page or inside Section A, and they often lose significant points as a result.

Several study questions are either too broad or do not foster an analytical approach to the issue, but rather a narrative account of the occurrences.

The six fundamental ideas for History (causation, consequence, continuity, change, relevance, and viewpoints) might assist you in developing research questions that avoid a narrative approach and in developing a more critical outlook on themes.

To get the highest marks (5-6 points) in Section 1 of your IB History IA, you must articulate the significance of two sources to their inquiry. It’s unfortunate that only a few students meet this criterion.

Many students tend to submit their research topic and then evaluate two sources without providing an explanation for their selection.

Despite the fact that evaluating sources is a common hurdle, there is definitely opportunity for improvement in this regard.

You should utilize the origins, purpose, and substance of each source as supporting evidence to evaluate the sources’ strengths and weaknesses as historical sources for the investigated issue.

In the past assessments, many candidates cited these factors, but just briefly addressed the values and restrictions at the conclusion. Some also made a poor selection of sources, claiming that one source provided inadequate information on the issue. You shouldn’t make similar mistakes.

Not every source considered in this section is explicitly recognized. Although you may refer to “Source A” or “Source 1” in their evaluation, you must include the full information of each source inside the Section. You can do this by using a header for each evaluation, giving full details in footnotes, or including the whole title, author, and publication date when explaining the sources of each source.

Section 2: Investigation

In this section, IB expects you to:  

  • Demonstrate a clear, coherent, and effective organization of your investigation.
  • Provide a well-developed critical analysis clearly focused on the research question.
  • Provide evidence from a wide variety of sources to support the arguments.
  • Evaluate perspectives.  
  • Reach a logical and consistent conclusion.

Integration of evidence and analysis into a single piece is a new and effective feature.

You have to submit work that is typically straightforward and well organized. Remember that if the study topics lacked clarity, your studies will come out ambiguous and superficial.

Also, you should not just provide enough context on the overall issue without focusing on the specific study question. Doing so does not allow for the development of critical analysis or the examination of other perspectives, hence the result of low grades.

The usefulness of using sources as evidence in investigation is highly variable. It is crucial for to comprehend that you must utilize the variety of sources contained in this area effectively to bolster the offered arguments.

While some candidates make effective use of several sources that provided diverse viewpoints on their inquiry, others tend to summarize the two sources reviewed in Section 1 and cited a few other sources.

Note that the integration of information from sources and analysis should be explicit, and sources utilized must support the claims.

Despite the fact that many students present a coherent conclusion in this section, several students tend to present their conclusion in Section 3.

Section 3: Reflection

This part is intended to provide you with an opportunity to reflect on what your inquiry revealed about the methodologies employed by historians and the issues they face.

You are required to focus on three primary areas:

  • What you learned about the techniques employed by historians
  • The limitations of such approaches and the issues historians confront
  • The relationship between the inquiry and the reflection

Some students tend to misunderstand this section’s criteria and they treat it as a conclusion. This can and will have a detrimental influence on their Section 2 (lack of conclusion) and Section 3 (inadequate introduction).

Other applicants addressed their own experiences by, for instance, describing why they were interested in the issues or noting that the inquiry helped them become more organized.

Such concerns are irrelevant to the methods employed by historians and the issues they encounter. Hence, they should not be included in this section.

Some candidates explicitly focused on what the inquiry revealed to them about the methodology and problems of historians’ work and made specific links between the section and the remainder of the research.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this guide helps you to work on the different sections of the History IA without having to second-guess your progress.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

IB History IA Ideas - 40+ RQs Elaborated To Rock Your Scoring Game

Unlock the secret to acing your IB History IA with 40+ meticulously researched RQs. Score top marks and stand out from the crowd with our insider tips. Start your journey now!

IB History IA Ideas - 40+ RQs Elaborated To Rock Your Scoring Game

Table of content

Choosing your ancient history ia topic, 42 fantastic ib history ia ideas to make things easier for you, sources for your ib history ia, how will your ib history ia make the cut, what to avoid when writing your ib history ia, don’t forget to have fun.

Those pursuing IB History will understand precisely that the IA (internal assessment) is the most terrifying of all the horrors.

All History students, regardless of whether they are studying HL or SL, must make a cut.

If you're an HL scholar, the IB History IA is valued at 20% of the overall marks and

If you're an SL scholar, it's worth 25%.

As a result, it accounts for a significant portion of your final rating!

Since the History Internal Assessment is an inquiry into a topic or theme of your choice and interest, you must pick something that intrigues you deeply. This will do writing and perfecting your study much simpler.

Bide your time thinking about and polishing up your IB History IA topics since it will affect how your effort is evaluated and, as a result, your grade.

Identification and assessment of sources, investigation, and reflection are the three components of a History IA. This gives your IA some framework, and it is highly suggested to label these three parts explicitly in your writing. This will make it easier for the reviewer to understand your IA and demonstrate that you understand what each piece is about! To know more about the structure, check out  IB History IA: This Ultimate Guide Will Get You A 7.

Today we'll review numerous factors to give you some helpful IB History IA ideas. Things we'll be covering today are:

  • 42 Fantastic IB History IA Ideas to Make Things Easier for You
  • IB History IA Ideas for Sources
  • How will Your IB History IA Make the Cut?
  • What to Avoid When Writing Your IB History IA
  • Don't Forget to Have Fun

Almost invariably, a poor research topic contributes to a flawed study. When selecting a research purpose, exercise extreme caution. The IA is a research project in the past. Choose a topic that has sparked controversy among historians. Questions with apparent solutions should be avoided. Also, keep an eye out for issues that aren't conducive to the investigation. In addition, your topic theme should have the following:

  • Been in the field of history
  • Should be at minimum 10 years old
  • Ought to be a matter which can be appropriately addressed in about 2,200 words
  • Should be a subject for which you seem to have enough references
  • Has to be related to something you're entirely involved or interested in.

Now that you know what to remember when picking your topic let us give you a sneak peek into 42 IB History IA Ideas exclusively compiled for you! However, keep one thing in mind- these are simply suggestions to open a pathway of ideas for you. You can always jazz up the argument but stick to the theme or vice versa.

Also, remember to consult your teacher throughout the topic-picking process because they're your real mentors.

Now let's get you started!

  • The reasons for the genesis and expansion of Islam in the pre-historic years
  • The impact of significant intellectual, social and aesthetic breakthroughs during the seventeenth century
  • This is a vast topic where you can discuss Cuban nationalism.
  • Cover its political, economic, social, and cultural policies.
  • Highlight the treatment of opposition parties
  • Fidel Castro's successes and failures.
  • Origins of the Arab–Israeli confrontation of 1945 to 1979
  • The Mexican revolution of 1884
  • The causes and repercussions of railroad building in modern nations
  • The 26/11 attack on Taj Palace Mumbai
  • The influence of neo-colonialism and reliance on global and cross-American commerce growth.
  • You can pick any other country of your choice.
  • Discuss the reasons for their rise to power
  • What was their impact on the country's economic and social policies?
  • Highlight the repression and treatment of the opposition.
  • The Greenham Common Peace Protesters
  • Your central topic theme could revolve around political bias, thus making your IB History IA a socio-political report.
  • Reasons for the communism crisis of 1976 and 1989
  • African and Asian nationalist and liberation struggles
  • Post-World War II Eastern and Central European republics
  • Carry out an examination of the idols glorified by the Western press and Deng Xiaoping's martyrs of the Tiananmen Square incident
  • Analyze the evolution and significance of the labour trades unions during the nineteenth century in a European country
  • Impact of India and Pakistan's partition in 1947 on both the countries
  • What was the starting point?
  • What triggered the allies?
  • Who acted as a catalyst for the resolution?
  • Role of protagonists and antagonists
  • Reasons underlying the Boston massacre of 1776
  • How did Lenin's and Trotsky's involvement in the Soviet Union's growth change between 1918 and 1924?
  • How and why did Eastern European communist governments break apart during the late 1980s?
  • Is George Grosz's artwork relevant to Weimar German historians?
  • Significant circumstances aided Hitler's ascension to dominance in 1933
  • The attack of 9/11 on the twin towers
  • You can take any attacked city/town.
  • What were the effects on its citizens?
  • Discuss the irreversible damages (if any)
  • Piedmont-Sardinia's key role in Italian unification between 1850 and 1861.
  • The accomplishments and shortcomings of Napoleon III's domestic policy.
  • This topic can be moulded as per your needs.
  • Cover why it was significant.
  • You must write in a way that analyses multiple aspects of this topic.
  • During the Cultural Revolution, how did Chinese communists utilize Chinese theatre as publicity or to propagate certain ideologies?
  • During 1846 and 1880, why did Disraeli perform such a significant role in British politics?
  • How well can the Teutoburg Forest fight be replicated using archaeological field research?
  • For this topic, keep it narrow.
  • Include a niche discussion aspect; otherwise, it may be too broad and fragmented, with too many things to convey.
  • When it came to reporting on the Soviet and American governments throughout the Cuban Missile Crisis, how did the American press, The Wall Street Journal, The British Daily and The Times differ?
  • How did the construction and operation of the Palace of Versailles express respect for the Italian Baroque style and Greek mythology?
  • Discuss her rise
  • Explore the reasons through which she gained prominence.
  • During the Third Reich, how effective was Hitler's promotion of the family's optimal outcome?
  • You can take any historic monument construction.
  • Explore the impact of these architectural developments on the city
  • Factors like trade, commerce, population, awareness, and recognition can be considered.
  • The impact of attacks on such monuments can also be highlighted.
  • What impact did the trading system have on Norwich's advancement?
  • This question has a great scope of driving critical thinking, so make sure you do not leave any stone unturned.
  • How did tabloid accounts of Kennedy's assassination differ, and how trustworthy were they?
  • How did the British and Argentine media portray the Falklands/Malvinas War differently?
  • How did British World War II soldiers who served in Europe contrast to those who served in the Pacific?

You should always utilize recognized and factual evidence for your IA. Some sources on the internet suit the bill, but you should always be cautious and observant while using internet sites. That isn’t to say you can’t quote stuff from the internet; it just means you must cautiously assess the websites you utilize. You can always check Wikipedia pages, but you must never cite it in your IA. If the Wikipedia material is accurate, seek the primary sources of information mentioned at the end of the page and find them in a bookstore or digitally. Read the report, ensure the origin is trustworthy, double-check the data, and then reference the primary author.

Remember, your primary sources of knowledge should be trustworthy publications and peer-reviewed scholarly papers and not some random blogs.

Be on the lookout for various relevant, credible sources that can assist you in answering your history IB topic. Try to get at least 8 to 10 high-quality references. Employing intelligent and practical search terms is critical while conducting internet research.

A lot of marks also revolve around how you discover reliable and authentic channels. Thus, it’s not enough to Google it!

The internal assessment is beneficial since it enables individuals to be creative and conduct more profound research on a topic in history that they are interested in. An excellent IA should show that you are passionate about the subject. It should also indicate that the learner has studied and can reflect on how much they have understood.

On the other hand, a high-quality IA can be a simple and sophisticated piece of art. A good score will be earned by a student with a well-defined and clearly addressed research topic, follows a systematic framework, and has transparent personal participation that exhibits expertise.

  • Do not structure it like an average research paper:   The history of internal assessment is a scientific study of the past. This is different from your average research paper. Fundamentally, you'll offer the reader a historical topic and then lead them through the steps a historian would take to address it. While it is a beneficial practice, it is just a contrived format you will rarely encounter again during your academic journey. It is essential to understand that the IA is not scored objectively. As a result, it's critical to use subheadings to properly distinguish each component. Another significant distinction between the IA and an average research article is that Section 1 does not constitute a thesis declaration. You provide a research topic in Section 1. As you progress into the other sections, your suggestions and answers to that topic will progressively take shape.  
  • Do not exceed the word limit:   The IA should be at least 2,000 but at most 2,200 words long. Excessive use of the phrase cap results in a two-point penalty in Part F. Although there is no compulsory consequence for IAs falling under 2,000 words, IAs that fall under the word limit lack the information needed to be displayed and, thus, do not welcome a good score. It is recommended that you place the word count of each section at its end and the total word count on the first page itself. This figure needs to include citations or a bibliography. The majority of word processors will tally the words for you.  
  • Do not skip the proofreading stage:   Make sure you give yourself enough time to perform this task. We propose that you focus on it progressively during the session. Do not try to complete the writing task in less than 24 hours! Make every effort to finish your draft version long before the timeframe. Request somebody to proofread your work, such as a colleague, an English or History teacher, or even your family. Though they may need to become more familiar with the structure or scoring method, they will be able to pinpoint grammatical errors, readability issues, and confusing sections of the text.  
  • Refrain from compromising your bibliography:  Every research must contain a bibliography and proper citing of all materials, although they are not counted as part of the total word limit. As you proceed, jot down your bibliography. Going back and searching where your data comes from takes time and effort. You must cite your sources whenever you utilize their words, ideas, or material in your writing. This implies you must offer a citation if you use an author's precise language, rephrase them, or summarise their thoughts. You might be charged with plagiarism, and your work could be rejected if you don't reference your sources. MLA is the standard reference style for students in all departments; however, certain subjects/departments prefer different formats, so double-check with your teacher to be sure.

Regardless of whether you have fun with history or despise it, if you devote serious thought to composing your IB History IA, you will rise up as a fan of the subject since it entices you to test the envelope, explore areas lying further than the academic concepts you've learned in class, and also use critical reasoning abilities required to start investigating an event in history.

So, have fun with this assessment and make sure you follow this advice to the letter to get the most significant scores. Nail IB is here to have your back, so if you need help, you have to get in touch with our professionals, who will help you out.

Let's get writing!

IB Resources you will love!

Nan + free ib flashcards, -1 + free ia samples, nan + ib videos by experts, -1 + ib sample practice questions, ib resources for nan + subjects.

  • Sample Internal Assessments
  • Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

Or sign in with one of these services

Arrowhead

By Arrowhead

  • Find their other files

About This File

This was my History IA on "Did Mahatma Gandhi's movements of Non Cooperation and Civil Disobedience follow his principle of non-violence (ahimsa) or was it a cover for the underlying violence?"

This essay got me a 23/25 on its final draft and the IB concurred that assessment. It was a 7.

User Feedback

Recommended comments.

There are no comments to display.

  • Existing user? Sign In
  • Latest Activity
  • Notes & Files
  • Leaderboard
  • Create New...

Search This Blog

A guide to the ib.

Here is a blog where I talk about anything and everything possible about the IB, both within Finland and around the world!

History IA (Historical Investigation) Example - Grade 7

history ia essay example

Insights mentioned in this blog is interesting and informative. For academicians it must be considered as a guide.Thank you for this wonderful post.

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog, how to get 7 in your ess ia: step-by-step.

Image

IB Entrance Exam Preparation

Image

  • Mobile Site
  • Staff Directory
  • Advertise with Ars

Filter by topic

  • Biz & IT
  • Gaming & Culture

Front page layout

Trial and Error —

Google’s hidden ai diversity prompts lead to outcry over historically inaccurate images, inserting depictions of diversity into ai images creates revisionist history, critics say..

Benj Edwards - Feb 22, 2024 4:43 pm UTC

Generations from Gemini AI from the prompt,

On Thursday morning, Google announced it was pausing its Gemini AI image-synthesis feature in response to criticism that the tool was inserting diversity into its images in a historically inaccurate way, such as depicting multi-racial Nazis and medieval British kings with unlikely nationalities.

Further Reading

"We're already working to address recent issues with Gemini's image generation feature. While we do this, we're going to pause the image generation of people and will re-release an improved version soon," wrote Google in a statement Thursday morning.

As more people on X began to pile on Google for being " woke ," the Gemini generations inspired conspiracy theories that Google was purposely discriminating against white people and offering revisionist history to serve political goals. Beyond that angle, as The Verge points out , some of these inaccurate depictions "were essentially erasing the history of race and gender discrimination."

A Gemini AI image generator result for

Wednesday night, Elon Musk chimed in on the politically charged debate by posting a cartoon depicting AI progress as having two paths, one with "Maximum truth-seeking" on one side (next to an xAI logo for his company) and "Woke Racist" on the other, beside logos for OpenAI and Gemini.

This isn't the first time a company with an AI image-synthesis product has run into issues with diversity in its outputs. When AI image synthesis launched into the public eye with DALL-E 2 in April 2022, people immediately noticed that the results were often biased due to biased training data. For example, critics complained that prompts often resulted in racist or sexist images ("CEOs" were usually white men, "angry man" resulted in depictions of Black men, just to name a few). To counteract this, OpenAI invented a technique in July 2022 whereby its system would insert terms reflecting diversity (like "Black," "female," or "Asian") into image-generation prompts in a way that was hidden from the user.

Google's Gemini system seems to do something similar, taking a user's image-generation prompt (the instruction, such as "make a painting of the founding fathers") and inserting terms for racial and gender diversity, such as "South Asian" or "non-binary" into the prompt before it is sent to the image-generator model. Someone on X claims to have convinced Gemini to describe how this system works, and it's consistent with our knowledge of how system prompts work with AI models. System prompts are written instructions that tell AI models how to behave, using natural language phrases.

When we tested Meta's " Imagine with Meta AI " image generator in December, we noticed a similar inserted diversity principle at work as an attempt to counteract bias.

A screenshot of a July 2022 post where OpenAI shows off its technique to mitigate race and gender bias in AI image outputs. Google's use of a similar technique led to the controversy.

As the controversy swelled on Wednesday, Google PR wrote, "We're working to improve these kinds of depictions immediately. Gemini's AI image generation does generate a wide range of people. And that's generally a good thing because people around the world use it. But it's missing the mark here."

The episode reflects an ongoing struggle in which AI researchers find themselves stuck in the middle of ideological and cultural battles online. Different factions demand different results from AI products (such as avoiding bias or keeping it) with no one cultural viewpoint fully satisfied. It's difficult to provide a monolithic AI model that will serve every political and cultural viewpoint, and some experts recognize that.

"We need a free and diverse set of AI assistants for the same reasons we need a free and diverse press," wrote Meta's chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, on X. "They must reflect the diversity of languages, culture, value systems, political opinions, and centers of interest across the world."

When OpenAI went through these issues in 2022, its technique for diversity insertion led to some awkward generations at first, but because OpenAI was a relatively small company (compared to Google) taking baby steps into a new field, those missteps didn't attract as much attention. Over time, OpenAI has refined its system prompts , now included with ChatGPT and DALL-E 3 , to purposely include diversity in its outputs while mostly avoiding the situation Google is now facing. That took time and iteration, and Google will likely go through the same trial-and-error process, but on a very large public stage. To fix it, Google could modify its system instructions to avoid inserting diversity when the prompt involves a historical subject, for example.

On Wednesday, Gemini staffer Jack Kawczyk seemed to recognize this and wrote , " We are aware that Gemini is offering inaccuracies in some historical image generation depictions, and we are working to fix this immediately. As part of our AI principles https:// ai.google/responsibility /principles/ , we design our image generation capabilities to reflect our global user base, and we take representation and bias seriously. We will continue to do this for open ended prompts (images of a person walking a dog are universal!) Historical contexts have more nuance to them and we will further tune to accommodate that. This is part of the alignment process - iteration on feedback."

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

EU AI Act: first regulation on artificial intelligence

The use of artificial intelligence in the EU will be regulated by the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive AI law. Find out how it will protect you.

A man faces a computer generated figure with programming language in the background

As part of its digital strategy , the EU wants to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure better conditions for the development and use of this innovative technology. AI can create many benefits , such as better healthcare; safer and cleaner transport; more efficient manufacturing; and cheaper and more sustainable energy.

In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the first EU regulatory framework for AI. It says that AI systems that can be used in different applications are analysed and classified according to the risk they pose to users. The different risk levels will mean more or less regulation. Once approved, these will be the world’s first rules on AI.

Learn more about what artificial intelligence is and how it is used

What Parliament wants in AI legislation

Parliament’s priority is to make sure that AI systems used in the EU are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly. AI systems should be overseen by people, rather than by automation, to prevent harmful outcomes.

Parliament also wants to establish a technology-neutral, uniform definition for AI that could be applied to future AI systems.

Learn more about Parliament’s work on AI and its vision for AI’s future

AI Act: different rules for different risk levels

The new rules establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk from artificial intelligence. While many AI systems pose minimal risk, they need to be assessed.

Unacceptable risk

Unacceptable risk AI systems are systems considered a threat to people and will be banned. They include:

  • Cognitive behavioural manipulation of people or specific vulnerable groups: for example voice-activated toys that encourage dangerous behaviour in children
  • Social scoring: classifying people based on behaviour, socio-economic status or personal characteristics
  • Biometric identification and categorisation of people
  • Real-time and remote biometric identification systems, such as facial recognition

Some exceptions may be allowed for law enforcement purposes. “Real-time” remote biometric identification systems will be allowed in a limited number of serious cases, while “post” remote biometric identification systems, where identification occurs after a significant delay, will be allowed to prosecute serious crimes and only after court approval.

AI systems that negatively affect safety or fundamental rights will be considered high risk and will be divided into two categories:

1) AI systems that are used in products falling under the EU’s product safety legislation . This includes toys, aviation, cars, medical devices and lifts.

2) AI systems falling into specific areas that will have to be registered in an EU database:

  • Management and operation of critical infrastructure
  • Education and vocational training
  • Employment, worker management and access to self-employment
  • Access to and enjoyment of essential private services and public services and benefits
  • Law enforcement
  • Migration, asylum and border control management
  • Assistance in legal interpretation and application of the law.

All high-risk AI systems will be assessed before being put on the market and also throughout their lifecycle.

General purpose and generative AI

Generative AI, like ChatGPT, would have to comply with transparency requirements:

  • Disclosing that the content was generated by AI
  • Designing the model to prevent it from generating illegal content
  • Publishing summaries of copyrighted data used for training

High-impact general-purpose AI models that might pose systemic risk, such as the more advanced AI model GPT-4, would have to undergo thorough evaluations and any serious incidents would have to be reported to the European Commission.

Limited risk

Limited risk AI systems should comply with minimal transparency requirements that would allow users to make informed decisions. After interacting with the applications, the user can then decide whether they want to continue using it. Users should be made aware when they are interacting with AI. This includes AI systems that generate or manipulate image, audio or video content, for example deepfakes.

On December 9 2023, Parliament reached a provisional agreement with the Council on the AI act . The agreed text will now have to be formally adopted by both Parliament and Council to become EU law. Before all MEPs have their say on the agreement, Parliament’s internal market and civil liberties committees will vote on it.

More on the EU’s digital measures

  • Cryptocurrency dangers and the benefits of EU legislation
  • Fighting cybercrime: new EU cybersecurity laws explained
  • Boosting data sharing in the EU: what are the benefits?
  • EU Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act
  • Five ways the European Parliament wants to protect online gamers
  • Artificial Intelligence Act

Related articles

Digital transformation in the eu, share this article on:.

  • Sign up for mail updates
  • PDF version

What is Presidents Day and how is it celebrated? What to know about the federal holiday

Many will have a day off on monday in honor of presidents day. consumers may take advantage of retail sales that proliferate on the federal holiday, but here's what to know about the history of it..

history ia essay example

Presidents Day is fast approaching, which may signal to many a relaxing three-day weekend and plenty of holiday sales and bargains .

But next to Independence Day, there may not exist another American holiday that is quite so patriotic.

While Presidents Day has come to be a commemoration of all the nation's 46 chief executives, both past and present, it wasn't always so broad . When it first came into existence – long before it was even federally recognized – the holiday was meant to celebrate just one man: George Washington.

How has the day grown from a simple celebration of the birthday of the first president of the United States? And why are we seeing all these ads for car and furniture sales on TV?

Here's what to know about Presidents Day and how it came to be:

When is Presidents Day 2024?

This year, Presidents Day is on Monday, Feb. 19.

The holiday is celebrated on the third Monday of every February because of a bill signed into law in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Taking effect three years later, the Uniform Holiday Bill mandated that three holidays – Memorial Day, Presidents Day and Veterans Day – occur on Mondays to prevent midweek shutdowns and add long weekends to the federal calendar, according to Britannica .

Other holidays, including Labor Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day , were also established to be celebrated on Mondays when they were first observed.

However, Veterans Day was returned to Nov. 11 in 1978 and continues to be commemorated on that day.

What does Presidents Day commemorate?

Presidents Day was initially established in 1879 to celebrate the birthday of the nation's first president, George Washington. In fact, the holiday was simply called Washington's Birthday, which is still how the federal government refers to it, the Department of State explains .

Following the death of the venerated American Revolution leader in 1799, Feb. 22, widely believed to be Washington's date of birth , became a perennial day of remembrance, according to History.com .

The day remained an unofficial observance for much of the 1800s until Sen. Stephen Wallace Dorsey of Arkansas proposed that it become a federal holiday. In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law, according to History.com.

While initially being recognized only in Washington D.C., Washington's Birthday became a nationwide holiday in 1885. The first to celebrate the life of an individual American, Washington's Birthday was at the time one of only five federally-recognized holidays – the others being Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.

However, most Americans today likely don't view the federal holiday as a commemoration of just one specific president. Presidents Day has since come to represent a day to recognize and celebrate all of the United States' commanders-in-chief, according to the U.S. Department of State .

When the Uniform Holiday Bill took effect in 1971, a provision was included to combine the celebration of Washington’s birthday with Abraham Lincoln's on Feb. 12, according to History.com. Because the new annual date always fell between Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, Americans believed the day was intended to honor both presidents.

Interestingly, advertisers may have played a part in the shift to "Presidents Day."

Many businesses jumped at the opportunity to use the three-day weekend as a means to draw customers with Presidents Day sales and bargain at stores across the country, according to History.com.

How is the holiday celebrated?

Because Presidents Day is a federal holiday , most federal workers will have the day off .

Part of the reason Johnson made the day a uniform holiday was so Americans had a long weekend "to travel farther and see more of this beautiful land of ours," he wrote. As such, places like the Washington Monument in D.C. and Mount Rushmore in South Dakota – which bears the likenesses of Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt – are bound to attract plenty of tourists.

Similar to Independence Day, the holiday is also viewed as a patriotic celebration . As opposed to July, February might not be the best time for backyard barbecues and fireworks, but reenactments, parades and other ceremonies are sure to take place in cities across the U.S.

Presidential places abound across the U.S.

Opinions on current and recent presidents may leave Americans divided, but we apparently love our leaders of old enough to name a lot of places after them.

In 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau pulled information from its databases showcasing presidential geographic facts about the nation's cities and states.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the census data shows that as of 2020 , the U.S. is home to plenty of cities, counties and towns bearing presidential names. Specifically:

  • 94 places are named "Washington."
  • 72 places are named "Lincoln."
  • 67 places are named for Andrew Jackson, a controversial figure who owned slaves and forced thousands of Native Americans to march along the infamous Trail of Tears.

Contributing: Clare Mulroy

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

IMAGES

  1. History Essay Writing

    history ia essay example

  2. History IA (Historical Investigation) Example

    history ia essay example

  3. Sample IA History Outline (half)

    history ia essay example

  4. History Ia Example Free Essay Example

    history ia essay example

  5. Breaking down my IB History IA + tips on how to write a History IA

    history ia essay example

  6. History Extended Essay: Definition, Outline, Assessment Criteria

    history ia essay example

COMMENTS

  1. IB History IA examples

    IB History IA examples Type a search phrase to find the most relevant History IA examples for you Not sure what to search for? You can always look through our example History Internal Assessments below for inspiration. All History IA Examples Filter exemplars IB Common App Category IA EE TOK Subject Type a subject Grade 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 A B C D E

  2. IB History IA: 60 Examples and Guidance

    6 min Read | February 01 2024 Looking for examples and guidance on writing your IB History IA? Check out our comprehensive guide featuring 60 real-life examples to inspire your own project.

  3. IB History IA

    Introduction Sample IB History IA Topics Being an exploratory subject, History has often worried IB students because it covers everything from World History to Depth studies as a part of the IB Diploma Programme course. IB History IA is a whole different world of historical investigation that students generally struggle with!

  4. How to write Section 2 of your IB History IA

    Each focus section could have a subheading, if suitable. Approximately 3 to 4 main paragraphs. Each paragraph should have a specific focus, point of view or theme. Within each paragraph, start with a clear topic sentence which is clearly focused on the question. Carefully select and properly reference evidence.

  5. How to write Section 1 of your IB History IA

    Step 1 Clearly state the exact question you have chosen to investigate, e.g. "This study will investigate the question…" or "This investigation will explore the question…" Need help with your History IB? Meet our IB Tutors here Step 2 Next, give a clear explanation of the relevance of the source to the investigation.

  6. Mastering Your History IA: A Comprehensive Guide with Topic Examples

    Here are 73 potential history IA topic examples, each presenting a unique dive into historical events and perspectives: The Domino Effect: Reassessing the Cuban Missile Crisis on East-West Diplomacy Post-WWI Surge of Nationalism in India: An In-Depth Study Unsung Heroines: An Examination of Women's Role in the American Civil Rights Movement

  7. Tips for success: How to write Section 3 of your IB History IA

    what you have learnt while researching and writing your investigation. the challenges and limitations faced by the historian. You must provide specific examples from your own experience and sources and it is advisable to break this section down into three paragraphs. 1. Discuss the methods/steps you used similar to that of a historian…. Research?

  8. Internal Assessment

    Requirements of the Internal Assessment for History. IA Sample - 23/25 Score of 7. Sample Research Paper with Chicago Style Footnotes. JSTOR. Students at both SL and HL are required to complete a historical investigation into a topic of their choice. It is worth 25% of your final mark for SL students and 20% of your final mark for HL students.

  9. History IA Topics for IB

    Here are five additional History IA topics ideas for your that focus on modern History in the 21st century: The impact of the Arab Spring on Middle Eastern politics. The role of social media in shaping political discourse and activism. The effect of the global financial crisis on the world economy. The causes and consequences of Brexit.

  10. IB History IA: The Complete Guide for Students (Updated)

    By the end of this lesson, you should be able to write a comprehensive 2,200 words IB History IA that will earn you full marks. Analyzing the Sections of IB Internal Assessment History . The following is a detailed explanation of the three sections of the International Baccalaureate History IA: Section 1: Identification and Evaluation of Sources

  11. DP History: 5. Extended Essay: Graded student examples

    5. Extended Essay: Graded student examples Table of contents This section includes some samples of EEs that have received A grades. A ll of these EEs have been marked according to the new criteria. EE Sample 1: Causes of the Philippine Revolution of 1896-1898 (New criteria A grade)

  12. International School History

    The IB Diploma Internal Assessment is the single most important work the history student does whether at Standard or Higher Level. Perhaps the greatest challenge with the IA is knowing where to start. The following examples constitute a selection of some of the best examples by my former students at the International School of Toulouse and the ...

  13. Overview: History IA

    1. Choosing a topic In order to choose a topic, you need to know that the most important requirement is that you cannot make your IA about events that have happened in the last 10 years, because they are not considered as history yet.

  14. IB History IA Sections: A Guide for IB Diploma Students

    Some may even argue that you should prioritize your IA above your EE because the IA has a greater impact on your ultimate grade. Your IB History IA has just 2200 words. Your investigation's primary body (Section 2) is barely 1300 words long. The second section is a normal academic research essay.

  15. PDF HISTORY IA GUIDE HISTORY IA GUIDE

    If we take one of my suggestions above, an example History IA question could be the following: To what extent did music drive the anti-war movement in America during the Vietnam War? (Check out this article HERE if you're looking for more information on this topic).

  16. 25 Unique History IA Ideas

    Here is a list of 25 possible topics that serve as great history IA ideas. And keep in mind that in a history IA, it is more important to pick a topic that genuinely motivates you to display personal engagement than to pick a random historical event and just write the required 2200 words about it. 25 Unique History IA Ideas

  17. IB History IA Ideas

    Those pursuing IB History will understand precisely that the IA (internal assessment) is the most terrifying of all the horrors. All History students, regardless of whether they are studying HL or SL, must make a cut. If you're an HL scholar, the IB History IA is valued at 20% of the overall marks and. If you're an SL scholar, it's worth 25%.

  18. 25 History IA Topic Ideas!

    a historical topic based on fieldwork, for example, a museum, archeological site, battlefields, places of worship such as mosques or churches, historic buildings. a historical problem using documents (this could include newspapers) a local history study. a historical study based on oral interviews. a historical investigation based on ...

  19. History IA

    This was my History IA on "Did Mahatma Gandhi's movements of Non Cooperation and Civil Disobedience follow his principle of non-violence (ahimsa) or was it a cover for the underlying violence?"This essay got me a 23/25 on its final draft and the IB concurred that assessment. It was a 7.

  20. History IA (Historical Investigation) Example

    History IA (Historical Investigation) Example - Grade 7 - December 30, 2020 The History IA was one of the hardest assignments I did during my time in the IB, and not without good reason! Luckily, it all boils down to 3 main sections which require relatively simple things from you.

  21. history ia's example

    history history ia's example. Type. Name. Modified. Modified By. History Example 2 Moderator's comments. 11/21/2019 9:38 AM. Chris Kuczka.

  22. Google's hidden AI diversity prompts lead to outcry over historically

    Google's Gemini system seems to do something similar, taking a user's image-generation prompt (the instruction, such as "make a painting of the founding fathers") and inserting terms for racial ...

  23. EU AI Act: first regulation on artificial intelligence

    As part of its digital strategy, the EU wants to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure better conditions for the development and use of this innovative technology. AI can create many benefits, such as better healthcare; safer and cleaner transport; more efficient manufacturing; and cheaper and more sustainable energy.. In April 2021, the European Commission proposed the first EU ...

  24. What is Presidents Day? Is it a federal holiday? Everything to know

    Following the death of the venerated American Revolution leader in 1799, Feb. 22, widely believed to be Washington's date of birth, became a perennial day of remembrance, according to History.com.