In this study, I examine the integration of aesthetic education, specifically the visual arts and music, into secondary education history courses. Through aesthetic education, I argue, students can become emotionally connected to the past and can develop their historical literacy, which has implications for academic achievement in high school history courses. The conclusions from this study suggest the need for a redesign of high school courses in history to include more aesthetic-based instruction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]