Primary vs. Secondary Sources
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SIRS Decades features more than 5,000 hand-selected primary and secondary source articles highlighting key events, movements, people, and places in 20th-century America. Coverage includes documents, letters and memos, editorial cartoons, streaming video, websites, photographs, maps, advertisements, and published articles.
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World Book Online Reference Center is an excellent source of reliable, easy to understand information for students. World Book Online offers all the features of the print encyclopedia plus links to maps, web sites, and other print articles.
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Triumph and Tragedy in History
The theme for National History Day 2018-2019 is “Triumph and Trgedy in History". This theme is broad enough in scope to encourage investigation of topics ranging from local to world history and across any geographic area or time period. Consider this theme an invitation to look across time, space, and geography to find examples in history of when an individual or a group took a firm position on an issue.
Common Mistakes in Picking a Topic
¤ Too Broad: Topics must be narrow so that everything about the topic, including it’s historical context, can be covered in one product. Ex) World War II
¤ Too Recent: Students should pick a topic that is at least 30 years old. Topics newer than that do not have enough historical perspective. Ex) iPhone 7
¤ Too Complex: Students need to pick topics that aren’t too difficult to understand. Ex) Thermo Nuclear Dynamics
A topic fits the theme if it:
1 Focuses on a triumphant and/or a tragic event which features one or more of these:
A. A tragic event resulting in positve reforms having lasting consequences for individuals, communities or nations. Example The triangle Shirtwaist Fire results in new laws dealing with fire protection and fire prevention.
B. A triumphant event leading to tragic consequences for individual, communities, or nations. Example The Munich Pact Hitler gains the Sudentenland and Europe thinks they averted war.
C. Remember when considering a possible topic that one's tragedy can be another's triumph. Example The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
2. The relationship between triumph and tragedy could include one or more of these features
- The tragedy ressulted in a triumph or starts the process that leads to ultimate triumph.
- The tragedy results in more tragedies for some and a triumph for others.
- The triumph results in tragedies for others.
3. The triumph and or tragedy had a significant impact on society, or nations, or the world.
4. A wide range of primary and secondary sources are available. These should include different perspectives on the triumph and or tragedy.
Questions you should be seeking answers to about your topic to see if it fits the theme.....
- What are the key factors contributing to the tragedy, triumph?
- Who or what person, idea, or event caused the tragedy, triumph to take place?
- What actions or methods were used to create the triumph, tragedy?
- What is the historical context of the triumph, tragedy?
- How did the triumph, tragedy influence people, events or ideas?
- What changed over time as a result of the triumph, tragedy?
- What is the triumph's, and or tragedy's significant contribution to history?
- What are the important consequences of the triumph, tragedy, immediate and long term?
Possible Topics Triumph and Tragedy in History
Step One: Get a general idea of possible topics
- Consider my suggestion at the end of this column.
- Read the following list of Topics produced by NHD in the column to the right.
- Brainstorm about subjects or topics that interest you. These can be topics from any subject. It can be something you already know a little about, or something that's completely new to you.
- Your topics should be at least twenty years in the past. This is so that you can find enough sources.
- Narrow down your topic as much as you can. Instead of picking a broad topic, like "The American Revolution," think about one specific piece of that topic. For example: How changes in weapon technology changed the way the war was fought.
- Don't worry yet about whether your topics fit the theme. Your teacher will help with that in the next step.
- Write down any sample topics from the NHD list that you found interesting, or want to know more about.
- Show your list to me. I will help you clarify or eliminate topics.
- I will help you make your topic more specific, especially if you have chosen a very broad topic, such as World War II or the invention of the personal computer.
- Be prepared to have some possible topics rejected if they don't fit the theme or the project guidelines.
- If necessary, go back and brainstorm some more in order to add more topics to your list.
- Narrow your list down to three or four topics that you all think are interesting, and that your teacher has said have potential.
- Rank the possible topics in order of how excited you are about the topic.
- Take your list of three or four topics back to me for final approval.
- I will tell you determine which topics are the strongest, and which need to be revised in order to fit the requirements of the project.
- CONSIDER my suggestions. You might have to change your topic slightly, or focus on a part of the topic that you don't know much about.
- Decide which topic you will explore. It should have a very narrow focus and should be something you are passionate about.
- Don't be surprised if your topic changes once you've started researching. The more you learn about your topic, the better you will be at deciding exactly what your project will say.
- Berlin Airlift
- Triumph and Tragedy of Phenix City Alabama
- Operation Babylift: Saving the lives of Vietnamese children after the fall of Saigon. April 3 1975 78 children die when the first plane crashes. https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/museum/exhibits/babylift/
- Brooklyn Bridge: Human Tragedy Engineering Triumph
- Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church Sept. 1963
- The Coach that made History WWI and WWII Peace Treaty Train Car
- Andree Geulen Belgian Teacher rescues children during WWII
- Raid on Entebbe Triumph over Terrorism
- Emit Till Tragedy that Sparks the Civil Rights Movement Reopened
- Akron riots 1968
- Lincoln’s Assassination: From Triumph to Tragedy in 5 days
12. Tragic lives of Henry and Clara Rathbone witnesses to the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
13. An American Triumph and Tragedy: President Nixon Resignation
14. Mayflower Compact Triumph in self Government
15. The Munich Massacre: 1972 Olympic Tragedy
16. February 14, 1884: Tragic Day when the Light went out of Teddy Roosevelt’s Life
17. TET Offensive: Tragedy Witnessed Triumph Ignored
18. American POW’s Prisoners of War Betrayed
19. Ralph Bunche: Tragic Appointment Triumphant Treaty
20. Henia Bryer; Surviving Auschwitz
21. Civil Rights Act of 1964
22. Barbara Johns Walkout of Segregated Moton H. S. Farmville Virginia
23. Thich Quang Duc Buddhists Monk Self Immolation June 11 1963
24. Iran Raid on the U.S. Embassy Nov. 4 1979
25. Battle of Antietam
26. Ghost Soldiers Triumphant Rescue Mission of American POW”S in the Philippines
27. Battling Racism William Powell Courageously breaks the Color Barrier on the Golf Course.
28. Exercise Tiger
29. Sinking of the Sultana
30. Cleveland Clinic Fire of 1929
31. Beirut Bombing of 1983
Fanie Lou Hamer In 1964, Hamer helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which was established in opposition to her state's all-white delegation to that year's Democratic convention. She brought the civil rights struggle in Mississippi to the attention of the entire nation during a televised session at the convention.
Ralph Bunche – Ralph Bunche was the first colored man to be awarded the Peace Prize. He received it for having arranged a cease-fire between Israelis and Arabs during the war which followed the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. The only peace treaty agreement between Israel and Palestine in history.
The Orphan Train - During the period between 1854-1929 a growing conflict arose as to haw to deal with an increasing number of orphaned, abandoned, or homeless children. The Orphan Train became a supervised welfare program that transported children from crowded Eastern cities of the United States to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the Midwest.
What is NATIONAL HISTORY DAY?
TRIUMPH & TRAGEDY
Access to Rulebook
ACCESS TO RUTH ENLOW LIBRARY
You now have access to the DIGITAL RESOURCES and DATABASES!
Your access code is gcps and your student ID number (library checkout barcode)
We will share your ID number in class today!
Access to Rulebook
ACCESS TO RUTH ENLOW LIBRARY
You now have access to the DIGITAL RESOURCES and DATABASES!
Your access code is gcps and your student ID number (library checkout barcode)
We will share your ID number in class today!
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National History Day Research Links & Annotated Bibliography
PRIMARY VS. SECONDARY SOURCES
Join my NEARPOD session
Maryland /Garrett County Databases
DESTINY NORTHERN MIDDLE'S WEBPATH EXPRESS
PRIMARY VS. SECONDARY SOURCES
Join my NEARPOD session
Maryland /Garrett County Databases
DESTINY NORTHERN MIDDLE'S WEBPATH EXPRESS