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Rights and Responsibilities in—or out—of the U.S. Constitution provide opportunities for inquiry.

What rights and responsibilities do people in my community have, and where did these rights and responsibilities come from? Where have you heard or learned about these rights and responsibilities before, and what questions do you have about them?

How do I turn these topics and questions into an award-winning History Fair project?

Can you develop a question about the right and responsibility you're focusing on? Have you read current news and historical secondary sources about the right and responsibility? What moments of change over time—such as court opinions, legislation, executive orders, or social movements—have you discovered? Have you read primary sources from those moments to help formulate an answer to your question? Use the original question and what you learned as an answer to sharpen a thesis statement.

Explore the NHD theme

The annual National History Day® contest theme is designed to help you think of a topic from any aspect of local, regional, national, or world history. With this focus, you can begin to ask questions that your research will help you answer, including how your topic is significant in history.

Overviews of Trials, Issues, and Concepts

Supreme Court Opinions, Oral Argument Clips and Transcripts

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The Division for Public Education provides reliable information about the law and legal issues, including resources and programs for educators, students, journalists, legal professionals, opinion leaders, and the public to advance public understanding of law and its role in society.