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To assist students - and their parents - as they work
on National History Day projects, we are extending
our free membership offer for students, library
patrons and members of the general public. Our privacy
policy is strictly enforced. Follow the link
to request an individual
membership. Free group access is always
available for educators, schools and libraries. Simply
request it with this
form.
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This list contains topics
suggested at the National History Day web
site:
ALASKA: SPANISH FLU
EPIDEMIC. During World War I,
the “Spanish Flu” killed more people than the war
itself. The permafrost of Alaska may hold the key to
finding a cure, should that strain of influenza ever
strike again.
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE
and FIRE: CHANGE BORN from TRAGEDY.
On April 18, 1906, a rolling motion affected the
Streets of San Francisco, causing them to rise and
fall, then rise again. It seemed, to one observer,
that the earth itself was breathing. As if the
earthquake were not bad enough, a raging fire
burned out of control for days. Then the people
rebuilt their city, much more mindful of the damage
an earthquake can cause.
MOUNT
VESUVIUS and POMPEII: DESTRUCTION of
a CULTURE. During the summer of 79 A.D.,
Mt. Vesuvius was sending warning signs that it was
about to erupt. As Pliny the Younger observed,
however, those facts “did not cause fear because it
was a commonly observed feature.”
RELOCATION of JAPANESE-
AMERICANS DURING WWII. Responding to
the Empire of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor,
President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. As
a result, more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans
were forced to close their homes, and businesses,
before they were sent to various internment camps.
The country did not apologize until decades later.
INVASION of
NORMANDY: MILITARY TRIUMPH. During
World War II, German forces occupied France. Allied
forces, planning for months, launched a successful
invasion on June 5, 1944.
KENT STATE: CONFLICTING
FIRST-AMENDMENT RIGHTS. On May
1, 1970, students at Kent State University - in Ohio -
were upset that America was bombing “Viet Cong
strongholds” in Cambodia. When the Ohio National
Guard intervened, four unarmed students - some not
part of the protest - were killed. Our story links to
photographs used as evidence in a subsequent trial.
ROBERT OPPENHEIMER:
MANHATTAN PROJECT. In charge of the
project to develop an atomic bomb, Robert
Oppenheimer and his team triumphed in their
endeavors. Yet, when the bomb was successfully
detonated, Oppenheimer quoted: “Now, I am become
Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Among many other
primary sources, our story links to a video of
Oppenheimer expressing that sentiment.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT:
PERSONAL TRIUMPH and TRAGEDY. It is
said that one of Alexander’s favorite quotes came
from Homer: “Ever to be best and stand far above all
others.” As conqueror of the then-known world,
Alexander achieved great success. But he died
young, and his empire did not last.
THE UNDERGROUND
RAILROAD and HARRIET TUBMAN. Called
the “Moses” of her people, Harriet Tubman was
a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. She
once said: “I looked at my hands to see if I was the
same person now I was free.” How did
the “underground railroad” begin? What were its
likely routes of escape? How did Tubman rise above
slavery to help so many people to freedom?
ROSIE THE RIVETER:
WOMEN’S ROLES IN WWII. Although World
War II
brought extremely hard times to the world, women
performed key roles in industry, and elsewhere,
during the war years. Had that not occurred, would
the “Women’s Movement” have happened when it
did? Would it have been equally successful?
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Beyond the above topics, suggested at the National
History Day web site, are these stories which also
aggregate hundreds of primary sources:
NAVAJO CODE
TALKERS: FORBIDDEN SKILLS HELP to WIN
a WAR. When Navajo children went to
school, they were forbidden to use their native
language. Yet it was that language - spoken
by Navajo Marines - which formed the basis of an
unbroken military code, helping the Allies win the war
in the Pacific.
GREAT
FIRE of CHICAGO: REBUILDING from
DISASTER. Devastated by raging fires
which also burned in other Midwest cities on October
8-9, 1871, Chicago rebuilt at amazing speed.
THE
TITANIC: TRAGEDY CHANGES THE
RULES. What actually happened when the
Titanic famously sank during her maiden voyage?
Were there enough life boats on board, according to
existing laws? Were there any heroes during the last
hours of the great ship’s life?
CHALLENGER: FROM
HORROR TO LEARNING CENTERS. Christa
McAuliffe was supposed to be the first teacher in
space. But when the shuttle Challenger
exploded soon after launch, school children - who
saw the tragedy unfold on television - were
horrified. Since then, improvements have been made
to the shuttle, and Challenger Learning
Centers have been established. Those centers
help hundreds of thousands of students every year
as they learn real-life challenges and ponder science
careers.
GALVESTON HURRICANE and
MODERN METEOROLOGY. As “the Great
Storm of 1900" made its way to Galveston, people on
the island did not know how to read - or interpret -
the signs of impending doom. After the disaster -
which remains the worst in U.S. history - Galveston
erected a seawall and weather predicting became
much more scientific.
IRISH POTATO FAMINE:
EXODUS and NEW LIFE in AMERICA. After
Ireland’s potato crop failed, in 1845, Irish people
were starving, dying and leaving their country in a
mass exodus. Many came to the U.S., impacting
American culture and cities like New York and Boston.
THE HINDENBURG:
TRIUMPH and TRAGEDY of the RIGID
AIRSHIP. When Count Zeppelin achieved
his dream of creating a new form of transportation -
the rigid airship - could he have anticipated that a
future model - the Hindenburg - would be
completely destroyed in less than a minute?
FREDERICK DOUGLASS:
FROM SLAVE to PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR.
Frederick Bailey was born a slave, in 1818. Frederick
Douglass died a free man, in 1895. Both names
belong to the same man. How did he throw off the
shackles of bondage to become such a distinguished
American?
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS:
FAILURE GIVES WAY TO TRIUMPH. Despite
the Wright Brothers' initial failures, “before the Wright
Brothers, no one in aviation did anything
fundamentally right. Since the Wright Brothers, no
one has done anything
fundamentally different.” See the first seven
chapters of this story to learn about the failures, and
triumphs, of the Wright Brothers.
THE
ALAMO: A MASSACRE FUELS VICTORY.
Remembering the sacrifice of their friends, Texans
defeat General Santa Anna and his forces.
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GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR PROJECTS!
AwesomeStories.com
Awesome Stories
email:
editor@awesomestories.com
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