Red, white and blue are an obvious choice for a history day backdrop. If your history day has an American theme, creating a backdrop with these patriotic hues along with stars and stripes is a wise choice. Pair these hues with other symbols of America, such as the bald eagle or the Liberty Bell to create a cohesive decorating scheme for your event.
While color photography is commonplace, it is a relatively new development. Most of the images of people and places in the past are in black and white. Reflect this by making your backdrop in these two tones. Feature black-and-white pictures on your backdrop along with shapes in these two tones to set the stage for your history-themed event.
When many people think of the past, they think of sepia and beige hues. These colors, common in old photos, Conestoga wagons and dirt-filled prairies, prove reflective of the past. Feature these hues in your backdrop, using decorative painting to make your backdrop look like aged leather or beige canvas. Paint a historically significant picture in a shade of beige. For example, craft a picture of wagons traveling out west or of a wild and rustic California town during the gold rush.
Give your history day a natural and earthy feel with a nod to the exploration of uncharted territory and the discovery of untouched lands. Create a backdrop that features earthy greens and browns. Paint a mural featuring these tones in the form of a historic discovery, such as the sights that may have greeted Mayflower riders when their boat first hit land in America.