Contest Theme
Regardless of the project category or the age division, students must choose a topic that they can clearly relate to the annual National History Day theme. Themes are intentionally broad to give students a wide range of possible topics.
Click here to download the official National History Day 2009 Theme Document (pdf)
2008-2009 Theme: The Individual in History: Actions and Legacies
Excerpts from the National History Day 2009 Theme Document:
"During the 2008-2009 school year National History Day invites students
to research topics related to the theme The Individual in History:
Actions and Legacies. A combination of the right person at the right
time in history has powerful outcomes which can be both inspiring
and catastrophic as illustrated by the lives of such figures as George
Washington, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi,
Rachel Carson, Caesar Chavez, Jane Adams, or Idi Amin Dada and
Adolf Hitler. Inspirational individuals ask difficult questions of society and
themselves and believe passionately in an issue. Examples of individuals
who cared deeply about a cause and nudged history forward are
Eleanor Roosevelt in her quest for human
rights, John Peter Zenger and the fight for
freedom of the press, and Walter Reed in his
quest for a cure for yellow fever. The list can
extend exponentially. Individuals who were
activists, world leaders, scientists, or artists
followed their fervor and focused their life’s
work that eventually became a catalyst for events to unfold in history.
In each case the decisions and the route that the individual followed
ignited a change...
The individuals your students select may illustrate important values,
such as courage in the face of great opposition or in striking out in a
new direction; selflessness in helping others during a time of disaster;
ingenuity in founding or building an institution; patriotism in time of
national crisis; or leadership in a cooperative effort to protect human
rights or improve the community."
To understand the historical importance of their topics, students must ask questions of time and place, cause and effect, change over time, and impact and significance.
Students must ask:
- Not only who the individual was, but why did he/she matter?
- What factors contributed to the individual's development?
- What was the individual's lasting influence in history?
- How did this individual change the course of events?
- What effect did the individual have on the community, society, nation and world?
Choosing a Topic Related to the Theme
The National History Day Sample Topic List (pdf) provides a place to start. However, it should not be considered an exclusive list of acceptable topics. Local history makes for exciting, unique projects; students may want to look for topics in their own communities. At the state and national contest, there are also special award categories each year focused on specific topic areas, such as Colorado History, Asian History, Irish and Irish-American History, Women's History, Diplomatic History, History of the American West and Interdisciplinary History.