Free American History Resources: List 1

Recently, I’ve taken several free, online history classes about America and World War II. Thus far, the classes have been wonderful in content and presentation. I look forward to engaging in more of these educational opportunities. As I was researching for online classes, I discovered a good deal more. I thought many of you may appreciate my growing list of finds for free, American history resources!

There are so many resources available, I’ll not be able to list, or sufficiently vet, them all. So, practice due diligence in checking out the background of each source. You may find helpful tips on how to do that from this previous blog post.

Due to space, I’ve had to trim this post to contain only a sampling of online educational freebies. This time, we’ll focus on archives, lesson plans, classes and courses, and worksheets. They will provide a great start for supplementing your American history education.

Just to note, the individuals and organizations who have generously donated these resources may later archive their current freebies in exchange for different ones. If you discover a link which is no longer valid, please let me know, and I’ll update it.

Even if the specific items mentioned in this post change, you’ll still have a list of websites which continually offer great educational resources. If you really like a website, consider signing up for their newsletter. That way you’ll be notified when they have new offerings.

Archives

Primary sources such as historical documents and records provide an excellent way to learn American history. The educational website, Digital History, listed below, provides an exceptional list of links to various archives. One of those links goes to the National Archives. I explore there often! One website that’s new to me is the one by Varsity Tutors. It looks like a site I’d like to explore in the future.

Digital History

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/references/resources.cfm#archives

Digital History is an educational website which provides links to the history profession’s major institutions housing archives of American history.

National Archives

https://www.archives.gov/education

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation’s record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever.

Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching a historical topic that interests you.

Varsity Tutors – Archiving Early America

https://www.varsitytutors.com/earlyamerica/home/teachers-students

Archiving Early America has been compiling a wealth of information — articles, stories, images and archival material — that provide you with the background and in-depth knowledge you need in your study of this important time in America’s founding.

Provides links to primary sources such as the freedom documents, but also to intriguing obituaries of notable people, films of famous moments, and a great article on how to read a 250-year old document.

American History Lesson Plans

American Heritage Education Foundation

www.https://www.americanheritage.org

Lessons Description: America’s Heritage: An Adventure in Liberty is “a performance-tested teacher lesson plan resource developed by the McNair Foundation, Houston ISD, and AHEF to strengthen K-12 education in the founding documents, institutions, history, and principles of the United States of America.

Written by and for teachers of social studies, U. S. history, U. S. government, political science, civics, geography, economics, and related subjects, this supplemental resource consists of ready-to-use, modifiable lessons and learning activities in three volumes–elementary, middle, and high school level.”

Also available on this website is a page listing a multitude of links to other websites with American history resources. It’s well worth your time to check it out. https://americanheritage.org/links/

Notgrass History

https://notgrasshistory.com/pages/try-notgrass-history

I’m not focusing on American History curriculum in this post. However, I want to include Notgrass History as another example of how to search for free, history resources. You’ll find many freebies like this on other history curriculum websites as well. Companies offer free downloads of their material so potential customers may sample their products.

Company Description: Notgrass produces “Christian homeschool history curriculum for students in first grade through high school. Our materials help parents train their children to honor God with their hearts, souls, and minds. Notgrass History helps children learn through engaging lessons, beautiful photos and illustrations, primary source documents, inspiring literature, and creative activities.”

Lesson Description: Notgrass generously offers free downloads of the first three units in their various history subjects for grades 1 -12. You may decide to use the free lessons they offer to complement your studies. Or, you may be like me, and enjoy them so much you decide to use their entire curriculum!

Presidential Libraries and Museums

The Presidential Libraries and Museums offer free lesson plans and activities for all grades. Check out the example from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

Utilize the online exhibits and other educational material offered on presidential museums’ websites. You’ll find a list of the Presidential Libraries and the links to their educational resources at this link: National Archives website.

Free American History Classes and Courses

Easy Peasy Honors U.S. History II

Easy Peasy Honors U.S. History II

Course Description: Honors US History II (transcript course title) “This honors course takes students from Reconstruction, post-Civil War, through the election of President Obama. Students will learn about America’s modern history by using online AP and college course materials. The information is presented in readings and video lectures.”

Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/collection-search

Institute’s Description: “At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.”

Or, take one of their free webinar classes! I’ve taken several of the classes offered by Gilder Lehrman and I’ve gleaned something from them all. My favorite one thus far, addressed topics concerning the American home front of WWII. The primary sources and visuals they use are excellent.

In addition, they feature history teachers in their webinars. They’re ususally the ones who’ve won teaching awards. Learning about the history lessons and activities they use to engage and motivate their students is insightful.

Hillsdale College American History Courses

https://online.hillsdale.edu/#course-offerings

Hillsdale College offers several courses related to history, government, and politics. The courses are taught through video lectures. Quizzes and recommended readings are also included.

Currently, I’m taking my first class at Hillsdale and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. This is a high-quality class for high school students and adults. Courses are taught by experts in the field of study. A description of the class I’m taking is below, but they have several options on their website.

Course Overview: The Second World Wars”

World War II, the greatest armed conflict in human history, encompassed global fighting in unprecedented ways. This course analyzes Allied and Axis investments and strategies that led one side to win and the other to lose. It also considers how the war’s diverse theaters, belligerents, and ways of fighting came eventually to define a single war.

Khan Academy – American History

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history

Khan Academy, a non-profit, offers free classes via videos and slides. Their list of content creators is impressive. However, I wish the website had included information telling which content each author created. I’m one of those people who likes to know who wrote what.

As with all the resources listed within this post, I recommend educators preview the material first. Make sure it meets your criteria for your students.

Free American History Worksheets

Easy Peasy

I’ve not used Easy Peasy but I’ve heard from many pleased homeschool moms who have. They offer free curriculum written with a Christian worldview. Again, I’m not discussing curriculum in this post, but want to include Easy Peasy here due to the free worksheets they offer.

Easy Peasy – Early American History

Course Description: “Students will study early American history from the early explorers through the Civil War. Students will engage with readings and videos as they learn about the events and leaders of the time period. [They] will demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways, including through lapbooks, journal writing, and worksheets, as well as by writing newspaper articles on events and people in history. These are NOT a full offline course, just the worksheets used in this online course.”

Easy Peasy – Modern History

Course Description: “Students will study American history from post-Civil War to the current day. Students will engage with readings, videos, political cartoons and photographs as they learn about the events and leaders of the past 150 years. Students will create a variety of projects to demonstrate their knowledge as well as write a number of newspaper articles based on events in history. These are NOT a full offline course, just the worksheets used in this online course.”

Student Handouts – American History

https://www.studenthandouts.com/american-history/

These free United States History course materials are designed for junior (grades 7-8) and senior (grades 9-12) high school students. Standard high school courses textbooks limit the scope and sequence of this curriculum. Following traditional practices, our materials are arranged chronologically, with some allowances made by topic. For example, the “Decades of Change” unit (1960-1980) looks at the social and political upheavals of the 1960s, with spilled over into the 1970s. But of course, the civil rights movement had its beginnings long before 1960.

Our materials are thus limited in sequence (yet cover all of American history), while not being limited in scope. We are not bound by what can be contained within a physical textbook. Ergo, we are able to offer items on topics not always (or ever) covered in any great depth in high school classes. Educators are free to pick and choose what topics to cover, and how deeply to pursue these topics.

Write Bonnie Rose

Similarly, you’ll want to check out websites of other content creators, such as Bonnie Rose Hudson. We’ve featured some of her American history products here before. She creates e-books only which includes worksheets. Like other folks mentioned here, she regularly offers free resources, often including a history resource, to her newsletter subscribers.

Description of WriteBonnieRose History ebooks:

“From ancient history to the Middle Ages and through modern times, whether you’re looking for American or World history, we have history resources here for you. There are coloring books, unit studies, notebooks, research projects, fun games, and much more. We also have U.S. government resources and elementary economics for you.

Not the Conclusion

While researching for this article, I discovered lots of delightful resources I look forward to revisiting. I’m amazed out how many wonderful treasures are available! Perhaps in a few months, I’ll create another post listing more free, American History resources including videos, curriculum, tests, and more.

In the meantime, don’t forget the valuable gems in your own neighborhoods: libraries, museums, historical places, reenactments, genealogical societies, and your local historians.

A freelance writer, Sally K. Matheny’s writing is published in worldwide, national, regional, online and print publications including Appleseeds, Clubhouse Jr., Homeschooling Today, and The Old Schoolhouse.

Sally focuses on the power of story, history, and His Story to tell the next generation wondrous things. Connect with her on various social media sites. But, if she’s not hanging out with family and friends, or in an American history class, you’ll most often find her at SallyMatheny.com or Pinterest.