NHD 2009 Topic Selection

As a teacher, I am unable to compete in the National History Day contest. However, I can still provide students with a model for NHD. I will use the research I am conducting for my graduate class at Temple University. My topic of research is surfing. I chose surfing as my topic for research because this past summer I learned how to surf and now I would like to learn about the history of surfing. Particularly, I am interested in the development of surfing as a part of Hawaiian culture. How was surfing a part of Hawaiian culture? Was it merely a sport or was it something more? Furthermore, I want to investigate what happened when Europeans and Americans arrived in Hawaii in the 1700s and 1800s. How did they view surfing? How did they influence Hawaiian culture? For this research, I have taken out a number of books from the Temple University Library. I have also visited the Library Company of Philadelphia. I'll post my original annotated bibliography and bibliographic essay. I hope this will serve as a model for students to follow.