History is NOT just about memorizing dates and names. Engaging with pivotal “what if?” scenarios helps students grasp the deep connections between events and analyze the ripple effects of change. Here’s why this approach works:

• Requires Reading:  “What If?” discussions can’t thrive if students haven’t done the reading. These prompts demand knowledge of historical facts to explore possible alternatives convincingly.
• Challenges Understanding: Students need to understand cause and effect to argue how events could have been different. This goes beyond rote memorization, demonstrating conceptual mastery.
• Encourages Creativity:  History isn’t static! “What if?” scenarios spark imaginative thinking while staying grounded in established facts.
• Fosters Debate:  Disagreement is natural. Students build persuasive argument skills, defending their positions by using historical evidence.

In my US History classes, I usually have this lesson after my second unit has begun as a mid unit activity following a DBQ or document reading packet. Then I focus on doing three to four what if questions as a discussion. I try to make sure that I don’t get the same one or two students answering and that they are actually talking to each other. I may pose questions to their theories asking for clarity not as a judgement of validity.

What If Questions:

• What if president Jackson did not begin Indian removal activities and supported the Worcester v. state of Georgia ruling?
• What if during the 1830s European nations Brazil and the United States decided to reopen the global slave trade and expand it to all continents?
• What if the elite class and slave owners in Tejas,Mexico decided not to revolt and just stayed part of Mexico?
• What if the United States and Russia agreed to a military alliance and attacked Great Britain and Canada?
• What if gold was found in California in 1835?
• What if the Utah War had escalated into a regional rebellion of southwestern tribes and the LDS church against the US?