Simulating the Congress of Vienna – in Vienna. 2024 Intl. Geography Championships.
At IAC’s World Championship-level competitions (the International Geography Championships and International History Olympiad), we have for years simulated historical events in a competition format. These are run in a way analogous to Model UN committees, where students play a role and have to advocate from the perspective of their assigned country. In Historical Simulations, students are assigned a role and need to deal with a historical crisis. Based on how the students react, further historical developments are presented to them, to which in turn they need to respond. This dynamic environment rewards prompt decision making, but also debating skills, knowledge of historical events, and the ability to persuade other students of the wisdom of one’s perspective.
At the 2026 IAC National Championships, we are delighted to introduce a Historical Simulation to the National Championships program for the first time. The topic will be “World War II – An Alternate 1941.” Students will not be given any further information as to how the simulation will progress until the Assignments are announced at 7:30pm on the evening (Saturday, May 23) prior to the simulation (Sunday, May 24). At that point, enrolled students will be given both their topic and a briefing paper with further details on the Historical Simulation.
Students not competing in the National Geography Bee or National Science Bee at the National Championships are welcome to sign up for the Historical Simulation when they register for the National Championships. Students in those competitions who make the playoffs of those events are ineligible to compete in the Historical Simulation, but students who do not are eligble to compete. They would need to register on Saturday afternoon or evening prior to the registration deadline at 6:30pm (the playoff qualifying students should be known by 4pm; by 5pm at the latest). Space is limited; once the registration capacity is reached, the registration period will close, potentially in advance of the posted registration deadline.
Please note that while a simulation-style competition, the Historical Simulation does not qualify students for either the preliminary committees or the playoffs of the Model UN National Championships. However, students who win awards in the Historical Simulation do qualify for the 2027 International History Olympiad, which will have a minimum of four Historical Simulation competitions.