National History Challenge 2009

The National History Challenge is a research-based competition for students in years 5 to 12.  It emphasises and rewards quality research, the use of community resources and effective presentation.

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Australian War Memorial jointly support the annual competition and sponsor a special category for wartime history entitled In War and Peace.

The competition is run by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia.  The competition closes on 11th September 2009 and the national awards presentation is held in Canberra in December.

The theme of the 2009 Challenge is "Triumph Over Adversity".

The Challenge is open to students from years 5 to 12 who can progress through regional, state/territory and national finals. Students can present their work in one of four formats:

  • Individual research essay;
  • a three dimensional museum display;
  • a multimedia format (audio/video/website); or
  • a performance.

Information and registration forms can be found at www.historychallenge.com.au.

Theme

The 2009 theme for the National History Challenge is ‘Triumph Over Adversity”. Students are invited to enter the In War and Peace special category of the National History Challenge by undertaking a research project on the issues relating to this theme.

Getting started with your research

Nearly a million Australian servicemen and servicewomen have served Australia in wartime. Their impact on the places they served in and the memories they left are worthy of study. How Australians saw the enemy varied from place to place. The Australians on Gallipoli had a great respect for Johnny Turk. How Australians were treated as prisoners of war and how Australians treated enemy prisoners and internees are important questions.

In considering your research for the In War and Peace category you may wish to investigate some of the suggestions given here or think about your own ideas.

How did wartime impact on the lives and culture of serving Australians?

How have Australian servicemen and women contributed to world peace?

Consider how many foreign wars Australia has been involved in since Federation and what influences these may have had on the development of a young nation and its identity. Each event can be seen as a decisive step in a longer historical process, such as the evolution of Australian national identity or an independent Australian foreign policy.

Other topics to investigate may include:

  • What are the qualities of Australian servicemen and women in triumphing over adversity; are these qualities selective to Australians only?
  • The changing roles and responsibilities of Australian women in times of conflict.
  • During the Second World War, one in three Australian prisoners of war died in captivity. For the survivors, life was never the same...
  • Impact of the Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade, 1987.
  • Identify a Peacekeeping mission where Australian servicemen and servicewomen, police officers and others have served; what valuable contribution have they made?
  • In order to triumph over adversity, what do you need to remember and what do you need to let go of? Give examples of servicemen and servicewomen (such as Vivian Bullwinkle).
  • Many men and women, brought up in the Great Depression, sacrificed six years of their lives during the Second World War, and then went on to help shape and build Australia in the second half of the 20th century. Discuss in relation to this year’s theme.

You can research a person or an event:

  • an Australian soldier, nurse, sailor, airman or airwoman
  • someone from your own family
  • a particular conflict or peacekeeping mission
  • someone from your own community.

Good luck with your research for the National History Challenge.

Useful sources

You are encouraged to use a range of primary sources in your research. Some primary sources include the biographical records on this site, as well as the Memorial’s collections of photographs, private papers and other material. You could ask your teacher to borrow a Memorial Box for classroom use.  You could visit the Australian War Memorial to see the exhibitions and to use the Research Centre, which provides access to the Memorial’s collections of official records, private papers, and books.

Here is a list of useful websites:

Prizes

State/Territory winners will receive a cash prize of $200. The winning entries may be published in Wartime, the official magazine of the Australian War Memorial. Schools having a winning entry will receive one annual subscription to Wartime.

National winner/s will receive a cash prize of $300 and travel to Canberra to attend the National Presentation Ceremony in Mural Hall, Parliament House. The National History Challenge covers travel, meals, accommodation and incidental costs to, from, and whilst in Canberra.

Further information:

Department of Veterans' Affairs
Ms Anna Garcia
Project Officer (Education)
Commemorations Branch
Phone: (02) 6289 6067
Fax: (02) 6289 4849
Email: Anna.Garcia@dva.gov.au

Australian War Memorial
Carmel Gillespie Education Officer
Education and Visitor Services
Email: Carmel.Gillespie@awm.gov.au
Phone :(02) 6243 44217
Fax :(02) 6243 4541