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 2027 IAC National Championships, we are delighted to hold a Historical Simulation as part of the National Championships program for the second year. The topic will be “Lincoln’s War Cabinet – An Alternate 1863.” Students will not be given any further information as to how the simulation will progress prior to the simulation on Sunday morning, May 30. Enrolled students will be given a briefing paper with further details on the Historical Simulation when it begins. However, students should be familiar with the history of the Civil War, particularly as things stood in the middle of 1863.
Students who are curious as to what a Historical Simulation entails are encouraged to listen to this recording of the information session prior to the Historical Simulation at the 2026 National Championships, where the topic was World War II – An Alternate 1941. Note that while the topic is different for 2027, the procedures used will be the same. Note that a separate online information session will likely be held at some point in May 2027 in between the registration deadline and the beginning of the National Championships. The Historical Simulation will also use these Expectations and Rules, which are very similar to those used in the Model United Nations Crisis Committees.
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 9:30pm (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 eight Historical Simulation competitions.