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The 2019-2020 theme is Breaking Barriers in History. 

By participating in NHD, students become writers, filmmakers, web designers, playwrights and artists as they create unique contemporary expressions of history.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY 2020

2020 Theme Book - Breaking Barriers in History

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NHD Contest Rule Book

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NHD Project Examples

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NHD YouTube Channel

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Breaking Barriers Graphic Organizer

This graphic organizer helps students examine historical context within the theme Breaking Barriers in History.

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ProjecT Categories

SPECIAL PRIZES

You can WIN $$$ and PRIZES by

participating in NHD.  Check this out:

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https://www.mdhumanities.org/programs/maryland-history-day/entering-the-contest/special-prizes/

TOPIC SELECTION

The hardest part of research is coming up with a research topic or question. Three important things to keep in mind: 

  1. Chose a topic is interesting to you.

  2. Chose a topic with plenty of evidence (primary and secondary sources) that you can use (in languages that you read, that are accessible) for your research.

  3. Choose a topic of the"right"size. Topics that are too narrow may not be historically important or significant and you may not find much evidence. Topics that are very broad may be too complex for a History Day project.

TOPIC IDEAS

DocsTeach U.S. Topics

DocsTeach, a subgroup of the National Archives, lists possible NHD topics along with some supporting primary sources.

 

National Archives - NHD Online Research Tools

Search these resources for U.S. history topics cross historical eras.

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Library of Congress

Browse the Library’s Primary Source Sets, the American Memory Timeline, or Topics in Chronicling America to stimulate ideas.

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National Museum of African American History & Culture

Topic ideas and additional resources from Smithsonian's NMAAHC

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Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore Topic Ideas

Explore topic ideas supported by the Reginald F Lewis Museum

 

Maryland Historical Society Topics

Research your History Day project at the Maryland Historical Society! Learn more about the many
examples of conflict and compromise that happened in your own backyard!

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Thinkport - Teaching with Primary Sources - Topics

Explore this collection of inquiry kits that allows students to select a research topic of interest and evaluate themed primary sources from the Library of Congress. From life in the early American colonies to the modern-day role of the United States, the inquiry kits examine social studies/history themes and align to Maryland curriculum units.

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Primary Source Nexus Topics

WORLD & U.S. TOPICS - These curated resource lists coincide with the topic ideas for this year's NHD theme.The links lead to resources accessed from the Library of Congress (LOC.gov) unless otherwise noted.

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NewseumED Topics

Newseum Education offers rich on-site and online content for students working on National History Day projects.

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National Capitol Visitor Center

Breaking Barriers primary source sets including education, emancipation, space, and equality.

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