US History
What is US History?
In the United States, history is often taught as a linear narrative tracing the country's progression from its humble beginnings as a colony of the British Empire to its current status as a global superpower. However, this linear story often glosses over the complexities and contradictions of the past. US history is a story of progress and of conflict, of cooperation and of competition, of unity and of diversity.
The first Americans were Native Americans, who had lived on the continent for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. The history of the United States really begins with the arrival of the first European settlers in the early 1600s. These settlers were looking for religious freedom and economic opportunity, and they found both in the New World.
The United States has always been a nation of immigrants, and the early years of the country were shaped by the wave of British immigrants who came in the 1600s and 1700s. These immigrants brought with them their own customs and traditions, which helped to shape the American culture.
The United States was founded on the principles of liberty and equality, but these ideals were not always extended to all Americans. The early years of the country were marked by a struggle between those who wanted to maintain the traditional ways of the past and those who wanted to move forward into a new era. This struggle played out in many different arenas, from the American Revolution to the Civil War.
Throughout its history, the United States has been a nation of contradiction. It is a land of opportunity and a land of inequality. It is a nation of immigrants and a nation of Native Americans. It is a nation of workers and a nation of businesses. It is a nation of progress and a nation of reaction. US history is a story of all of these things and more.
US History Resources
Across Five Aprils
Newbery Honor novel following an southern Illinois farm family through the five Aprils of the American Civil War.
Bud, Not Buddy
Newbery Medal novel following a ten-year-old orphan across Depression-era Michigan in search of the father he thinks he has found.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Newbery Medal novel about a Black family holding onto their Mississippi land during the Depression and Jim Crow.
Amos Fortune, Free Man
Newbery Medal biography of an African-born man enslaved in colonial New England who bought his freedom and that of others.
The Sign of the Beaver
Newbery Honor survival story set in 1768 Maine, in which a settler boy and a Penobscot boy teach each other to live in the wilderness.
Johnny Tremain
Newbery Medal historical novel following a Boston silversmith's apprentice into the events of the American Revolution.
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch
Newbery Medal biography-novel of Nathaniel Bowditch, the self-taught sailor-mathematician who rewrote the book on navigation.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Newbery Medal novel about a Barbados-raised girl adjusting to Puritan Connecticut in 1687 and the witchcraft accusation that follows.

Exploring America: American History, English, and Bible
A combined American history, English, and Bible course for high schoolers, covering U.S. history with primary sources and biblical perspective.
5th Grade US History Booklet: Colonial America - Birth of A Nation
The birth of a nation is always riddled with complexities, wars, and victories. All those names, dates and other details may prove to be difficult for a 5th grade to process. But with these interactive educational books, information is more easily an...
Here Is Where: Discovering America's Great Forgotten History
Here Is Where chronicles Andrew Carroll’s eye-opening – and at times hilarious — journey across America to find and explore unmarked historic sites where extraordinary moments occurred and remarkable individuals once lived. Sparking the idea fo...
US History
U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top d...