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2026 NHD THEME:
"Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History"
"Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History"
To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, NHD’s 2026 theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. The distinctions among revolutions, reactions, and reforms are sometimes blurred. Revolutions and reforms are often reactions to ideas, actions, or events. In turn, revolutions and reforms inspire reactions. Think of it as a domino effect—knock one down, which knocks the next one down, which knocks . . .
The first question that comes to mind is, “Do students have to focus on all three words—revolution, reaction, reform?” No, students do not have to focus on all three aspects of the theme. It depends on the topic. If the topic involves all three, then students should be sure to include all three.
🌟 Ready to Make History This Summer? 🌟
Curious about the people, events, or ideas that shaped our world? National History Day is your chance to dive in! This year-long competition turns your curiosity into a polished project—in a format you choose: exhibit, documentary, performance, paper, or website.
As you work on your project, you’ll build real skills that will help you succeed in high school and beyond—like researching, critical thinking, and confident communication—all while exploring a topic that you care about (not just something I assign in class 😉).
You’ll spend the first part of the year tracking down primary sources and crafting a compelling narrative based on your historical argument. And at the end of it all, your hard work could earn you recognition and scholarships at the National History Day competition!
So beat summer boredom (and the rain) by jumping into something creative, fun, and meaningful. Choose a topic related to this year’s theme—"Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History"—and get started with the General Research Organizer linked to the right of this text.
📚 Make this summer one you —
and history — won’t forget! 📚
National History Day Organizer.pdfCongratulations JOE!
Congratulations JOE!
Second Place at our Regional Competition & 4th Place at States
Congratulations are in order for Owen and Pio for their
Congratulations are in order for Owen and Pio for their
strong showing at the Regional Competition.
strong showing at the Regional Competition.
I can wait to see what history next year's National History Day participants explore. Way to go gentlemen!
National History Day, in collaboration with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium, created this open-access student guide filled with hints, tips, and activities to encourage student inquiry and historical research. Finding, Analyzing, and Constructing History: A Research Guide for Students was developed through a Teaching with Primary Sources grant from the Library of Congress.
Finding-Analyzing-and-Constructing-History_-A-Research-Guide-for-Students.pdfGuide to Student Research and Historical Arguments.pdfNational History Day, in collaboration with the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Consortium, created this open-access teacher guide filled with hints, tips, and activities to encourage student inquiry and historical research. The Guide to Student Research and Historical Argumentation provides an overview of the inquiry process, explores primary and secondary sources from the Library of Congress, and helps teachers guide students to construct historical arguments. The book targets important historical thinking skills that often challenge students. The Guide to Student Research and Historical Argumentation was developed through a Teaching with Primary Sources grant from the Library of Congress.
https://nhd.org/en/resources/guide-to-student-research-and-historical-argumentation/
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