1. National History Day

2. Why participate in Maryland History Day? Learning about history is fun! With Maryland History Day, history is much more than memorizing names and dates and places. It lets you become the expert by conducting original research and presenting your findings about how history affects your life and community. Researching history can be like unraveling a mystery in which you are the detective!

3. History Day encourages you to choose a topic that means something to you personally. Love science? Pick a topic about an important discovery. Excited about politics? Immerse yourself in issues of the past and present. Into music? Research the impact of past musical trends on today's sound. Passionate about sports? Jump into sources about your favorite athletic team or sport.

4. History Day lets you pick a format that fits your talents and interests. Exhibit - be a museum curator and create an eye- catching exhibit Performance - bring history to life through your stage presence Research paper - hone your skills for the papers you will write in high school and college Documentary - use your camera and digital technology to tell your story Web Site - create a portable multimedia presentation that is easy to share with friends and family

5. History Day gives you an opportunity to showcase your research. Impress judges with your research and creativity at local, state, and national competitions Take advantage of opportunities to showcase your work at museums and community events Feature your History Day achievements on your college applications http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland-history- day/youtube/http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland-history- day/youtube/

6. History Day helps develop skills that benefit you in the classroom and beyond. Learn how to use primary and secondary sources and create an annotated bibliography Analyze and interpret different sources and form your own thesis Develop critical thinking skills and confidence in your judges' interview

7. How are winners recognized? There are different awards at each level of competition, including medals, plaques, cash prizes, scholarships, and other opportunities. Maryland advancers to the national contest win $50 and a t-shirt; special prize winners can win up to $150 for excellence in fields such as Maryland, labor, women's, military and African-American history. See a complete list here (link to special prizes under Contest). In 2010, Maryland student Catherine Troup won $5,000 from the History Channel at National History Day for a project linked to a historic site.Catherine Troup

8. How should I get started and where can I go for help? Your social studies teacher Mrs. Young, Enrichment Specialist C Burr Arts Library Maryland Humanity Council web site... http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland- history-day/students/http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland- history-day/students/

9. Contest Rules You can download a PDF copy of the current National History Day Contest Rule book at http://nhd.org/images/uploads/2010rulebook.pdf. http://nhd.org/images/uploads/2010rulebook.pdf Revised rules for the web site category will be posted on the NHD website in Fall 2010. –As was the case in 2010, students will again be required to build their web site through Weebly, accessible through http://nhd.weebly.com/ ONLY!http://nhd.weebly.com/ There are a couple of rule changes students need to be aware of when participating in 2011: –When registering for competitions, students will no longer submit paper copies of their process paper/bibliography because both are required within the web site. –Individual projects and group projects will be separated for contest participation and advancement

10. The Annual History Day Theme Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. Each year the National History Day office selects a broad theme for the History Day contest. Students may choose any topic related to local, regional, national, or world history, as long as his or her research and conclusions clearly relate to the theme. Judges look for evidence that the theme has been adequately addressed in all History Day projects. 2012 Theme The 2012 theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. Click here to read more about the History Day 2012 theme. National History Day will be hosting an online discussion of this year's theme on November 2 from 3:00-5:00 PM. Read this this flyer and ask NHD staff your theme questions on Nov. 2!Click here to read more about the History Day 2012 theme.this flyer 2012 Sample Topics Click here to see a list of sample topics relating to this year's theme. Students are not limited to these topics and are encouraged to select a topic that they are excited about researching. Click here to see a list of sample topics relating to this year's theme 2012 Sample Topics about Maryland Click here to see a list of Maryland-specific sample topics provided by the Maryland Historical Society Click here to see a list of Maryland-specific sample topics provided by the Maryland Historical Society Topic Selection Click here to download the topic selection worksheet. Click here to download the topic selection worksheet.

11. Bibliography Maryland Humanity Council –http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland- history-day/students/http://www.mdhc.org/programs/maryland- history-day/students/