"What if" History: A Journey Through Alternate History

Welcome to the Alternative History Class!

What if the South had won the Civil War? What if the printing press had never been invented? What if a single invention had arrived a century earlier—or later? In this course, we’ll explore the captivating world of alternative history—the fascinating "what-ifs" that show us how the past might have unfolded differently.

Also known as counterfactual history, this genre invites us to reimagine historical events, decisions, and turning points. Together, we’ll examine how a single change in history could ripple through time, altering everything from politics and technology to culture and society. Through rich discussion and critical thinking, students will gain a deeper understanding of real history by exploring what could have been.

This class is especially great for student writers interested in historical fiction or speculative storytelling or anyone interested in history. Whether you're fascinated by alternate timelines or eager to craft your own “What-If” worlds, this course will provide inspiration, historical insight, and storytelling fuel.

From serious thought experiments to wildly imaginative scenarios, we’ll dig into alternative outcomes and reflect on how different paths might have shaped our present. Get ready to stretch your imagination, challenge your assumptions, and see history from a whole new angle.

Step into the realm of What-Ifs—and discover how rewriting the past helps us understand the future.

Get ready to step into a world of what-ifs and explore the fascinating realm of alternative history!

Week of Sept 2: 
What if the dinosaurs had not gone extinct?

Week of Sept 9: 
What if the Vikings had permanently settled in North America?

Week of Sept 16: 
What if the Black Death had not occurred?

Week of Sept 23: 
What if Christopher Columbus had never discovered the Americas?

Week of Sept 30: 
What if Pocahontas had not saved John Smith?

Week of Oct 7: 
No Class

Week of Oct 14: 
What if the American colonies had lost the Revolutionary War?

Week of Oct 21: 
What if the Declaration of Independence was never written?

Week of Oct 28: 
What if George Washington had refused to be the first President?

Week of Nov 4: 
What if Thomas Jefferson had not made the Louisiana Purchase?

Week of Nov 11: 
What if the South had won the Civil War?

Week of Nov 18: 
What if Abraham Lincoln had not issued the Emancipation Proclamation?

Week of Dec 2: 
What if the Wright brothers had never invented the airplane?

Week of Dec 9: 
What if Archduke Franz Ferdinand was never assassinated?

What If WWII and the Holocaust:

Week of Dec 16: 
What if the Treaty of Versailles had been fairer to Germany?

Week of Jan 6: 
What if Hitler had been accepted into art school?

Week of Jan 13: 
What if Anne Frank had survived the Holocaust?

Week of Jan 20: 
What if Dr. Martin Luther King had never been assassinated?

Week of Jan 27: 
What if the Japanese had not attacked Pearl Harbor?

What If Black History:

Week of Feb 3: 
What if the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute never happened?

Week of Feb 10: 
What if Claudette Colvin’s case was not dropped by civil rights campaigners?

Week of Feb 24: 
What if the Tulsa Race Massacre had not occurred?

What If Women’s History:

Week of March 3: 
What if women had been granted the right to vote in 1776?

Week of March 10: 
What if Anne Hutchinson had not been banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Week of March 17: 
What if Hedy Lamarr's inventions had been recognized during her lifetime?

Week of March 24: 
What if Edith Wilson had openly taken over presidential duties after Woodrow Wilson's stroke?

Week of March 31:
What if Marie Curie hadn't founded the science of Radioactivity?

What If Earth Month:

Week of April 7: 
What if deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest had been banned 50 years ago?

Week of April 14: 
What if global leaders had heeded early warnings from climate scientists in the 1970s?

Week of April 21: What if nuclear power had been more widely adopted as a clean energy source?

Week of April 28: 
What if plastic production had been strictly regulated from its inception?

What If Mental Health Month:

Week of May 5: 
What if Vincent van Gogh had received proper mental health treatment?

Week of May 12: 
What if asylums used proper treatment for their patients?

Week of May 19: 
What if Princess Diana's advocacy for mental health had led to global policy changes?

Week of May 26: 
What if Emily Davison had not been killed at the Epsom Derby?