History Day - Debate and Diplomacy

Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences

The National History Day website:

"Each year, National History Day^® frames students’ research within a historical theme. The theme is chosen for broad application to world, national, or state history and its relevance to ancient history or to the more recent past. The 2021-2022 theme is Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences."

These are just a few suggested resources. See also the specific topics on this guide and the Previous Topics guide.

Possible Topics

These are a few topics that you might consider focusing into a History Day Project. See sub-pages for subjects and a few suggested resources to get you started.

• Treaties
  • Indigenous nations
    • Resources: Kappler's ; Serial Set; Congressional Record, Congressional hearings
  • other nations
    • Resources: Serial Set; Congressional Record, Congressional hearings
• Diplomatic gifts and/or etiquette
• Presidential Debates
  • Nixon - Kennedy
• John Mason & statues
• Roger Sherman and The Connecticut Compromise or the Great Compromise for the US Constitution
• Loyalists During the Revolution
• Hartford Convention and the War of 1812
• Connecticut Constitutional Convention 1818
• Federal Recognition of Connecticut Tribes
• Connecticut's Western Reserve
• Voting Rights
  • Who should be allowed to vote?
  • age, race, gender, property owner?
• Passage of legislation that took a lot of debate
• Significant Court cases
• Cold War
  • Berlin Wall
  • Cuban Missile Crisis
• Repatriation of items from archaeological explorations
• LGBTQ+ and the Military. From Lavender Scare, to Don't Ask Don't Tell, to 2011 rescinding of policy
• Occupy Wall Street movement
• Peace Movements
• Berlin Wall - Reunification of Germany
• Nuremberg Trials
• Creation of the State of Israel
• Congressional districts - apportionment and gerrymandering
• Privateers
• Tobacco
• Compromise of 1850
• Censorship
  • Music 
  • Video games
  • Comstock Law
• Title IX
• NAFTA
• President Nixon's visit to China
  • Pandas as diplomacy

Other Institutions

Suggested topics, with a Connecticut focus.

These are a few suggestions that cover the board theme of Debate and Diplomacy

Please be advised that some of these resources--particularly those created in previous eras--contain descriptions for ancestral, racial, ethnic, and gender identity that may be offensive or harmful to individuals investigating these records, and are considered inappropriate to use in modern times. The descriptions and treatment of historically marginalized groups, women, and animals may be upsetting. Also, please note that inclusion in this subject guide does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the views therein--we encourage investigators to use their own judgment when evaluating books, websites, articles, documents, and other resources.