Resources for Florida History Day 2026

Florida History Day is an annual statewide activity sponsored by the Museum of Florida History. A Florida History Day entry can address any person, event or idea from any time or place in history, but it must relate to the annual National History Day theme, Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America, the 2026 History Day theme gives students an opportunity to explore the people, places and ideas at the heart of the American experience that inspire and challenge us. The NHD 2026 Contest Theme Book (PDF) describes this year's theme as broad enough to "apply to topics ranging from 2,000 years in the past to the 1960s."

Depending on the topic, students may not need to include all three parts of the theme (revolution, reaction, and reform) in their projects, but they are encouraged to think of it as a domino effect: "Revolutions and reforms are often reactions to ideas, actions, or events; in turn, revolutions and reforms inspire reactions."

For example, students might ask what role England’s taxation (reform) played in the colonists’ revolution in America (reaction) or how the Florida teachers' strike of 1968 (a reaction) led to changes for Florida's educators (reform). Did you notice that both examples include reactions? Some topics might focus on reforms, some topics on revolutions, and some topics on both revolutions and reforms—but every topic will include a reaction.

From the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation to the countless moments of revolution, reaction and reform that followed, U.S. and Florida history are rich with topics that speak to this year’s theme. The following resources address multiple topics across Florida history as reflected in the collections of the State Archives and Library of Florida.