the nhd topic tree “conflict & compromise in...

The NHD Topic Tree

“Conflict & Compromise in History”

Have students who are stuck selecting a topic? Want to provide a little passive

inspiration? Grown an NHD Topic Tree in your classroom!

Each branch is a different area of history

Each leaf is a different topic idea and leading question

When a student wants to use that topic, tell him or her to just pick the leaf off the tree

You can use the topics we have brainstormed or use the blank page to create your own ideas. Try asking students to contribute ideas to the NHD Topic Tree as well!

National History Day in Minnesota

Ellis Island and Angel Island were both immigration stations that

controlled the flow of immigrants in and out of the US. Take a closer look at one of these locations in history.

In the 1900s,

Harvey Wiley and the Poison Squad ate

common food additives in order to show serious health effects. How did the work of this team change food safety?

During the Boston Tea Party, the Sons of

Liberty stood up against the British Tea Act of

1773. How did this event escalate cries for

revolution?

Daniel Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers in

1971 to expose government action during the Vietnam War. How did the public respond to this “leaked”

information?

The Bracero Program started in 1942 as a way to

bring contract laborers into the US for reasonable wages and

decent living conditions. Was it fair to all people

involved?

Executive Order 9981 desegregated the US

military. What was military service like before and

after the order for servicemen of color?

The Dust Bowl brought advances in industry into

conflict with environmental impacts. How did farming

change after this?

During the mid-1800s, the Grange Movement

brought farmers together to advance

their collective interests. What did this group fight for and why?

After several bands of Ojibwe challenged the government for

regulation of hunting and

fishing rights, the “Wisconsin Walleye War” followed.

How did this conflict play out on WI lakes?

Poli cs & Government

Rural & Agriculture


Mendez v. Westminster (1947) challenged forced

segregation of Mexican students into separate schools.

What impact did this case have on the Civil

Rights movement?

Sesame Street used educational goals to determine content in children’s TV. What

were the goals of the program?

American Indian boarding schools sought to

“assimilate” students by forcing them to abandon their

cultures. How did opinions change

over time?

Newsboy’s Strike of 1899 won fair

compensation for child laborers through a

youth-led campaign. What were child labor conditions like at the

time?

Cesar Chavez brought nationwide attention to the

plight of farmworkers through labor organization

and boycott. What were conditions like for

farmworkers?

The Haymarket Massacre took place when labor protestors, police, and violence met in 1886

Chicago. What were the demands of the

protesters?

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 was passed

to protect plants and animals in danger of going extinct. What

impact did this act have on a particular species?

Started as a teach-in for the environment, Earth Day has grown into a

yearly event. How did this fit into the

environmental movement?

Love Canal was a NY neighborhood whose

environmental pollution so harmed residents that the government intervened.

What legislation was passed in response?

Educa on

Environment

Labor History


The 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed exposed

manufacturer reluctance to improve safety in cars

because of loss of profits. How did this book change safety?

Through beauty products for black women, Madame CJ Walker became one of the wealthiest African-

American businesswomen of the time. How did she advance social causes?

In 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in front of

America only 73 seconds after take-off. What

impact did this have on future missions and

safety protocols?

In the State of MN v. Philip Morris, plaintiffs argued that the company hid information about the harms of tobacco.

How did this case bring new information about tobacco to the public?

Before a vaccine, Americans lived in fear

each summer of the spread of Polio, a disease

that could paralyze and kill. How was the

vaccine help defeat this disease?

Langston Hughes was an African-American activist and author who wrote during the

Harlem Renaissance. How did his writings influence

perceptions of African-Americans?

From 1961-1982, The Catcher in the Rye, was the

most censored book in America's public schools and libraries. Why was

this book censored as much as it was?

Many African-Americans who came

North during the Great Migration

were influenced by The Chicago Defender. How did the paper motivate them

to move?

Science & Industry

Art & Literature

Health & Medicine

Eastern State Penitentiary was a prison built on the idea of solitary confinement and

sought to “reform” rather than punish. How did it

influence other prisons?


During the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, African-American sprinter Jesse Owens won four

gold medals. How did the German government

respond to the victories?

Boxer Muhammad Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam War because of his religious

beliefs. How was Ali’s career affected

by his protest?

The National All-American Girls Professional Baseball League put women on the

field to replace men fighting in WWII. How did the league

affect public perception of women?

During the 1919 World Series, a group of eight players from

the Chicago White Sox intentionally lost games for

their own benefit. How did the public

respond to this scandal?

In 1985, the RIAA introduced

the Parental Advisory label on certain recordings that

contained explicit language. How did musicians

respond to this label?

The National Audubon Society worked to stop the killing of

endangered birds, the feathers of which were popular

among women’s fashion. How did this affect

fashion?

Elvis Presley’s dancing on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 shocked some viewers. How

did Elvis’ performance affect his career?

The Hollywood blacklist was a list of accused Communist

actors and directors that studios refused to hire.

How was the movie industry affected

by this list?

During WWII, Walt Disney created propaganda films for

the US government. How did Disney’s films

affect the war effort?

Sports & Pop Culture


In the late-1800s, journalist

Nellie Bly went undercover to report on the conditions of

those living in a women’s mental institution. What did Nellie Bly uncover?

In 1950, Harry Hay formed the

Mattachine Society, one of the first gay rights organizations in

the US. What role did it have in the movement?

The Equal Rights Amendment , proposed in1923, sought to end legal distinctions between men

and women, and still hasn’t passed. What obstacles

have supporters faced?

The 1990 Native American Graves Protection and

Repatriation Act enforced the return of cultural items from museum collections.

How did the act impact museums and tribes?

In 1991, four Los Angeles Police Department officers violently

beat a man named Rodney King in 1991. What were the

effects of the “not guilty” verdict ?

Frederick Douglass was a prominent African-American

abolitionist who wrote about his experiences while enslaved

What effects did his work have on

perceptions of slavery?

In 1943, white soldiers and Mexican-American youths clashed in the Zoot Suit Riots. What effects did they have on relations between the US and

Mexico?

During WWII, the US sent Japanese-Americans to internment camps. Fred

Korematsu sued. What was the result of the court case Korematsu v.

United States?

Abington v. Schempp declared school-sponsored

Bible reading unconstitutional in public schools. How

did the public respond

to this ruling?

Fights for Rights


In 1944, the US government passed the G.I. Bill, which provided benefits to WWII veterans. How has the G.I.

Bill affected the lives of veterans?

The Buffalo Soldiers were a regiment of African

Americans in the US Army that fought during the

1900s. What is the legacy of this

regiment?

When the government passed laws in 1863 that allowed men to be drafted into the Union,

massive draft riots broke out across New York

City. What was the impact of these riots?

The Mexican-American War took place after the US

annexed Texas in the mid-1800s. How did it affect

relations between the US and Mexico?

At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union placed

nuclear missiles on Cuba in order to deter a US attack.

How did the US respond?

During WWII, the US assembled a team of scientists to construct

nuclear bombs, two of which were dropped on Japan.

What impact did the Manhattan

Project have on war?

War & Military History

Your Ideas


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