Theme
The annual National History Day® contest theme is designed to help you think of a topic from any aspect of local, regional, national, or world history. With this focus, you can begin to ask questions that your research will help you answer, including how your topic is significant in history.
2025 Contest Theme
Rights & Responsibilities in History
To celebrate our 50th anniversary, NHD’s theme will be Rights & Responsibilities in History. This year’s theme invites you to consider questions of time and place, cause and effect, change over time, and impact and significance.
The key to this theme is addressing BOTH rights AND responsibilities. These are two powerful forces in history, but one does not work without the other.
The following resources are available to start defining your topic and begin your research.
Theme Overview Video
Theme Book
Theme Book Graphic Organizer
This graphic organizer will help you to select a topic for your NHD project.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Step-by-step guide and resources for creating your National History Day project
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