Following a period of expanded sea exploration in the 15th century by European explorers the American continent started to be established as a trading opportunity but very quickly became something more permanent. Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries Western European Powers expanded their reach into the Americas, establishing colonies and...

As we continue into the National Year of Reading, July offers many historical anniversaries to explore through literature – starting with the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776 on 4 July: ‘Independence Day’. Our upcoming American Culture webinar series (30 June–8 Sept) focuses on literature and...

The coast means something different to everyone. It’s a place of pleasure and reckless pursuits, of fishing, fearless endeavours and a crashing, rugged beauty. The coast is, and always has been, Britain's first line of defence and springboard to other cultures. In this talk public historian Sally Coulthard delves into...

Join us this summer to explore how American culture has developed and influenced the wider world, in this new webinar series from the Historical Association. 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States’ independence. To reflect on this pivotal moment in global history, this series examines the ways in...

This month is an opportunity to combine some of the big themes of June with reading. Anne Frank On the 12 June it would have been Anne Frank’s 97th birthday. Anne was murdered by the Nazis for being Jewish as one of the 6+ million victims of the Holocaust. Unlike millions...

There are over 29 million refugees around the world, and more than 100 million people have been displaced. The majority are children. These are just some of the current facts about refugees. Yet historically, refugee movements are nothing new. In times of war, famine and climate crisis, people have long...

What was life really like for a Spanish royal woman? Catalina Micaela, the younger daughter of Philip II of Spain, wrote extensively to her husband Carlo Emanrele I of Savoy giving fascinating insights into the events at court and the pressures on the families, providing a glimpse into sixteenth-century Spain and...

‘History of all, for all’ is at the heart of the HA’s vision. That includes the histories of marginalised and discriminated groups, as well as the rich diversity of communities past and present. Marking Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month is an important part of that commitment. The month brings...

This Volunteers’ Week we want to say a huge thank-you to all our wonderful volunteers. The Historical Association – now 120 years old – could not continue to exist and to provide ‘history of all, for all’ without you. Volunteers form all of our committees and working groups, run our branches around the...

Like the light and the swallows, we headed northwards this year to Gateshead and Newcastle and as they would say up there ‘it was a belter’. For those with a taste for the medieval, or even just a desire to spread their wings in the North-east region, we had organised...