Guest Blog - Christopher Zarr, National Archives

Hi folks, it's Tobi here. I am so very pleased to offer our first blog post written by a friend of New York State History Day! So, without further ado, I present to you Christopher Zarr, Education Specialist from the National Archives at New York City!

The records of the National Archives can be used to tell numerous stories of innovation. As the federal government’s record keeper, the creative new approaches taken in the political, technological, social and culture sphere are evident in our records. Whether one is trying to tell the story of the Apollo program and their mission to the moon or the various inventions of Thomas Edison, the primary sources of the National Archives can help strengthen and support National History Day projects.

As all participants in National History Day are aware, primary sources are a key element to success. After gaining a better understanding of your topic using a variety of secondary sources (such as textbooks, historian’s articles, etc), NHD participants must start researching primary sources to support and strengthen their investigation. This research is essential because primary sources allow the NHD competitor to truly become a historian. By researching these sources on the internet or visiting a local archives, library, or museum, the NHD competitor is using the same tools that historians use everyday. When one analyzes and interprets a variety of resources and synthesizes that information to fit the annual theme, better quality work is achieved.

The breadth and depth of primary sources available at the National Archives is astonishing. With over 10 billion pages of textual resources, 93,000 motion picture films, 5.5 million maps, charts, & architectural drawings, 207,000 sound and video recordings, 540,000 artifacts, 18 million aerial photographs, 35 million still pictures and posters, and 3.5 billion electronic records, the records of the National Archives fill over 3.5 million cubic feet in facilities around the country. If all of the paper records in the National Archives holdings were laid side by side, they would encircle the planet 57 times. The National Archives at New York City facility in lower Manhattan currently holds nearly 100,000 cubic feet of records from 100 federal agencies from New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. Among these records are numerous stories of innovative ideas and people throughout history. National History Day competitors can help bring these stories of innovation to light.

For example, the National Archives at New York City’s holdings include numerous court cases concerning patent infringement issues of technological marvels. Frequently among these records are photographs, depositions, and other statements that explain the history behind an important invention. One such court case in our holdings involves the Wright Brothers. The 1909 case concerns a suspected patent infringement brought against Glenn Curtiss by the famous siblings for violating their patent on the airplane. The file includes several photographs of early planes in flight, technical drawings, and a lengthy statement given and signed by Wilbur and Orville Wright about their invention.

An example of a governmental innovation concerns the US Food Administration during the First World War. In an effort to conserve resources for both American troops and allied civilians overseas, the Federal government embarked on a major multifaceted campaign. Posters were created, speeches given, and recipes were distributed around the country. This voluntary effort led to a 15% domestic reduction of food. This campaign was an innovation both in its organization and its effects (short-term and long-term). Not only did this effort lead to feeding millions overseas, it also was the first large-scale federal government effort that touched every American in its impact. This action laid the foundation for future government intervention as many involved in this effort became New Dealers during the 1930s. The National Archives at New York City has over 104 cubic feet concerning the actions of the Food Boards of New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. Among these records are correspondence, investigations, bimonthly reports concerning recent actions, and a large collection of recipes created to help Americans become wheatless, meatless, and sugarless in their cooking.

To find these records, and countless others concerning innovation, the easiest way is to search our Archival Research Catalog at www.archives.gov/research/arc. This catalog provides thousands of digital copies of records as well as providing the physical location of other records that competitors can request. While there are currently millions of digital copies of National Archives records available online, over 99% of our holdings are only available at the archival facility where the record is stored. The National Archives DC staff has also created a page for the NHD contest at www.archives.gov/research/arc/education/national-history-day-2010.html.

For more information about some of the topics that can be discovered at the National Archives at New York City, see our brochure at www.archives.gov/northeast/nyc/education/2010-nhd-flyer.pdf

New York's Automobile Innovator

Last Friday I spent the day in Plattsburgh conducting a History Day workshop with Rich Strum, our North Country regional coordinator from Fort Ticonderoga. The Battle of Plattsburgh Association graciously offered us their museum for the day, and a handful of teachers, Rich and I spent our time exploring the History Day program, making some posters based on key concepts of the rule book, and discussing the annual theme. A good time was had by all.

Toward the end of the day, several area historical organizations came in to talk about the resource materials they have on hand. One such place, the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum, came armed with a fascinating potential topic that fits this year's theme, Innovation in History: Impact and Change.

The story begins with one man: Henry Abraham Lozier. In the 19th-century, Mr. Lozier made his fortune in the sewing machine business. By 1880 he became fascinated with the newest transportation craze, the bicycle. He decided to set up his own shop in Cleveland, Ohio, with the goal of creating the highest-quality bicycles in the world. Lozier's bicycles included tandems that could be steered from the front or back seat and bicycles with adjustable seats and handlebars so that they could grow along with their child owners.

By the late 1890s, the bicycle craze was ending and Mr. Lozier sold his business and moved his family to his favorite vacation spot on Lake Champlain: Plattsburgh, New York. It was in Plattsburgh that Mr. Lozier, his son Harry, and some key engineers began dabbling in motors. They first built boat motors, and then, at the turn of the 20th century, turned their attention to motor cars.

Like with their bicycle operation, the Lozier family prided themselves on quality craftsmanship. Their cars, which were engineered, designed, and built in Plattsburgh from 1900 until 1910, were the first luxury vehicles in the world. In 1910, when the average annual income was about $750, Lozier cars were selling for $4,600 to $7,750! In comparison, that same year a new Cadillac sold for around $1,600 and a Packard for $3,200.

A Lozier car participated in the very first Indianapolis 500 race in 1911. The car, driven by Ralph Mulford, raced to the finish line neck-and-neck with another vehicle that was manufactured in Indiana. Officials determined that the car manufactured in the race's home state won first place, but many observers felt that the Lozier had actually won.

As the race to build the best automobile intensified in the second decade of the 20th century, many small companies went out of business as automotive giants like General Motors and the Ford Motor Company began to dominate the industry. In 1915, the Loziers' failed to sell their company to Ford, and ended up declaring bankruptcy.


I found this story very compelling. Here was an American innovator who built the first luxury motor vehicle in America. Lozier's engineers, particularly George R. Burwell and John G. Perrin, developed advanced mechanical systems that greatly impacted automobile development in the 20th century. What I liked most about the story is its New York State connection, and the fact that it is again a little-known piece of American history that did have an impact on a national and international level.

For more information about the Lozier company, talk to the folks at the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum. They have several Lozier cars in the museum and a plethora of helpful primary and secondary sources.

Speaking of primary sources, here are my photo credits:
1. H. A. Lozier & Co., Shakespeare Would Ride the Bicycle If Alive Today: "The Reasons Why." Courtesy of "Trade Catalogs in the University of Delaware Library" Online Exhibition
2. Informal portrait of automobile driver R. Mulford and mechanic Joe Horan sitting in a Lozier automobile in Elgin, Illinois. Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0003451. Courtesy of Chicago History Museum.
3. Lozier Motor Company Letterhead. Accessed from Oldmarineengine.com

Developing a Thesis and Other Writing Gems

I can't start this post without giving credit to Lauren and Mark at Washington (State) History Day for the great resource. I've had the pleasure of getting to know them a bit over the last year, and they run an amazing program. I am a fan of Washington History Day on Facebook, and they posted an amazing link to the Harvard Writing Center that I knew I had to share with you.

In a nutshell, Harvard has a great document on developing a thesis. You can find it here: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/Thesis.html Right at the beginning, the authors (who are Maxine Rodburg and the Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University) get into defining what a thesis isn't:

"An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no.' A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. 'Reasons for the fall of communism' is a topic. 'Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe' is a fact known by educated people. 'The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe' is an opinion. (Superlatives like 'the best' almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every 'thing' that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be 'the best thing'?)"

I think this is critically important, and I like how they have listed three different things: topic, fact, and opinion. In a way, all are necessary in a full thesis statement, but by themselves, none make up a thesis statement. They go on to explain what a thesis statement is:

"A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should 'telegraph' how you plan to argue — that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay."

Ok, let's decode that sentence. We see that they use the word "argue" in there twice. That's a key part of a thesis statement: Like a lawyer at a criminal trial, you have to make a point about your topic and then provide all the evidence that shows why your point is correct.

With History Day, your thesis must relate to the annual theme in a key way. This year, you need to prove that your topic was an innovation. Secondly, your thesis also must show how your topic is significant in history (this is where the "impact" and "change" of the theme come in.) For example, everyone knows that Brain Beesley, Claude Brandt and Liao Zhiwen invented the hot dog cooker and bun toaster, but has it really made an impact on society? (What? You didn't know who invented that? Well, now you do. And you also have a link to a website that will give you patent information on other innovations in history. :-) )

Ok, let's fast-forward a little bit. Let's say you have a working thesis statement ready. You are arguing that the invention of the hot dog toaster revolutionized American home dining in the 1980s. (Yes, I know, that's a TERRIBLE thesis statement. And probably not at all true either. But bear with me here.) Once you have your thesis statement, our friends at Harvard say:

"Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counter-argument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)"

So, let's say John "That-History-Day-Guy" Buchinger reads your thesis and says, "Hmmm, wouldn't you say the invention of the home microwave oven had just as much - if not more - of a significant impact on American dining in the 1980s?"

Ok, he has a point. So you decided to refine your thesis as follows, "Although the invention of both the microwave oven and the hot dog toaster revolutionized American home dining in the 1980s, the hot dog toaster's lower cost meant more Americans were able to purchase and use them during the decade."

Wow. My example is just getting worse. But I hope you get my point: a part of a good thesis (and project) is anticipating what the counter-arguments are and acknowledging them in your thesis statement. (I made all those facts up, by the way. Please don't do your project on the hot dog toaster.)

Alright, this post is long, so it's time to wrap it up. As you can see from my terrible example, writing a good thesis statement isn't the easiest thing in the world. But if you have done some background reading on your topic and have an idea of what you want to argue, it doesn't have to be that hard.

The folks at the Harvard Writing school have several more thesis writing tips, as well as a host of other writing resources at their Writing Resource Center: http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k33202&pageid=icb.page143936. Check it out!

History Day Research Resources

This autumn has been full of teacher workshops on doing historical research for the National History Day program. A highlight of creating this new workshop has been the research tools we've been able to gather. I'd like to share some books that I have found that have helped me learn how to be a better historian.

If you don't own it yet, you should invest in National History Day's publication, A Guide to Historical Research Through the National History Day Program. As part of NHD's Making History Series, it is a soup-to-nuts guide for historical research. In the book, they divide historical research into 8 steps, from selecting an organizational system to completing an entry. It is a teacher guide that contains background information, text for students, handouts, and transparencies. It is also flexible enough to be helpful for the most seasoned History Day teacher as well as newbies, and for a 6th through 12th grade student body. The book is $39, and can be purchased directly from National History Day at their website: http://www.nhd.org/cart/

Another valuable research guide for students is a little book that changed my life when I was a History major in college. I highly recommend Melvin Page and Richard Marius's A Short Guide to Writing about History. What I love the most is the way that the authors take the complex process of historical research and spell it out in easy to read and understand paragraphs. Here's a sample of what I mean, pulled from the introduction of my ratty old copy: "All historical writing begins as an effort to answer questions about origins, happenings, and consequences. We find a puzzle and try to solve it. When you write a paper for a history course, you must do the same thing - find a problem that stirs your curiosity and try to solve it. If you don't have a problem, you don't have a paper." Although it was written with college students in mind, I believe that most History Day students can benefit from this little tome. You can buy it on Amazon.com for $35.

I also want to recommend two more books, both which are advanced reading but can undoubtedly provide teachers and high-performing high school students with new perspectives on historical analysis. The first is called After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection by James West Davidson and Mark Hamilton Lytle. Like with the Short Guide, I read on older edition of this book when I was a History major. It provides guidance on conducting historical research by examining a variety of research sources (such as oral histories, photographs, film, church and town records, census data and novels) through real-life historical investigations. In my older edition, the chapters focus on the Salem Witch Trials, Frederick Jackson Turner and the American Frontier, and the mad abolitionist John Brown. I liked that the authors put the skills into historical context, and that I was able to learn how to analyze sources by reading examples of strong analysis. Today, the book is available on Amazon.com with a Primary Source investigation CD-rom for $55.

The second title is one I heard about from Cathy Gorn and Ann Claunch at the National History Day office. It is called Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past, and it was written by Sam Wineburg. Unlike the other books, which were written for historians, Wineburg addresses the teaching of history. In essence, his essays challenge the conventional notion that history is a series of names and dates, and provide educators with tools that will help them teach students to think like historians. I'll admit, I haven't made it all the way through this book yet; Wineburg relies heavily on his cognitive psychology background and it's pretty intense reading. For example, his first chapter explores the concept of "presentism" - the act of viewing the past through the lens of the present. Presentism happens when we, as historians, can not separate our personal views and values from our interpretations of the past. It is a form of bias that can color historical analysis in a negative way. Personally, presentism isn't a concept I would introduce to a 6th grade classroom because it requires a pretty advanced level of abstract thinking to comprehend. But as an educator, I will find this knowledge helpful as I mentor students through the study of history. You can purchase this book from Amazon.com for about $20.

I hope these titles help you and your students navigate the chartered and uncharted territories of historical research. If I can be the machete that helps you cut through the overgrowth of the research jungle, then I feel I am doing my part!

Virtual Visit

Yesterday, John and I spent the day in the New York State Historical Association's Distance Learning center. We spoke to four different social studies classes at Suffern Middle School using our videoconferencing equipment. For me, it was the first time I presented History Day to students. Most of the time I do my outreach presentations for teachers. I enjoyed yesterday immensely.

We had just over a half hour for each of the sessions, and we focused on introducing the History Day program and sharing steps for approaching historical research. We talked about the importance of relating topics to the annual theme and about the importance of thesis statements. John spent about ten minutes showing the students how to navigate Library of Congress online resources, primarily America's Library and American Memory.

What I loved the most is how engaged the students were with us. Even though we were interacting with them through a TV screen, they answered our questions with enthusiasm. They were a smart bunch, too. When we asked each class if they could define what a primary source was, they had very clear and concise answers that were perfect!

Yesterday made me realize that videoconferencing is one way John and I can reach more students across New York State; we can't always travel, but we certainly can take an hour or so to talk with you on a videoconference.

If you have access to videoconferencing technology in your school or district, consider setting up a distance learning program with us. We can talk to teachers or students, and we can be flexible to fit your schedule. Take a look at our current outreach offerings on our website: http://ny.nhd.org/OutreachServices.htm

Contact us if you would like to set up a videoconference visit: nyshistoryday@nysha.org

Citizenship 101

I often reflect that my favorite part of the History Day program is its ability to help students develop the critical thinking skills that are necessary for good citizenship. This concept is central to the mission of National History Day: "The future of democracy depends on an inspired, thoughtful and informed citizenry. Historical understanding is crucial to that process. National History Day teaches essential historical literacy that motivates students to secure the future of democracy."

A large part of my experience with History Day as of late has been writing to our state legislators. In the past two weeks, I wrote every New York State Senator and Assemblymember, thanking them for remembering our program in the state budget last year. I also shared the names and schools of all the students in their districts who won awards and medals at the regional, state, or national competitions. This was no small feat; it took me several days to type out those individual sentences for each of the 212 letters.

Why did I do it? Firstly, the New York State History Day program is supported largely by a line item in the state budget. The funding is a great gift of our legislature, who see the value in the History Day program. However, we need to ask them to remember us every year in order to sustain our funding. Writing these letters is a key way for us to say, "Hey! Don't forget us! We're doing great things and we're worthy of some dollars!"

But more importantly, I did it because writing elected officials is a big part of being a good citizen. History Day is a cause I feel passionate about, and when I get an audience with a state Senator or one of New York's Representative's to Congress, I feel like I am making a difference. I am doing my part to keep America's democracy strong.

If you have never had a reason to write your local state Senator or Assembly member, I'd like to offer you an opportunity to do so now. Please consider calling, emailing, or writing a letter to your local elected official to let them know you are also passionate about History Day. I can write the statistics, but you have the compelling stories about how History Day has changed you or your students' lives. It will only take a few minutes, and it could make a huge difference for you, your student, your school, and for New York State History Day.

If you aren't sure who your state officials are, you can find them by typing in your zip code and address at www.congress.org. And please, send me a copy of your email or letter. I love reading your stories as much as the legislators do! You can contact me at any time at t.voigt@nysha.org or 607-547-1534. Thank you!!

How innovative are we talking about here?

Yesterday I met with a group of teachers and the New York City and Long Island Coordinators at the Museum of the City of New York. My purpose was to provide some outreach training, mainly on helping students to develop stronger research skills. The group was fantastic, and the teachers all taught in high schools around New York City.

We spent quite a bit of time discussing this year's annual theme: Innovation in History: Impact and Change. We highlighted key phrases in the annual theme sheet that could help us better define it; we came up with "creative new approaches," "change," discoveries," and so on. We talked about the importance for topics to address the impact and change of the innovation, as well as the person or event itself.

I realized in the midst of the conversation that I had the "impact" and "change" part down pat, but I was struggling for that perfect definition of "innovation."

Eugene, a teacher in Brooklyn, asked if the Brooklyn Bridge could be considered an innovation because it was the first bridge across the East River and it opened up Brooklyn and Long Island to rapid development and economic change.

I immediately said, "Absolutely! Look at the impact the bridge had! Look at the changes that resulted!"

I then noticed that Franco, a teacher from Manhattan, had a very puzzled look on his face. "But where's the innovation?" He asked. "The Brooklyn Bridge was certainly not the first of its kind."

Hmmm. He had a point. And that brought up the next logical question: "How innovative does the innovation have to be?" I mean, I don't want students to have to go back to scribbles on a cave wall in order to discuss innovation in art. Does "innovation" mean the very first of a kind?

I suggest that we avoid such a severe definition of innovation. Even the annual theme sheet acknowledges that Thomas Edison's inventions had help from the works of others before him. And it acknowledges that other innovators took inspiration from Edison's ideas. Surely an innovation doesn't have to be the very first of anything.

Instead, I urge teachers and students to consider specific times and places when thinking about innovation. The Brooklyn Bridge may not have been the first suspension bridge in the world, but when it was built in the 1880s it was the longest and the first to use steel-wire construction methods. So there were some "firsts" there. But when I consider the time and place, my question now becomes, "Was the Brooklyn Bridge innovative for New York City in the late 19th century?" I would need to do some background reading on this to answer definitively, but I think I could make the argument that it was an innovation.

And that's the whole point: Can you argue convincingly that your topic was innovative? As long as you gather compelling evidence that supports your hypothesis, then you've covered your basis and related your topic to the annual theme.

If you are interested in being part of a discussion on the annual theme, I would suggest joining the H-Historyday listserv. There has been a great theme discussion going on there among teachers, coordinators and historians for a week or two, and it's a great place to share ideas and get support. Visit http://www.h-net.org/~histday/ to learn more.