What’s unique about studying history at Stanford OHS? Our history courses emphasize the act of interpreting the past, inviting students to develop skills and habits of thought that enable them to examine and make sense of human and social complexity over time. 

The first high school history course for many Stanford OHS students is Revolutions and Rebellions, which focuses on three interconnected, transformative moments in the Atlantic World: the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. How exactly were these three events connected? Students in Revolutions and Rebellions answer this question by considering how revolutionary activity can come from many directions at once. 

As Dr. Michael Gonzales, Division Head of Humanities, explains: “There is tension between revolutionary leaders and groups or individuals, including those once marginalized, who use revolutionary language, ideas, and energy to other ends.” A revolutionary crisis can lead to unpredictable and surprising results. 

Students complete Revolutions and Rebellions with an understanding that historical change is never open to simple explanations but that they can acquire the skills and knowledge to interpret history in compelling and meaningful ways.