Theme

Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History

These themes carry a lot of weight throughout the course of American history. In 2026, the United States commemorates the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, however Vermont joined the United States after the Revolutionary War in 1791. The 2026 National History Day theme may seem initially intimidating to students, “how can I write about an entire revolution in the word limit?” So, let’s break down all three aspects of the theme:

A revolution is a dramatic change with widespread effects; these can be both political and social. Students may immediately lean on the American Revolutionary War for this topic. But it can also refer to the ways inventions and legislation impact everyday life. How did the railroad revolutionize not just the way people travel, but central time tracking?
Reaction means a feeling experienced because of a historic event; it can refer to resistance or opposition to a moment. Reactions could be positive or negative to change, for example the public reacted to photographs documenting the experiences of child laborers in the early 20^th century. How would they have reacted differently if journalists didn’t have photographs of children working dangerous jobs?
Reform refers to a efforts to change or improve, by altering or substituting the current form. Change is an ongoing process, although we might often see reform as the product of revolution. For example, how did the suffrage movement lead to reform in childcare and education laws?

Students do not need to focus on all three aspects of the theme as part of their project. There is a lot of overlap in how revolutions, reactions, and reforms influence our present day. Students may focus their history day project on a local, state, national or international topic. But students can find connections to the themes in Vermont’s state history.