National History Day Project
These topics explore revolutions, reactions, and reforms on a broad scale, comparing different regions and time periods.
The French Revolution: The fall of the monarchy, the Reign of Terror, and Napoleon's reforms.
The Russian Revolution (1917): The Bolshevik takeover, the Civil War, and the creation of the USSR.
The Chinese Cultural Revolution: Mao Zedong's campaign, social upheaval, and post-Mao economic reforms.
The Iranian Revolution (1979): The overthrow of the Shah, the establishment of the Islamic Republic, and its societal changes.
The Haitian Revolution: The slave revolt, international reactions, and the establishment of an independent black republic.
The Industrial Revolution in Britain: Technological changes, labor unrest, and the creation of labor laws and unions.
Role of Technology: Comparing the printing press in the Protestant Reformation to social media in the Arab Spring.
Women's Rights: Examining the role of women in various revolutions and the long-term fight for suffrage and equality.
Art and Revolution: How artistic movements like Romanticism and Soviet Constructivism were shaped by and used for revolutionary purposes.
Scientific and Medical Revolutions: The initial resistance to major scientific discoveries and the subsequent reforms in thought and practice.
Labor Movements Across Time: The history of strikes and union organizing, from the Haymarket affair to modern labor laws.
These topics focus on American history, with special attention to Tennessee and Appalachia.
The American Revolution: Independence from Britain, Loyalist resistance, and the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
The Civil War and Reconstruction: Secession and the war to end slavery, Southern resistance, and the 13th-15th Amendments.
The Progressive Era: Activism against injustices, pushback from big business, and reforms like women's suffrage and antitrust laws.
The Civil Rights Movement: Nonviolent protests, segregationist violence, and landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Vietnam War and Anti-War Movement: Student protests, government repression, and a shift in U.S. foreign policy.
The Formation of Tennessee: The transition from a frontier territory to statehood and the challenges of early governance.
The State of Franklin: A failed attempt to create an independent state from North Carolina that influenced Tennessee's statehood.
Tennessee's Divided Civil War Loyalties: The state's secession, strong Unionist sentiment in East Tennessee, and postwar political realignment.
The Memphis Sanitation Strike (1968): A labor strike for fair wages and dignity that became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
Women's Suffrage in Tennessee: The fight for the "Perfect 36" and the state's critical role in ratifying the 19th Amendment.
The Scopes "Monkey" Trial (1925): The debate over teaching evolution in schools and its lasting impact on American education.
The Highlander Folk School: A training ground for labor and civil rights activists that faced state repression.
The Desegregation of Clinton High School (1956): The first court-ordered desegregation of a Southern high school and the violent reaction it provoked.
These topics provide a local lens on broader historical themes, highlighting the unique experiences of the region.
East Tennessee and the American Revolution: The Watauga Association, British Loyalists, and the formation of the State of Franklin.
The Coal Creek War: East Tennessee miners' revolt against the convict lease system and its ultimate reform.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): A New Deal program that transformed the region's economy and infrastructure, but faced controversy over land use and displacement.
The Whiskey Rebellion: Appalachian farmers' revolt against federal tax policies.
The Battle of Blair Mountain: The largest labor uprising in U.S. history by West Virginia coal miners.
Mountaintop Removal Mining: Grassroots resistance against destructive mining practices and the push for environmental reform.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The effort to preserve the wilderness, the displacement of residents, and the park's long-term impact on tourism and conservation.
The Moonshine Economy: The culture of illegal distilling in Cocke County and Appalachia, federal raids, and the modern shift to legal heritage tourism.
Public Education in Cocke County: The consolidation of small schools, funding challenges, and the establishment of a centralized high school.
Grace Moore: The story of a woman from rural Cocke County who became an international opera star, reflecting cultural change.
Women's Roles in Reform Movements: The contributions of women in East Tennessee to suffrage, temperance, and education.