I’m a sucker for most history. Some areas I certainly know better than others, but it’s been my experience that once you begin focusing on just about anything, from anywhere, in any time period, you start to realize just how fascinating and strangely important it all is.
Not everyone, it turns out, feels the same way. Sometimes you’re just trying to get through a class or brush up on the basics in order to move on to something else. You need to know stuff even though you don’t particularly want to – and you need to know it now.
That was the initial inspiration for “Have To” History. At the moment there are three titles following this same basic model: “Have To” History: Landmark Supreme Court Cases, “Have To” History: The Boring Parts, and “Have To” History: A Wall of Education. (I’ve also compiled the most practical and inspiring wisdom about teaching ever conceived, but it’s not really relevant to this page, so I won’t mention it here.)
This page was (and is) used for early drafts and gathering feedback as each volume was compiled, as well as providing a home for topics which haven’t yet made the leap. Most included PDF versions which can be easily downloaded or printed out for use in class or whatever else you wish to do with them. Let me know if you have comments or questions – [email protected].
“Have To” History – American History Home Page