National History Day is a year-long academic program focused on historical research, interpretation, and creative expression for 6th- 12th-grade students.

The artifacts and Soldiers’ Stories at the National Museum of the United States Army provide a unique lens to explore how words, thoughts, or ideas are exchanged throughout history. These stories complement the 2022-23 National History Day theme: Frontiers in History. They spark deeper investigation into the theme.

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Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas

The U.S. Army has been at the center of many frontiers in American history.

The exploration of North America and the settlement of the American West was led by the U.S. Army. Soldiers explored newly acquired territory to map, document, and study the land and people inhabiting it. They also enforced the government’s American Indian policies and accompanied settlers traveling westward.

To improve its effectiveness on the battlefield, the U.S. Army pioneered new inventions and innovations. These successes have subsequently benefitted American society in the form of improved services and equipment for communication, medicine, aviation, and computers.

The U.S. Army has brought together people from all walks of life since the Revolutionary War to accomplish its mission. In doing so, the U.S. Army has challenged traditional social conventions on who can serve their country and how that service can be performed.

How do Soldiers’ Stories relate the theme Frontiers in History: People, Places, Ideas?

Explore potential project topics and resources below.