Topic Resources
Did you know that, nationwide, more than half a million students
participate in the NHD contest each year?
Students, just like you, choose historical topics related to a theme and conduct extensive primary and secondary research through libraries, archives, museums, oral history interviews and historic sites. After analyzing and interpreting their sources and drawing conclusions about their topics’ significance in history, students present their work in original papers, websites, exhibits, performances and documentaries. These products are entered into our Vermont History Day contest. Some students are selected to proceed to the National History Day contest at the University of Maryland.
You may be thinking, where do I start? Right here! Check out the resources below to help guide you to a topic of interest.
Click the link below to learn more about the research process from National History Day.
General Vermont History
Don't know where to begin? Explore general Vermont history topics here.
Arts & Culture
Explore topics focused on the intersections between the arts, culture, and history.
Underrepresented Vermont History
Explore marginalized history topics.
Environment
Explore topics that hightlight the relationship between humans and the environment.
Transportation & Industry
Explore topics related to innovation and its impact on society.
Looking for primary and secondary sources?
Vermont's history of innovation isn't confined to a single archive. It's scattered across collections help by institutions throughout the state, each preserving a different piece of the story. To help you get started, several Vermont institutions have put together one-page guides highlighting topics from their own collections that connect to this year's theme: Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change. Explorer the resources below to discover primary sources and research leads that might spark your project.