INFORMATION FOR
Each year, National History Day selects a theme for that year's contests. The theme is broad enough to allow students to choose topics from any time period or place, but narrow enough to help give projects a clear focus. At NHD contests, the theme plays an important role in the judging criteria - projects should clearly connect their topics to the annual theme.
The 2025 theme is "Revolution, Reaction, and Reform in History."
The three concepts in the theme all relate to change: a revolution is a sudden, complete change; a reaction is a response to change; and reform is the process of creating change. The three concepts can also interrelate with one another -- some events in history have more than one element of theme, as part of bigger cycles of change. Projects do NOT have to include all three elements, but they should discuss all the elements that are relevant to the topic.
The first step to a great project is building your own understanding of the theme. Here are some resources to help you get started:
Coming this fall: NJ History Day will present a theme webinar with resources from around the country and a special focus on NJ archives and state-related topics. Watch for the announcement!
