Learning History
History is one of the richest, most rewarding subjects you can dive into after 50. You already have decades of lived experience to connect it to, which makes the past come alive in a way it never could in a school classroom. It costs almost nothing to start, keeps your mind sharp and curious, and helps you understand the news, your family, and the world around you. Best of all, there is no test and no rush. You simply follow your curiosity wherever it leads.
What you need to start
- A library card and internet access
- A curious mind and something you want to understand
- A notebook or app to jot down what you learn
- A comfortable chair, good light, and a little regular time
At a glance
Your learning path
Three stages, taken at your own pace. Start at the top, get comfortable, then move down as you grow. There is no rush, and no wrong place to begin.
Brand new to learning history for pleasure? Start right here. These four short lessons show you where to begin, how to read a history book without getting overwhelmed, how to learn through documentaries, and how to explore the history right in your own backyard.
How to Study History (without a degree)
Kaelyn Grace Apple | HistorianMy Favourite Tip to Read History Books With Ease
Odysseas9 Great Documentaries for High School Classrooms
Common Sense EducationHow to Research your Local History | Getting Started
Calgary Public LibraryReady to go deeper? These five lessons teach you to work with real historical sources, think like a historian, study a period or theme in depth, take notes you will actually remember, and find the best history podcasts and courses to learn from.
Similarities and differences: primary and secondary sources | Reading | Khan Academy
Khan AcademyThinking like a historian | The historian's toolkit | US History | Khan Academy
Khan AcademyIt's Not About Memorization - How to Study History
Robin WaldunHow to learn from a book (maybe) | note-taking, visualizations, spacing | history example
Benjamin Keep, PhD, JDMy Top 5 History Podcasts (and then some)
The History UndergroundTake your history journey as far as you like. These five lessons cover doing your own research, understanding how history itself gets written, using archives and records, writing and sharing what you discover, and making the most of museums, lectures, and lifelong study.
How to RESEARCH a HISTORY topic | Basics of the HISTORICAL METHOD
World of AntiquityWhat is Historiography? | Historical Research (3)
The Cynical HistorianIntroduction to Research at the National Archives
Organization of American HistoriansWriting and Revising Narrative History with historian Megan Kate Nelson
Mechanics' InstituteTop Tips for Museum Visitors! Make the most of your visit!
Jane K Nielsen - Historic StorytellingWhy learning history is wonderful after 50
Learning history is one of the most rewarding things you can take up after 50, and it never runs out. There is always another era, war, invention, or family story waiting to fascinate you. It helps you understand the world you live in, putting today's headlines and your own life into a much richer context. It keeps your mind engaged, sharpening memory, focus, and curiosity the way few pastimes can. And it costs almost nothing. A library card, free documentaries, and podcasts open the whole human story to you from your favorite chair, at whatever pace and on whatever topic you please.
Your first month, week by week
Pick your topic and get set up. Choose one thing you have always wanted to understand, a war, a country, an era, a famous life. Get a library card or open the free Libby app, and start a simple notebook. Watch one short overview video or documentary to get the lay of the land.
Find one good source. Ask your librarian for a well-regarded, readable book on your topic, or start a documentary series or podcast about it. Aim for something written for general readers, not a dry textbook. Read or watch a little each day and jot down what surprises you.
Add a second perspective. Find another source, an article, video, or book, that looks at the same topic from a different angle. Notice where the two agree and disagree. This is how real understanding forms, and it is far more interesting than memorizing dates.
Share what you learned. Tell a friend or family member the most fascinating thing you discovered, or write a page about it in your notebook. Then pick your next topic. You are now a lifelong learner of history with a habit that will reward you for years.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Reading only one source. Relying on a single book or website gives you just one person's view. Compare two or three accounts so you get a fuller, fairer picture of what really happened.
- Trusting unreliable sources. Not everything online or on television is accurate. Favor established historians, universities, museums, and reputable channels, and be cautious of sensational claims with no evidence behind them.
- Memorizing dates without context. Facts and dates mean little on their own. Focus on the story, the causes, and the consequences, and the dates will stick naturally as part of a picture that makes sense.
- Having no note system. Reading without taking notes means most of it fades within days. Keep a simple notebook or app so your learning builds on itself instead of slipping away.
- Trying to learn everything at once. The whole of history is far too big to swallow in one bite. Pick one topic you love, go deep, and let your curiosity lead you naturally to the next.
- Treating it like homework. This is for pleasure, not a grade. If a book is boring, set it aside and find a livelier one. The best history learning feels like a good story, not a chore.
Make it easier on your body
Simple ways to keep learning history comfortable and safe with arthritis, low vision, or limited mobility.
- Audiobooks, podcasts, and documentaries let you learn history with no reading at all, which suits low vision and limited dexterity. You can listen or watch comfortably from a chair or bed, hands free, with many available free through your library.
- E-readers like a Kindle let you enlarge the font and brighten the page, making history books far easier on tired or low-vision eyes. They are also lightweight and easy to hold for long stretches.
- Online courses and virtual museum tours bring the whole subject right to your chair. Many museums, universities, and archives now offer free video lectures and 3D tours you can enjoy without leaving home.
- A good reading lamp and a book holder make longer sessions comfortable, easing strain on the eyes, hands, and neck so you can settle in with a book for as long as you like.
- Break study into short, gentle sessions of 15 or 20 minutes rather than long stretches. Frequent short sittings are less tiring, easier to fit around your day, and actually help you remember more.
- Large-print history books are widely available and free to borrow from most libraries. Just ask at the desk for the large-print section, where popular titles are printed in bigger, easier-to-read type.
Words you'll hear
- Primary source
- An original record made at the time of an event, such as a letter, diary, photograph, newspaper, or official document. It is the raw evidence historians work from.
- Secondary source
- An account written later that studies, explains, or interprets the past, such as a history book or documentary. Most of what you read as a learner is a secondary source.
- Historiography
- The study of how history itself is written, and how historians' interpretations of the same events change over time as new evidence and viewpoints emerge.
- Chronology
- The order in which events happened, arranged by date. Understanding the chronology of a topic helps you see how one thing led to another.
- Archive
- A collection of original documents and records, kept by a library, government, or institution, that researchers use to study the past firsthand.
- Context
- The surrounding circumstances of a time and place, the beliefs, conditions, and events, that help you understand why people acted as they did, rather than judging them by today's standards.
- Revisionism
- Rethinking the accepted story of the past in light of new evidence or perspectives. Good revisionism deepens our understanding; it is a normal, healthy part of how history moves forward.
Where to find your people
- Local historical societies. Almost every town has one, full of friendly people who love the local past. They welcome newcomers and are a wonderful, close-to-home place to start.
- Museums and lecture series. Museums, colleges, and libraries host talks, exhibits, and guided tours where you can learn from experts and meet others who share your curiosity.
- Online history courses and forums. Free and low-cost courses, plus lively online communities, let you learn and swap ideas with fellow history lovers from around the world, right from home.
- Library programs. Public libraries run history talks, book discussions, and genealogy help, and the staff can point you to the best resources for whatever you want to explore.
- History book clubs. Reading and discussing history with a small group makes it far richer and more social. Look for a club at your library or senior center, or start one with a few friends.
Start learning Learning History
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