National History Day® 2025-2026
Published: August 28, 2025
National History Day® (NHD) is a non-profit education organization established in 1974 that provides educational programs helping students and teachers influence the future through discovery of the past. The National History Day® Contest is a year-long academic program focused on historical research, interpretation, and creative expression for 6th to 12th-grade students. The experience ends with a series of contests at the local and affiliate levels and an annual national competition in the Nation's Capital area in June.
"To coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, NHD’s 2026 theme is Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. The distinctions among revolutions, reactions, and reforms are sometimes blurred. Revolutions and reforms are often reactions to ideas, actions, or events. In turn, revolutions and reforms inspire reactions. Think of it as a domino effect — knock one down, which knocks the next one down, which knocks . . ." Source: National History Day®
GPO's GovInfo provides access to a wealth of official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government to assist students and educators with their project research. In addition to viewing the resources linked on this page, be sure to:
- Check out What’s Available to see publications by collection and examples of content, and
- Head to the Tutorials and Handouts page for information that will help guide students through the search process.
Samples of Content on GovInfo Related to This Year's Theme
United States Congressional Serial Set
The United States Congressional Serial Set, commonly referred to as
the Serial Set, is a compilation of all numbered House and Senate reports and documents, including executive reports and treaty documents, issued for each session of Congress. Documenting events of the U.S. Congress over the years, the Serial Set is one of the Nation’s most treasured publications. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), in collaboration with the Law Library of Congress, has started a large multi-year effort to digitize and make accessible volumes of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set back to the first volume, which was published in 1817. Check
out the U.S. Congressional Serial Set - Browse
by Topic page for a wide selection of publications related to this year's theme.
United States Constitution
S. Doc 116-3 - Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition
(Cover Image: Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence, Pocket Edition)
Sample Searches Relating to Keywords for U.S. Constitutional Amendments
Constitution Annotated: Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution — Contains analysis and interpretation of the U.S. Constitution with in-text annotations of cases decided by the Supreme Court. Source: Congress.gov
Compilation of Presidential Documents — This collection is composed of the daily compilation of Presidential documents. It includes such material as proclamations, speeches, and press conferences, to name a few.
Congressionally Mandated Reports (Browse by Topic) — Reports that are required by statute to be submitted by Federal agencies to the Senate, the House of Representatives, or to congressional committees or subcommittees.
Congressional Bills — Congressional bills are legislative proposals from the House of Representatives and Senate within the United States Congress.
Congressional Committee Prints — Congressional Committee Prints are publications issued by Congressional Committees that include topics related to their legislative or research activities, as well as other matters such as memorial tributes.
Congressional Documents — The Congressional Documents collection consists of House and Senate documents, Senate Executive documents, and Senate Treaty documents.
Congressional Hearings — A hearing is a meeting or session of a Senate, House, joint, or special committee of Congress, usually open to the public, to obtain information and opinions on proposed legislation, conduct an investigation, or evaluate/oversee the activities of a government department or the implementation of a Federal law.
Congressional Record — The official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. See issues prior to 1994 in the Bound Congressional Record. At the end of each session of Congress, all of the daily Congressional Record editions are collected, re-paginated, and re-indexed into a permanent, bound edition.
Congressional Reports — Congressional reports originate from congressional committees and deal with proposed legislation and issues under investigation.
Federal Register — Provides a uniform system for making regulations and legal notices issued by Federal agencies available to the public. The public can participate and impact Federal rules and regulations at www.regulations.gov. In addition, FederalRegister.gov, an HTML edition of the Federal Register, is available from the Office of the Federal Register (OFR), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Finally, the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), a currently updated, unofficial version of the Code of Federal Regulations, is also available.
Public and Private Laws — Public and private laws are also known as slip laws. A slip law is an official publication of the law and is competent evidence admissible in all state and Federal courts and tribunals of the United States. Public laws affect society as a whole, while private laws affect an individual, family, or small group.
Supreme Court Cases in the United States Reports — The cases of the Supreme Court of the United States are published officially in the United States Reports.
United States Code — The United States Code is the codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States.
United States Statutes at Large — The United States Statutes at Large, typically referred to as the Statutes at Large, is the permanent collection of all laws and resolutions enacted during each session of Congress.
Samples of Other Related Legislation, Documents and Searches
Image: In February of 1834, 800 female textile workers in Lowell, Massachusetts, went on strike due to a 15% wage reduction. The women stated that they would not go back to work unless their wages were restored and they were all rehired. Source: National Park Service (NPS)
Legislation
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975*
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990*
Establishment of the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument — 130 Stat. 3152 , Named after women's rights suffragists Alva Belmont and Alice Paul
Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938*
National Prohibition Law — 44 Stat. 1981
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972* — prohibits sex discrimination in education programs
Documents
Asian Reflections on the American Landscape: Identifying and Interpreting the Asian Heritage
How Our Laws are Made, H. Doc. 110-49
Kappler’s Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties — Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, this historically significant, seven volume compilation contains U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes
Picturing America: Teachers Resource Book
Report on Voting Rights and Election Administration in the United States of America
Searches
Congressional Hearings on human rights topics
Freedman’s Bureau — Provided aid and assistance to newly freed slaves, including education and legal support
Human Rights and Societal Obligations
Senate Executive Documents/Senate Treaty Documents — Senate Executive Documents are reports made to the Senate by the executive branch, and in 1981, they became known as Senate Treaty Documents. These documents contain the full text of the treaties
Social Responsibility and Fundamental Rights
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911 — Led to reforms in workplace safety regulations
U.S. Court Opinions from cases on civil rights
U.S. Presidential proclamations in support of Human Rights Day or Week
Image: In 1911 in New York, the Triangle Waistcoat Factory fire killed 146 people, and drew attention to poor working conditions. 146 people lost their lives in the fire, and it drew attention to poor industrial working conditions, especially the lack of fire safety. Source: National Park Service (NPS)
Samples of Featured Content Articles
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
175th Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention
60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
35th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Other Resources
View a list of external resource and websites.
*This links to a Statute Compilation, which is a compilation of the public law, as amended, and is an unofficial document and should not be cited as legal evidence of the law. Learn more.