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Choosing A Topic Webquest Revised 1

The document provides guidance on choosing a topic for a National History Day project, including selecting a historical subfield and time period or geographic region of interest. It lists helpful online resources for researching exploration, colonial history, politics, women's history, and more. Students are asked to brainstorm potential topics and sources to share with their group.

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794 views4 pages

Choosing A Topic Webquest Revised 1

The document provides guidance on choosing a topic for a National History Day project, including selecting a historical subfield and time period or geographic region of interest. It lists helpful online resources for researching exploration, colonial history, politics, women's history, and more. Students are asked to brainstorm potential topics and sources to share with their group.

Uploaded by

api-260539907
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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A.

Topic Selection
1. Historical sub-fields History is a huge and broad umbrella that includes lots of sub-branches of history. Look at the
list below and choose five to cross out (that you have NO interest in) and five to circle (that you have a high interest
in).
political history social history military history economic history
religious history cultural history diplomatic history environmental history
womens history public history history of government demographic history
rural history family history ethnic history labor history
urban history history of education history of the common man intellectual history

2. Time Periods / Geographic Regions the second thing that you have to do is to narrow down some geographic
locations. Based on that, choose one or two that youd like to pursue.

North America Central America Caribbean South America
Pre-Columbian Pre-Columbian Pre-Columbian Pre-Columbian
Exploration and Settlement Exploration and Settlement Exploration and Settlement Exploration and Settlement
Founding / pre-civil war Independence movements Independence movements Independence movements
Post-Civil War Twentieth century Twentieth century Twentieth century

Europe Africa Asia Pacific Rim
Romans, Dark/Middle Ages Pre-imperialism Pre-imperialism Pre-imperialism
Early Modern Imperialism Imperialism Imperialism
Imperialism Post-imperialism Post-imperialism Post-imperialism
Twentieth century Modern Africa Modern Asia Modern Oceania


3. Are you thinking of working in a group? Glance at the paper of the members of your group do you agree more
than you disagree?
NHD: Choosing a Topic


B. Web Searching Choose three of the links below to explore.
Our Documents
Look at the 100 most important documents in US history.
Choose three that you think are interesting and note WHY you are interested in these documents

Document. This is interesting because.










Library of Congress Primary Source Sets
Click on the link above and choose two set of primary sources
Primary Source Set. This caught my attention







National Historic Landmarks
Sometimes a place can inspire an idea.the National Parks Service protects historic places across the United
States
Ideas..







PBS History
On the menu bar across the top, choose the topics and choose some categories that interest you. Note your pathways
and ideas in the boxes below.

Ideas..







Library of Congress Timeline
If you like to look at history chronologically..try this
Ideas.






C. If you have extra time, consider some of these.

If youre interested in. Try.
Exploration in North and South America.

American Journeys
Colonial History Colonial Williamsburg Learning Resources
DoHistory
Social History

American Social History Project
Politics and government Annenberg Classroom

Womens History

Women in World History
A general overview of US History History Matters
Chronicling America
Digital History
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
http://nhd.org/USHistoryPrimarySources.htm
World History National Library of Spain
EuroDocs Online Sources for European History
http://nhd.org/WorldHistoryPrimarySources.htm

Puerto Rican/Latino History Center for Puerto Rican Studies Hunter College/CUNY
El Archivo diocesano de la Arquidicesis de San Juan
Hispanic Reading Room of Library of Congress




D. Group Brainstorming

Now that you have had some time to think about Rights and Responsibilities in History and explore some sources,
what possible topics did you find?

List 2-4 possible topics and the sources that gave you the idea (include URL so others will be able to find the source) -









NHD Helpful Web Resources:

Sample student projects from 2013
http://www.nhd.org/StudentProjectExamples.htm

Need a better explanation of the theme or more sample topics?
http://www.nhd.org/AnnualTheme.htm

Need research tips from a master NHD teacher?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/usfIFqsHoVk

Need help writing a thesis statement from a master NHD teacher?
http://www.youtube.com/embed/5728zt9ZYnQ

Tips for creating types of entries (website, documentary, paper, exhibit, performance)
http://www.nhd.org/CreatingEntry.htm

NHD rule book
http://www.nhd.org/images/uploads/2010rulebook.pdf


Why NHD benefits you.

1. You know how to research. You will be years ahead of your peers.

2. You learn how to conduct quality research (not just the first article that pops up in the database.) These skills are the
same for science or history or psychology.

3. You learn how to correctly cite your sources.

4. You know how to write a well-developed thesis statement.

5. You know how to develop an annotated bibliography (a common assignment in upper level and graduate humanities
classes).

6. You learn how to manage your time.

7. You learn how to collaborate with others and accept constructive criticism of your academic work.

8. You learn how to produce a quality product of which you are proud.

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