5 Youtube History Channels
Some students want to know more about the history of their country, other countries, different time periods, etc. Luckily, the Internet can help to feel the void by offering you short and fun videos that visualize the past and bring history to life through animation.
CrashCourse - 10.9M subscribers
Most popular videos - Agricultural Revolution, WW2, French Revolution
Average longevity: 10-12 minutes.
The channel uses basic English, making it accessible for foreigners. You can see the person speaking, which adds +50 to charisma, and there a heavy usage of occasional interesting facts and humor/ However, the content may sometimes be subjective and politically biased, especially when it comes to Russia. If you feel no problem with that, feel free to subscribe!
OverSimplified - 3,5M subscribers
Most popular videos: 2-parted WW2, American Revolution
Average length: none. The further you go, the longer it gets.
There is not as much content on the channel, but fun and simple animation make it memorable. The history is mostly explained in maps, and subtitles help a lot. There is a bonus - miniWars series, that features some of the previously unheard by many events - Emu Wars, War of The Bucket etc.
Feature History - 490K subscribers
Average length: 7-14 minutes
Most popular videos: Soviet-Afghan War, Chinese Civil War, Fall Of Yugoslavia
The channel explores a much different range of events than the ones above, there are some especially good videos dedicated to a specific leader - Saddam, Meiji etc. It also covers important, but usually ignored by most world history classes events like Texas Revolution or Rwandan genocide.
A Kid Explains History – 15,3K subscribers
Average length: 4 minutes
Most popular videos: Martin Luther King, WW2 For Kids, Cowboy History
This one is particularly interesting because your professor is… a 11-year-old Mr. Q, who loves diving into different parts of history and sharing what he learns in these short, fun videos. With a healthy sense of humor and exciting graphics, he aims to share what he has learned with kids and adults alike.
History Matters – 462K subscribers
Average length: 3 or 10 minutes (depending on the section)
Most popular videos: Why did Russia sell Alaska to America?, The Early British Empire
The channel focuses mostly on Europe (especially Britain) and USA, however, it is a great revision material. The maps are used a lot and the human design looks funny. Overall it does a good job of entertaining the viewer by using sarcasm and good jokes.
Text by
Luiza Gashimova