Traditionally, history has been taught in ways that serve the interests of individual nation-states. This has involved the construction and imposition of a grand narrative. Such an approach is insufficient for an increasingly interconnected world in which people, ideas and capital move across borders (Lévesque, 2008). Contemporary research on history education endorses critical inquiry. Procedural concepts such as historical causation are foundational to this paradigm. Models of historical thinking address causation Recent research pays close attention to pedagogical approaches to this key concept. The present research uses ancient and modern historiography to examine historical causation. It discusses challenges for learning and teaching. It argues for strategies that highlight the interpretative nature of historical inquiry.