Be a Hero: Revolutionize Your Classroom!

The Roots of America

600 BC – 1776 AD

Many of the ideas and values that Americans hold so dear were not invented by the Founding Fathers. The Roots of America stretch back more than 2,500 years. From Athenian Democracy through Enlightenment philosophy, this unit explores the many people and events that helped shape American government and culture.

The First Global Era

500 AD – 1682 AD

Up until sixteenth century, and with very few exceptions, the vast majority of Europeans had never ventured beyond their own villages, towns, or cities. Less than three hundred years later, however, Europeans had established settlements in every corner of the globe. After more than a millennium, what sparked this relatively sudden global migration? This unit examines the motivations of early explorers and the impact of the First Global Era on people living on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

British North America

1584 – 1763

With competition between European nations at its height, countries such as France and England looked for their share of riches in North America. By 1733, thirteen British colonies had been established along the eastern coast. However, the centuries-old rivalry between Britain and France, combined with the American colonists’ desire to expand westward would soon ignite a world war. This unit traces the establishment and growth of British North America and examines the causes and consequences of the French and Indian War.

The Birth of Liberty

1764 – 1788

Britain emerged from the French and Indian War a world superpower, but that power came at a high price. To raise needed revenue, Parliament enacted a series of laws that would create an irreparable rift between Britain and her colonies, igniting the flames of war once again. When the smoke cleared, an independent United States emerged. However, it was only the start of the long struggle to forge a new and viable nation. This unit examines the American Revolution as well as a young nation’s bold attempt to create the world’s first successful republic.

The Early Republic

1789 – 1823

Under the leadership of President George Washington, United States economic, foreign, and domestic policies all began to take shape and by 1800, American independence had proven durable. However, the United States would need to maintain that strong political and economic footing if it hoped to survive in the competitive world that was evolving. This unit offers a close examination of the first three and a half decades of the newly formed United States.

Jacksonians and the Whigs

1824 – 1849

By the early 1820s, the nation stood at the dawn of a new era. This unit traces the political and cultural transformation that occurred in the United States during the first half of the nineteenth century. The topics examined include the rise of the modern two-party system, the development and escalation of sectional conflict, the emergence of reform movements, and the benefits and consequences of fulfilling America’s Manifest Destiny.

Antebellum America

1850 – 1861

For nearly a century, America wrestled with two crucial issues: The extent of states’ rights and the existence of slavery in a land where, supposedly, “all men are created equal.” American leaders made compromises that temporarily calmed tempers, but did not resolve the underlying conflict. There came a time, however, when no compromise would suffice. This unit offers a close examination of the tumultuous decade leading up to the American Civil War.

Civil War and Reconstruction

1861 – 1877

Other American wars pale in comparison to the Civil War. No war, before or since, has cost as many American lives or inflicted as much destruction of American property. As this terrible chapter in American history drew to a close, disputes over slavery and secession had been settled. However, deep-seated notions regarding race, ethnicity, wealth, power, poverty, and privilege remained. This unit begins with a detailed examination of the events of the war. Then, the focus shifts to the triumphs, pitfalls, and failures of a nation struggling to heal.

Industry and Migration

1869 – 1900

In the final decades of the nineteenth century, the story of America was one of growth and migration. While industry attracted throngs of jobseekers to eastern cities, the promise of cheap land lured homesteaders farther west. This unit examines the people and events that made industrial growth and westward expansion possible while giving students the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Global Power and World War I

1895 – 1919

In the twentieth century, a variety of special interest groups emerged, each with their own reform agenda. At the same time, the nation was taking a more prominent role on the world stage. However, when international rivalries that had divided Europe for centuries reached the breaking point, the United States managed to remain neutral, in theory if not in fact, until 1917. This unit explores efforts to reform domestic policy, traces the evolution of foreign policy, and examines the events surrounding the “war to end all wars.”

Boom and Bust

1920 - 1939

A post-war economic boom generated record prosperity in the United States. Unfortunately, the prosperity and carefree spirit of the Roaring 20s held the seeds of an economic collapse. There had been depressions, or “panics” as they were called in the 1800s, throughout American history. However, the Great Depression was catastrophic. This unit contrasts the “boom” of the Roaring 20s with the “bust” of the 1930s.

World War II

1935 – 1947

When Britain and France declared war against Germany, the United States stood poised to supply them with weapons and other supplies, just as it had at the start of World War I. Once again, this “un-neutral” neutrality would lead the nation into war. This unit examines the causes, events, and consequences of the Second World War.

Cold War and Civil Rights

1947 - 1976

From the rubble of World War II, two Super Powers emerged: The United States and the Soviet Union. For the next fifty years, these two nations would vie for world dominance. At the same time, social unrest and racial violence inspired a new generation to stand up and demand that America live up to the ideals of equality and liberty espoused in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. This unit explores the international struggle for world dominance known as the Cold War, as well as the fight for Civil Rights in America.

A New Economy

1977 - 2000

In the final years of the 1970s, Americans struggled with crippling inflation and soaring unemployment. In 1981, President Reagan set into motion his four-point Program for Economic Recovery, resulting in one of the longest periods of economic expansion in U.S. history. This period also saw the end of the Cold War, astounding technological advancements, and increased global interdependence. This unit traces the development of our modern world and examines the attendant consequences, both positive and negative.

Facing a New Millennium

2001 – the Present

The worst terrorist attack on American soil in U.S. history, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, climate change, a global financial crisis, widespread unemployment . . . these are just a few of the challenges America faced as it entered a new millennium. This unit highlights the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of the past two decades.