Essays and Research Papers on European History

A 6 page research paper that examines the causes behind the fall of Rome in the fifth century. The writer argues that the primary reason for the fall was due to poor military leadership. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 5 page summary and discussion on Shirley Harrison's book The Diary of Jack the Ripper. In 1990, a diary surfaced in England that appears to be authentic. The question of the diary's authenticity is addressed by the writer. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

This five-page-paper presents a discussion on the contribution that King Louis XVI made to the French Revolution. Bibliography lists seven sources.

This 6 page paper explores the development of the Iraqi state and the impact that colonialism probably had in that context. Iraq is looked at in relationship to other world changes in the twentieth century. Saddam Hussein's behavior and motivations are discussed in depth. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

A 15 page paper discussing how Spain's King Ferdinand VII unwittingly contributed to Mexican independence occurring when and in the manner it did. The paper provides a review of the factions active in New Spain at the beginning of the independence movement, which largely coincided with Ferdinand's imprisonment in France while Napoleon had control of Spain. Ferdinand had ...

This 6 page report discusses the Spain of the Romans and then the Visigoths. The Romans conquered Spain in the last years of the third century B.C. Historical accounts have shown that they took every advantage of the military and economic opportunities offered by Spain at the expense of Spain’s indigenous societies. When the Germanic peoples invaded the provinces of ...

This 7 page paper considers the early cold war period which started before world war two, and continued in the post war years. The successes of both the KGB and the CIA including the Berlin organisation of BOB and the tunnel in Karlshorst. The bibliography cites 4 sources.

This 11 page paper considers the national Trust owned building of Cragside in Rothbury, Northumberland. This building was an innovative and unusual building, it was the first building to have the entire house lit by hydro-electric power, along with central heating, hot and cold running water, a Turkish bath, and even fire alarms. Built in ...

A 7 page research paper that examines the transition period between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the reasons and causes. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper considers the influence that Russia felt after the Mongol invasion by Great Khan Ogodei. The paper considers the arguments that the influence was limited due to the absence of Mongol culture and the arguments regarding its Islamic diversity being unsuitable for assimilation into the Russian Christian culture, the paper also considers ...

This 6 page paper provides an overview of the central arguments and underpinnings of the French Revolution of 1789. This paper assesses the arguments of Norman Hampson, who has argued that frustrated attempts at moderation could have established a new society peacefully, but that the nobility blocked this kind of process. Bibliography lists ...

This 5 page paper looks at the way in which the Third Reich Nazi policies were similar and different in these three countries. Each country is considered in the way the policies were implemented and the effects that they had on the country. The bibliography cites 6 sources.

This 5 page report discusses the Paul Fussell’s book, “The Great War and Modern Memory” (winner of the National Book Award), is its discussion of the effects of World War I on the human consciousness and attitudes. He shows how it permeated virtually all aspects of “modern memory.” His analysis of the literature, poetry, theater, and other aspects of popular culture ...

12 pages in length. The writer discusses intellectual origin, cause, changes and historical impact as they relate to the French and English Revolutionary Years. Bibliography lists 11 sources.

This 8 page report discusses the Russian war in Chechnya. As with so many of the battles going on around the world, the Russian war in the province of Chechnya is one that is difficult to understand and appears to change on an almost daily basis. Numerous issues are at stake in the confrontation, not the least of which is ...

This five-page-paper presents a detailed discussion on the economic contribution to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Bibliography lists three sources.

This 10 page report discusses Russia’s first elected president, Boris Yeltsin. Was he a an old-style Russian oligarch determined to take his rightful place in the leadership of his country? Or can he be better-defined as a leader firmly in touch with the needs and desires of the “real” Russians -- the people once described as the “proletariat.” ...

10 pages in length. Discussion of the book which includes topics on absolutism, patrimonial absolutism in France, and such things as the role that parliament played in these cases. Bibliography lists 1 source.

This 10 page report discusses Germany at the turn of the 20th century and the various issues confronting it prior to World War I. The international rivalries of European nations, the brewing revolution in Russia, the changes taking place in all nations but especially those of the Western world were proving to have a significant impact on Germany. Germany’s out-of-date ruling ...

This 6 page report discusses Goldstone’s model of how political and social revolution occurs. In his 1991 book “Revolution and Rebellion in the Early Modern World,” he outlines four specific factors that are in place and encourage a revolution to take place. He explains that at some point in the past 500 years, early every nation on Earth has experienced ...

(6 pp). Ivan IV or Ivan the Terrible,1530-84, grand duke of Moscow (1533-84), was the first Russian ruler to assume formally the title of czar. Ivan the Terrible, the most famous tsar before Peter the Great and the most brutal ruler of Russia before Stalin, inherited the throne as a three-year-old boy on ...

This 9 page paper looks at the events which lead to the break out of the first world war. The hypothesis of the paper is that although Germany is popularly held to blame for this war it is unfair to attribute all the blame to a single nation. Long and short terms causes are considered ...

(3 pp) Lucky you! You are visiting Paris - of course it is the 15th century. This cathedral of Our Lady of Paris is one of our finest monuments. Let's go see for ourselves. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page report discusses the correspondence of Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, Madame de Sevigne (1626-1696) that was published in 1725. Her letters, hundreds of them, were written to her daughter after her daughter’s marriage in 1669 and subsequent move to Provence, describe in careful detail the life at court in Paris, her own longing for her daughter, her views on politics and ...

This 16 page paper considers the background and work of this French historian who specialised in the middle ages. The paper considers his background and qualifications as well as his studies and then discusses the influence that his work had on the academic community as well as society in general. The bibliography cites 6 sources. ...