Transcript Leadership - Holmen High School

National History Day
It’s not just a day. It’s an
experience!
CHOOSING A GREAT
TOPIC
Step by Step
Step 1: Figure out the Theme
Leadership and Legacy in History
Both theme words do not need to be
equally addressed in your project; but
they both must be addressed, as well
as the “in History” part.
Steve Jobs, 2003, www.archives.gov
Benjamin Franklin, 1770, Library of Congress
Leadership in History
Definition: Position as a leader of a group, organization, etc.; the
time when a person holds the position of leader; the power or
ability to lead other people
Legacy in History
Harriet Tubman, 1861 National Archives
Andrew Jackson, 1824, Library of congress
What is a Legacy?
Definition: Something that happened in the past or
that comes from someone in the past; something
transmitted by or received from an ancestor or
predecessor or from the past
“in History”
What is “in History”?
Alfred Nobel, 1875, Library of Congress
Criteria: Your project must be historical, not a
current event
Step 2: Where Can I Go For
Help With My Topic?
Middle School LMC
The Library Lady is
brilliant!
Cool Books
Teachers
Sample Topics List
Family/Friends/Neighbors
News
Step 3: Choosing an
Outstanding Topic
☺Does my topic need to be about
Leadership and Legacy?
☺Yes
☺ What if my group wants to do a topic I
don’t really like?
☺Compromise or Get a New Group or Work as an
individual
☺ How many sources will I need?
☺A LOT! Do a quick check before you select!
Step 3: Choosing an
Outstanding Topic (cont.)
☺Should I choose a topic that is really old?
NO!—try to stay within the last
200 years
☺Should I choose a topic that is really
current?
NO!—try to be before 2000
☺Should my topic be general or specific?
Specific – but you can start
general
Step 3: Choosing an
Outstanding Topic (cont.)
Always keep in mind…
• What is new, unique, or different about your
topic?
• How did it change life for people?
• What was happening at the time that made this
person become a leader and leave a legacy?
Step 4: Make Sure Your Topic
Is Important To History!
• When and where did this particular leader emerge?
• Was there a need for this leader at the particular
time?
• How did the leader impact change over time? What
were those changes?
• What impact/effect did the leader have?
• What factors contributed to a continuing legacy?
Regardless of the topic selected, you must
do more than describe what happened.
WHS Image ID: 41644
• Topics should not be of
current events
• Topics should not be of
ancient events (more than
500 years ago)
• In general, try to base
topics on events that took
place at least 20 - 200
years ago
Wisconsin Historical Society, 1955
Wisconsin Historical Society, 1872
Science and Technology
Cyrus McCormick
Revolutionizes
Agriculture
Jonas Salk: Polio, the
Vaccine, and the
March of Dimes
Michael Bennett:
http://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/hallofhonor/
1989_commons.htm
Social Issues
John Commons:
Workmen’s
Compensation
Bennett Law:
Mandatory English in
Schools
Les Paul and the
Electric Guitar
Frank Lloyd Wright, 1912,
Wisconsin Historical
Society
WHS Image ID: 3855
Les, Paul, 1961, Library of Congress
Arts, Literature & Music
Frank Lloyd
Wright and
Organic
Architecture
http://www.google.com/search?q=john+muir&
Gaylord Nelson, 1972, Wisconsin
Historical Society
Environment
Gaylord Nelson
and Earth Day
John Muir:
Creator of
Yosemite
National Park
Joseph McCarthy, 1943, Wisconsin
Historical Society
Golda Meir, 1961, Library of Congress
Famous People
Joseph McCarthy
Golda Meir
When you select your person remember that it is more than a biography.
You will need to focus on something significant that became his/her legacy.
Cadwallader C.
Washburn
Military great and
politician
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whspress/books
/book.asp?book_id=370
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisp
lay.pl?index=W000170
Military History & Wartime
Cordelia
Harvey: “Civil
War Angel”
Stephen Babcock: WHS Image ID: 5585
Jeremiah I Case, Wisconsin Historical Society
Agriculture
Stephen
Babcock and the
Butterfat Tester
J.I. Case:
Agricultural
Inventions
http://www.biography.com/people/williamrehnquist-9454479
Robert M. LaFollette, 1925, Wisconsin
State Historical Society
Politics and Government
Fighting Bob’s
Progressive
Reforms
William Rehnquist:
Vel Phillips and
Civil Rights in
Wisconsin
http://www.findagrave.com/cgibin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=41264172
http://www.lchshistory.org/hixon-house/
Vel Phllips, 1968, History.com
Social Issues
Alice Green Hixon:
Founder of Local League
of Women Voters
Henry Ford, 1933, Library of Congress
William Harley, 1902, Library of Congress
Transportation
William Harley
Harley-Davidson
Motorcycles
Henry Ford and the
Assembly Line
Kathryn Frederick
Clarenbach: 1st
Chairwoman of NOW
Mildred Fish-Harnack, 1942, Library of Congress
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/now/a/Kathry
n-Clarenbach.htm
Women in History
Mildred FishHarnack: Nazi
Resistor
Mary Kay Ash, 2001, www.markay.com
http://whoonew.com/2013/04/famous-people-wisconsin/
Pop Culture
Mary Kay Ash
Liberace: Musician
and Entertainer
Pop culture topics can be effective for NHD projects—but you have to
treat these topics as historical research topics.
Other Great Topics to
Consider
• Early Hmong in LaCrosse
• Tom Maulson: Spearfishing
• Mary Bradford: State’s 1st female
superintendent
• Andrew Carnegie: Small-Town
Libraries
• Father Groppi: Selma of the North
Other Great Topics to
Consider
•
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•
•
•
•
Bacon’s Rebellion
The Euro
Veteran’s Administration
Peace Corp
YMCA
Union Pacific Railroad
CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp)
Instead of…..do…..
Football
Teddy Roosevelt and football
Pop Warner
Carlisle Indian Boarding
School
Gridiron Guts
Jim Thorpe