Thesis Statement: It is the foundation of your project. It will guide ALL the work you will do on your project.
Basically, a thesis is an argument... YOUR ARGUMENT! It presents a point that YOU want to prove about your topic. It shows YOUR opinion or beliefs about a particular issue.
A good thesis statement...
- Presents a clear, original, and interesting argument.
- Can be proven or supported by research.
- Introduces the arguments you will use to support your claim.
A good NHD thesis statement also...
- Addresses a narrow topic that interests you.
- Connects that topic with the theme.
- Is easy to understand even for someone who knows nothing about your topic.
For this year's theme, your thesis will most likely involve a cause and effect relationship, showing how your topic changed history, but it does not have to. Here are some examples of potential thesis statements for this year's theme.
Examples:"The advent of air conditioning caused the migration of many Northerners to Southern states such as Florida. This shift introduced elements of a more "Northern" lifestyle, including a variety of culinary traditions and more service-based jobs, significantly changing the culture and economy of the South."
Get help writing your thesis statement!If you're not sure where to start, try these helpful links:
- An article about writing thesis statements
- The Thesis Builder
- The Thesis Creator
- NHD Chicago Thesis Statement graphic organizer (only use the first page)
Sample Thesis Statements
Here I Stand: Paul Robeson's Legacy of Leadership
Paul Robeson’s resounding voice could never be silenced. Throughout his extraordinary career as an artist and activist, he forged a rich legacy of fearless, dedicated, and creative leadership that shaped the next generation of civil rights activists.
To Learn or to Earn? The National Child Labor Committee and the Fight Against Child Exploitation
The leadership of the National Child Labor Committee piloted the social reform movement against the exploitation of children. By harnessing the power of propaganda to influence public opinion, the NCLC changed society’s perception, thus allowing for the passage of national legislation prohibiting the labor of children. The legacy of the NCLC lies not only in ending child labor, but also in establishing a precedent for future federal regulation of labor.
Wild Bill Donovan: Leader of American Espionage
On June 13, 1942, six months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt, with the urging of Colonel William Donovan, created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Donovan was appointed Director of the OSS and under his leadership, the OSS gathered foreign intelligence on America's enemies during WWII. The United States Armed Forces used this intelligence to defeat the Axis Powers. After the war, the OSS and Donovan's legacy of ideas and methods in espionage evolved into the modern day Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
A Unique Position: Reagan, Gorbachev, and the End of the Cold War
In the 1980s, the Soviet Union was on the verge of economic collapse and the United States was deeply in debt and disgruntled with the costly arms race. Mikhail Gorbachev and his counterpart, Ronald Reagan, both acknowledged the stagnancy of the communist state, and brought fresh views into a conflict that had dominated the international landscape for almost half a century. Their complementary leadership styles and eager collaboration helped to dissolve the Iron Curtain and cement a legacy of solidarity between the Eastern Bloc and the West.
Here I Stand: Paul Robeson's Legacy of Leadership
Paul Robeson’s resounding voice could never be silenced. Throughout his extraordinary career as an artist and activist, he forged a rich legacy of fearless, dedicated, and creative leadership that shaped the next generation of civil rights activists.
To Learn or to Earn? The National Child Labor Committee and the Fight Against Child Exploitation
The leadership of the National Child Labor Committee piloted the social reform movement against the exploitation of children. By harnessing the power of propaganda to influence public opinion, the NCLC changed society’s perception, thus allowing for the passage of national legislation prohibiting the labor of children. The legacy of the NCLC lies not only in ending child labor, but also in establishing a precedent for future federal regulation of labor.
Wild Bill Donovan: Leader of American Espionage
On June 13, 1942, six months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt, with the urging of Colonel William Donovan, created the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Donovan was appointed Director of the OSS and under his leadership, the OSS gathered foreign intelligence on America's enemies during WWII. The United States Armed Forces used this intelligence to defeat the Axis Powers. After the war, the OSS and Donovan's legacy of ideas and methods in espionage evolved into the modern day Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
A Unique Position: Reagan, Gorbachev, and the End of the Cold War
In the 1980s, the Soviet Union was on the verge of economic collapse and the United States was deeply in debt and disgruntled with the costly arms race. Mikhail Gorbachev and his counterpart, Ronald Reagan, both acknowledged the stagnancy of the communist state, and brought fresh views into a conflict that had dominated the international landscape for almost half a century. Their complementary leadership styles and eager collaboration helped to dissolve the Iron Curtain and cement a legacy of solidarity between the Eastern Bloc and the West.