Spoiler alert: It started with a museum trip and ended with students actually wanting to talk to Abraham Lincoln
*I may earn some Replit credits off this post, just an FYI.
Okay, let's be real about teaching history
You know that moment when you're trying to get kids excited about the Civil War, and they're all just... staring at their phones? Yeah, that's basically every history teacher's daily reality.
I mean, we've got the most incredible stories in human history—epic battles, brilliant minds, world-changing moments—and somehow we're losing to TikTok. It's honestly kind of heartbreaking.
My "aha" moment happened in Detroit (of all places)
So last month, I took my son on this history trip to Detroit. We hit up Motown, spent way too long at the Henry Ford Museum, wandered around Greenfield Village. The usual dad-trying-to-be-educational thing.
But here's what got me: watching my kid's face light up when he could actually touch historical stuff. Not just read about it, not just see pictures—but actually interact with it.
That night, after he crashed, I was scrolling around (because apparently I'm addicted to my phone too) and found this idea on IdeaBrowser.com: What if students could literally chat with historical figures?
My brain just went "WHOA."
Building something I had no business building
Here's where it gets weird. I'm technically a web developer, but I built this entire app—HistoryPal—without writing a single line of code.
I know, I know. Sounds impossible, right?
Enter Repl.it. This thing is basically magic. I just... talked to it. Like:
- "Hey, build me a chat interface"
- Takes screenshot "Nah, that looks terrible. Fix it"
- "Make Abraham Lincoln sound more... Lincoln-y"
And it actually worked! Sure, sometimes it went completely off the rails, but most of the time? Pure magic.
I've tried other AI builders (Bolt, Lovable, the whole gang), but Repl.it just gets it. It can handle the tricky backend stuff that usually makes my brain hurt.
What makes this thing actually work
It's not just making stuff up
Every conversation pulls from the Library of Congress API first. So when a kid asks Lincoln about leadership, they're getting real historical facts, not AI fever dreams. Pretty cool, right?
Built-in "don't be a jerk" filter
Let's face it—teenagers are gonna teenager. So I added this feature where if someone starts throwing around inappropriate language, the historical figures respond in character with gentle redirects. Like, exactly how Abraham Lincoln would handle a rowdy student. It's both educational AND hilarious.
Teachers actually want to use it
The classroom features are where this thing really shines:
- Lesson plans that don't suck (and actually download!)
- Conversation starter guides for each historical figure
- Student progress tracking (still working on this one)
- Easy classroom codes so teachers don't have to deal with tech headaches
It actually looks good
I spent way too much time making these historical figure portraits using ChatGPT and Midjourney. Wanted them to feel warm and approachable, but still historically legit.
The newest addition? Animated portraits that actually move. Because apparently Midjourney can do that now, and it's absolutely mind-blowing.
The results are kinda amazing
Early testing shows something that honestly surprised me: kids ask way deeper questions when they can actually "talk" to historical figures.
One student started a conversation with Lincoln asking for advice about raising kids in a world with less moral guidance. Like... wow. That's not a kid trying to get through homework—that's genuine curiosity.
Why this matters (beyond the cool factor)
The numbers are pretty wild:
- Searches for "ChatGPT students" are up 1,395%
- "AI homework help" queries growing 119%
- Teachers are desperately googling AI teaching tools
Kids are already using AI for everything. Teachers know it, parents know it, everyone knows it. The question isn't whether AI belongs in education—it's whether we're going to build good AI tools or just let students figure it out themselves.
Want to build something "impossible" too?
Honestly, if I can do this, anyone can. Here's my very unofficial guide:
Start messy, not perfect
I literally started building sections of the app based on pure vibes. No master plan, no fancy wireframes. Just "this feels right."
Be super specific with AI builders
Don't say "make it better." Say "make the header bigger and change the background to blue like this screenshot."
Steal (inspiration) like an artist
Mobbin.com has thousands of app screenshots. Find stuff you like, screenshot it, and ask your AI builder to recreate it.
Pick the right tool
After trying everything, Repl.it just works better for complex stuff. Your mileage may vary, but that's my experience.
This is just the beginning
HistoryPal isn't just another EdTech tool—it's proof that AI can make learning genuinely personal and fun. When kids can debate Frederick Douglass about justice or learn scientific method from Marie Curie, history stops being homework and becomes... well, actually interesting.
And we're just getting started. More historical figures, better lesson integration, features I haven't even thought of yet.
Wanna see what all the fuss is about?
Look, if you're a history teacher reading this, you're probably thinking "yeah right, another tech thing that promises everything and delivers nothing."
Fair enough. Been there.
But maybe, just maybe, check out what happens when your students can actually talk to the people they're learning about. Start a free chat, see what happens.
Because honestly? The past is way too interesting to feel like ancient history.
P.S. If you end up building something cool with AI, definitely let me know. I'm always up for seeing what people create when they stop worrying about being "technical enough" and just start building.
Ready to let your students interview Abraham Lincoln? Because that's apparently something we can do now, and it's pretty awesome.